Night Sunning Water Moccasin

Sunning Water Moccasin · **1 Like**

We say this guy sunning himself just after we had entered the refuge. We tried to keep a respectful distance, but as you can see, he wasn't very happy to see us - the head tilt, with open mouth is a threat display.

leptim · 03-31-2013, 07:12 AM

Originally posted by sjeller

We say this guy sunning himself just after we had entered the refuge. We tried to keep a respectful distance, but as you can see, he wasn't very happy to see us - the head tilt, with open mouth is a threat display.

Plenty close enough for a good shot.

sjeller · 03-31-2013, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by leptim

Plenty close enough for a good shot.

Thanks. Was trying to get a good photo of him without causing him too much stress. Obviously, he thought I was too close.

slowpez · 03-31-2013, 07:41 AM

Great shot. He is a beautiful animal isn't he?

sjeller · 03-31-2013, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by slowpez

Great shot. He is a beautiful animal isn't he?

Thanks,Susan,
Yes he is. I saw another one swimming across one of the creeks. It was extremely fascinating watching how he moved through the water.

**patrick9** · 03-31-2013, 09:13 AM

This is as close as I care to get . Still a nice shot

Panteg · 03-31-2013, 11:41 AM

Looking at your photo is far too close for me!
Great shot.

Tom S. · 03-31-2013, 12:13 PM

I would have shot it too - and not with my camera!

sjeller · 03-31-2013, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by Tom S.

I would have shot it too - and not with my camera!

Tom, sounds like something my brother would say. He does not like snakes to put it mildly. I once rescued a black rat snake from his backyard. He was going to get the garden hoe to cut it's head off.....I coaxed the snake into a box while he was gone and released it back in the woods. My brother was not amused.

p38arover · 03-31-2013, 05:17 PM

I like the pic but it's too close for me!

Originally posted by Tom S.

I would have shot it too - and not with my camera!

Snakes are protected species in Australia. One is not allowed to kill them - not that many people would obey that law!

Of the 140+ snakes in Oz, only around 100 are venomous and, of those, only 12 are likely to kill you.

sjeller · 03-31-2013, 05:27 PM

Originally posted by p38arover

I like the pic but it's too close for me!

Snakes are protected species in Australia. One is not allowed to kill them - not that many people would obey that law!

Of the 140+ snakes in Oz, only around 100 are venomous and, of those, only 12 are likely to kill you.

Yikes! Snakes are not that protected here, but luckily, we have only 4 poisonous ones. They are usually not deadly.

And thanks for the like. While taking the photos, I admit to being very aware of what the snake was doing and where he was pointed in case I had to beat a hasty retreat!

**monochrome** · 03-31-2013, 05:49 PM

Lovely shot and fascinating interaction with a predator in his natural habitat!

I recall in my (much) younger days being waist deep in a fast-flowing freestone river, fly fishing for trout, when a 4-foot Midland Water Snake came out of a root wad and swam across the river - right in my path! I couldn't move away from his travel due to the water pressure, so I was fully prepared to break down my rod and try to flip him out of the way if he got too close. Had he moved just a foot or two closer I would have acted - but he turned downstream just a bit and crawled up the bank. I actually experienced an adrenaline crash a few minutes later.

To this day I'm not sure it wasn't a Copperhead, but to reduce bad dreams I convinced myself it was just a water snake.

**Ex Finn.** · 03-31-2013, 06:22 PM

A cotton-mouth eh. Nice shot

.

**jbinpg** · 03-31-2013, 07:44 PM

Awesome shot. I thought cottonmouths were tied very closely to water. Was there water nearby?

sjeller · 04-01-2013, 05:35 AM

Originally posted by jbinpg

Awesome shot. I thought cottonmouths were tied very closely to water. Was there water nearby?

