Not an uncommon snake by any means but certainly the largest one I have ever caught in the 8 acre park. This one was seen swimming just below and down stream of the park’s bridge. I carefull entered the water in front of the snake to avoid spooking her. When the snake had seen me it wasnt to much in a hurry to swim away but did so in a slow manner until it found a submerged rock to seek shelter under. I was able to gently grab it by the tail and at first the snake barely made a struggle. But as soon as I started to lift from the stream it began to turn around and bite. I carefuly lobbed her up onto the bank with my bare hands so that I could get a better look at her. I know from pevious encounteres that water snakes are not that coordinated to move on land as well as they are at swimming in te water. Once on land I started to approach the animal slowly and carefully. At this point she began to inflate her body the to strike repeatedly.
Northern water snakes are often mistaken to be cotton mouths or water moccaisons because of their demeaner and the fact that they swim in water. The opposite is rue. They are nonvenomous but wull bite repeatedly if you attempt to handle one. They are well adept at coralling and catching fish. Their recurved teeth allow them to hold onto their fish prey and I have on several occaisons seen them holding some very large fish with those teeth!!
A very large northern black racer I caught around an old house site. I dont necessarily like to hold by the tail in this fasion but was trying to get the animal under some control so as to give a perspective of its size. My height is 5’6″ . The area is mostly overgrown with tall grass and exhibits successional stages of cedars, pines and mixed hardwoods. In this area was mostly an open area of tall grass (a field) with numerous debris lying around. The combination of the two provides habitat for an abundance of rodents and hiding places for snakes like this one. Other snake species caught in the area include Eastern black rat, Mole king, Northern brown, Eastern worm, and Ring neck snakes. Other species are suspected but just haven’t been encountered yet.
My experience encountering eastern black rat snakes has mostly been uneventuful. Most of the time I am able to walk right up to them and pick them up without any issue. But on occaision they can show defensive posturing and even strike if you violate their personal space. In this short vid taken at a Fairfax County Park Trail partner Mike Gregory experiences one of those moments when its not a good idea to try and pick up Virginia’s largest snake. check out this exciting encounter
Above Marbled Salamander found by Mike during a an early morning walk along a wetland area within a Regional Park. Also found were a spotted salamander (below) in the same vacinity. Both species belong to a group of salamanders known as mole salamanders simply because they burrow after their done with their breeding season. The two often utilize the same vernal pools but breed at different times of the year and lay their eggs differently. Spots breed in late winter or early spring and lay their eggs in water. Marbled breed earlier on usually in the Fall and their eggs are laid in depressions on land near water where the eggs can be washed into vernal pools with the later fall of early winter rains.
Well plans changed for today. Originally scheduled to make a trip to Maryland to visit my dad on his birthday but he decided that rescheduling the visit for another day. So I called up Mike to see if he wanted to go look for Mole King Snakes or just herp in general. Didnt take much to twist his arm so off we went!
We decided to go to a few parks in Fairfax county where we have permission and can access given our staus with the park system.
Our first encounter was not in the form of scales but in feathers, There were wood peckers everywhere in particular northern flickers-and I mean everywehre!! Mike and I left the meadow area and worked our way along a creek bed looking for any sign of phibs or reptiles. The skies were clear and sunny and the temps a cool mid 50’s and with no rain not the greatest conditions for reptiles. We followed the creek until it formed a wetland area that bordered a larger stream. Crossed the stream followed up a road bed though some cedars.
On our way we found a pile of flicker feathers and an “owl pellet” lying on the ground.
We also found an eastern Box turtle. The road took us to an abandoned house site-or barn area. Lots of debris lying around and perfect conditions for the elusice mole king we came to find. Well after numerous flips of tires and carhoods and sheet metal roofing material no sign of the mole king. Right about the time we were to move away from the site I lifted an old car seat and dislodged a small broadhead skink.
Took some pics of it then let it go. Again flipped more debris but nothing. Then as we were heading back toward the road bed I found another car hood. flipped this one and there underneath and beginning to stir was an adult black racer. Mike hadnt seen one before so this was going to be a treat! Well I picked up the racer starting to admire it when Mike yelled look another one. So now we were dealing with two snakes but the second one want a racer but instead a an adult black rat!
So I grabbed both and we began filming and taking pics like we always do. As were releasing the snakes and staring to replace the hood as we found it Mike spots a third snake tucked in the crevice of the carhood. Another adult black rat!
Well that was exciting and we figured that alone was worht the trip. As we left this area we made our way to higher ground where a large outcrop of rocks rose well above the meadow and cedars. At the summit Mike flips a rock and yells SNAAAKE!. I come running and we both ascertain it is indeed our target species- a baby mole king!!!
We photo and vid the snake then released it and continued to look for more-maybe a copperhead. No copperhead but I was able to find two eastern worm snakes on that site before we left.
After lunch Mike suggested we try anther stream valley not far from his house. We heard from a park visitor that he had found red bellied water snakes a species that should not be found this far north. But given how humans have been repsonisble for so many other species of critters and plants to our area did not seem far fetched to us. So we decided to investigate. At least we could find some common water snakes if there were no red bellied ones so we decided to go.
No red bellied but we did observe a single water snake basking just out of our reach so we too ka pic or two then left for another section of the same stream a few miles away.
Arriving at our last site for the day Mike pointed out how there are a couple of habitat areas that have great potential. The first area comprised of mix hardwoods followed by wetland separated by a paved bike path then riparian zone and then the main stream. Some Drains bisected the bike path allowing for the wet areas to drain excess water into the main stream. At this location we found in the woods worms snakes and in the wetlands closest to the bike path Mike found a nice spotted salamander. When Mike finds something we know it!! ” Mark!! I got a spotted or Mark!!!! Snake!!!” then I come running. Well soon after Mikes Spotted sal discovery I hear SNAKE!!!. So I come running and quickly discover for myself the large bodied water snake.
