just beautiful!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
a smooth green experience
At the end of a long but very successful morning surveying for Golden-winged Warblers in the Whitemud Watershed Wildlife Management Area in western Manitoba, I decided to change out of my wet socks before hiking back out to the car. In order to put down my gear, I went to pick up a piece of dead wood to make a cradle so my stuff wouldn't get wet. Being tired, and a bit of a clutz, I accidently broke off the top of the dead wood but, to my joy and amazement, this revealed a smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). Having never seen this species before, I could not resist a few quick snap shots before placing the dead wood gently back on top of the disturbed reptile. This shot shows the tongue (the second is cropped in). Sorry snake, but you sure are beautiful!
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It rather looks like a grass snakes. It is quite big though. It could be a green Mamba. However, not sure about the shape of her head.
ReplyDeleteGrass snakes are harmless and Mambas are lethal. If they really manage to bite you you would be dead from nerve poison within half an hour. Where was that Western Manitoba? I know it's Africa.
Hi tozcal2009,
ReplyDeleteManitoba is a province of Canada (in the middle of the country on the east to west axis). I should be more clear about which continent I am posting from next time - sorry! There are no grass snakes or mambas here. Actually this snake is very small so the size perception is an artifact of the photo.. this snake was only about 30 - 40cm long. The ID is very easy and they are not venomous!
Thanx for your interest and I hope I can post more soon!
Christian