Thanks for the nice comment. Actually, they are, and there was.....water that is. We were in a National Wildlife Refuge with lots of marsh and water.

sjeller
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by sjeller
	Find threads started by sjeller
	Find threads in which sjeller has posted

03-31-2013, 06:22 PM	#13
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	A cotton-mouth eh. Nice shot. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 03-31-2013 at 06:34 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Macro Golden Dragonfly sunning	eaglem	Post Your Photos!	2	11-15-2012 10:10 PM
Landscape Water, water everywhere	slowpez	Post Your Photos!	16	07-11-2012 12:56 PM
Macro Just Sunning	eaglem	Post Your Photos!	7	05-22-2012 03:25 PM
Nature Water Water Everywhere	Marcus Kauffman	Post Your Photos!	8	04-03-2012 07:55 AM
Macro Grey Striper Sunning	eaglem	Post Your Photos!	4	11-27-2010 05:50 PM

03-31-2013, 07:12 AM	#2
leptim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fountain, CO Photos: Albums Posts: 611	Originally posted by sjeller We say this guy sunning himself just after we had entered the refuge. We tried to keep a respectful distance, but as you can see, he wasn't very happy to see us - the head tilt, with open mouth is a threat display. Plenty close enough for a good shot.

03-31-2013, 07:30 AM	#3
sjeller Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Virginia Photos: Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Originally posted by leptim Plenty close enough for a good shot. Thanks. Was trying to get a good photo of him without causing him too much stress. Obviously, he thought I was too close.

03-31-2013, 07:41 AM	#4
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,462	Great shot. He is a beautiful animal isn't he?

03-31-2013, 07:59 AM	#5
sjeller Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Virginia Photos: Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Originally posted by slowpez Great shot. He is a beautiful animal isn't he? Thanks,Susan, Yes he is. I saw another one swimming across one of the creeks. It was extremely fascinating watching how he moved through the water.

03-31-2013, 09:13 AM	#6
patrick9 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,458	This is as close as I care to get . Still a nice shot

03-31-2013, 11:41 AM	#7
Panteg Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Swansea , South Wales , UK Posts: 444	Looking at your photo is far too close for me! Great shot.

03-31-2013, 12:13 PM	#8
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	I would have shot it too - and not with my camera!

03-31-2013, 05:01 PM	#9
sjeller Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Virginia Photos: Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Originally posted by Tom S. I would have shot it too - and not with my camera! Tom, sounds like something my brother would say. He does not like snakes to put it mildly. I once rescued a black rat snake from his backyard. He was going to get the garden hoe to cut it's head off.....I coaxed the snake into a box while he was gone and released it back in the woods. My brother was not amused.

03-31-2013, 05:17 PM	#10
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084	I like the pic but it's too close for me! Originally posted by Tom S. I would have shot it too - and not with my camera! Snakes are protected species in Australia. One is not allowed to kill them - not that many people would obey that law! Of the 140+ snakes in Oz, only around 100 are venomous and, of those, only 12 are likely to kill you.

03-31-2013, 05:27 PM	#11
sjeller Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Virginia Photos: Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Originally posted by p38arover I like the pic but it's too close for me! Snakes are protected species in Australia. One is not allowed to kill them - not that many people would obey that law! Of the 140+ snakes in Oz, only around 100 are venomous and, of those, only 12 are likely to kill you. Yikes! Snakes are not that protected here, but luckily, we have only 4 poisonous ones. They are usually not deadly. And thanks for the like. While taking the photos, I admit to being very aware of what the snake was doing and where he was pointed in case I had to beat a hasty retreat!

03-31-2013, 05:49 PM	#12
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Lovely shot and fascinating interaction with a predator in his natural habitat! I recall in my (much) younger days being waist deep in a fast-flowing freestone river, fly fishing for trout, when a 4-foot Midland Water Snake came out of a root wad and swam across the river - right in my path! I couldn't move away from his travel due to the water pressure, so I was fully prepared to break down my rod and try to flip him out of the way if he got too close. Had he moved just a foot or two closer I would have acted - but he turned downstream just a bit and crawled up the bank. I actually experienced an adrenaline crash a few minutes later. To this day I'm not sure it wasn't a Copperhead, but to reduce bad dreams I convinced myself it was just a water snake.

03-31-2013, 07:44 PM	#14
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Awesome shot. I thought cottonmouths were tied very closely to water. Was there water nearby?

04-01-2013, 05:35 AM	#15
sjeller Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Virginia Photos: Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Originally posted by jbinpg Awesome shot. I thought cottonmouths were tied very closely to water. Was there water nearby? Thanks for the nice comment. Actually, they are, and there was.....water that is. We were in a National Wildlife Refuge with lots of marsh and water.