Such a lovely way to spend the weekend!
I had a work event that involved camping with my colleagues and various guests along the banks of my favorite river, the St. Johns. We enjoyed hiking, birding, kayaking, an eco-tour boat ride, a clean-up, communal food, great conversation, and -- of course -- a bonfire.
We saw this plant community on one of our hikes: shoestring fern and various mosses, all thriving together on the trunk of a sabal palm tree.
This beauty was a highlight of the weekend for me: a banded water snake, perfectly balanced on an outstretched branch over an old logging canal that connects to the river. It was a cool afternoon and he/she was quite sluggish, allowing us to look as much as we wanted. I'm usually not very good at spotting snakes, so this was a real treat.
You know you're camping when . . . you've only been there 10 minutes and you already don't match.
I always thought water snakes could be kind of aggressive, perhaps it's a different kind. The kind I'm thinking of isn't poisonous but it can be mean.
ReplyDeleteMost snakes don't want anything to do with humans, and banded water snakes are particularly low-key. I keep my eyes open around the water, so no one gets surprised (them or me)!
DeleteMaybe you're thinking of water moccasins (cottonmouths)? They have a reputation for being aggressive, but I have a friend who says, "Most snakes are aggressive when you're trying to kill them with a shovel." That helps me remember to mind my own business when I see one.
This snake was especially fun to see because I was on the dock above. I got a good look without disturbing him/her.