This was on one of our trips away for dog shows. I visited this small wetland/lagoon area on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. On my walk around this wetland I came across 4 red-bellied black snakes nearly stepping on the last one. This was the first and largest one that I encountered at approx 6ft long.

[surfar]

Very dangerous and poisonous creatures

Red-bellied Black Snake

Poisonous yes, but not that dangerous.Certainly to be avoided if possible.

This variety is the best to have "around",they are aggressive towards other snakes and keep the feared EasternBrown away which is Why i like the blacks.

[pqberger]

Thank you all for the wonderful comments. It's greatly appreciated.

The good thing: You had a long lens.

The bad thing: You nearly stepped on it anyway.

Yep, It can be handy to have a 500mm lens although the main image was shot at 200mm and the one below at 170mm.. Luckily for this larger snake I was on an elevated timber walkway and it was a couple metres away. I lay down on the walkway to get as low as I could go and bring myself down to its level as much as possible. It was also on a little bit of a mound, up out of the water.

The snake in this next photo is the one that I nearly stepped on. There was a mowed section of grass around part of the wetland. I was standing on the very edge of the short grass trying to get photos of some honeyeaters. I looked down into the taller grass as I was about to step into it to improve my position and only 18 inches from my feet was this fellow. As I didn't have proper shoes on I stayed on the short grass.

[PJ1]

As I didn't have proper shoes on

Yes. I have proper shoes that I use for standing on snakes too.

(Sorry. Couldn't resist.)

[pqberger]

Yes. I have proper shoes that I use for standing on snakes too.

(Sorry. Couldn't resist.)

LOL.... I might not have been quite so concerned about the snake but I was wearing thongs (or what are better known as flip flops in other parts of the world because the rest of the world don't usually put thongs on the feet)

[rod_grant]

Nice shot Patrik.
I go with the motto "The only good snake is a dead snake" although they are all protected in Oz (unless they are a danger to you or your family.
Every snake I have seen has been a danger to me and my family!!
I have a friend on a rural property who tolerates the blacks under his house because they keep the browns at bay. It is a quirk of nature that the less poisonous, less aggressive and slower snake is a real threat to the more poisonous, more aggressive and very much quicker brown snake.