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Project Noah Nature School
Nerodia sipedon
I saw these 2 snakes (first snake is pictures 1-3, second snake is picture 4) on the side of a pond. One was in the grass and the other was in the brush right next to the grass. There was also a pile (4-6) of dead baby northern water snakes about 3 feet away - mostly in the bushes, but some in the grass. Some were cut in pieces and others were still intact. I have no idea what happened to them, but I'm guessing that they were the offspring of these 2 snakes. I took pictures of them, but haven't included them in this spotting in case they were too gruesome.
On the side of a pond situated between a meadow and a mixed forest.
This snake is currently secure in Connecticut, but many are killed each year as they are mistaken for venomous snakes.
Spotted on Sep 9, 2017
Submitted on Sep 15, 2017
9 Comments
Thanks for all the comments! @Leuba, they were big - the one in the grass with the red pattern was at least 3 feet long. The snake hiding in the brush was smaller, maybe 2 feet.
Good looking snakes - thickset aren't they ? sad about the babies.
Great series.Sorry to hear the plight of the babies! R.I.P!
Awesome series Christine!
Thank you Mark!
Fabulous looking snake.. well done.
Sad...they are so beautiful.
Gilma, I'm not sure. Some of the little snakes were cut up in pieces, but others appeared unharmed and were in one piece - yet, were still dead. I don't know what kind of animal would do that and then not eat the snakes. Maybe they got run over with a lawn mower and then were tossed to the side of the grass? Or, maybe someone assumed they were venomous and killed them. Not sure, but it was a sad sight.
Sad about the cut-up little snakes, did it look man made or some predator?