Sunday, March 30, 2008

Snakey Spring

Typo, right? I meant "Sneaky"?

Nope. Twice in two days while out walking in the wilderness area with friends, I've encountered 2 1/2 foot long garter snakes. Since it's been cool, they've been fairly sluggish and not as feisty as they often are later in the year.

Luna found the one we saw today. I noticed her doing the classic "snake dance"--warily circling with little inward feints at something hidden in the grass, her every muscle tense, her every nerve focused on whatever-it-was. After yesterday's sighting, I pretty much knew what it was before I even got to her.

At first it seemed much more slender and dark that the other snake. Then it became aware of my presence and spread and flattened its body to seem wider, and I realized that yesterday's snake had already done that. This pose vividly displayed the brilliant red color between its darker scales...beautiful!

I'm surprised to see them when spring seems so slow and chilly. But they are a sign that it is, emphatically, spring. Nothing sneaky about it!

No comments: