A couple different fungi found under some evergreens. Every year there seems to be a different one and some of the same ones.

 

A visitor I found while tending to some yard work... It had to be five foot long or better.

View attachment 240907

And it's sticking its tongue out at you... how rude!

 

@cmartinez I think it was just teasing me really. It has managed to outrun the lawn mower for a few years now judging by the size of it.

 

@cmartinez I think it was just teasing me really. It has managed to outrun the lawn mower for a few years now judging by the size of it.

As long as you can outrun it then everything should be ok... just make sure it doesn't take you by surprise!

 

As long as you can outrun it then everything should be ok... just make sure it doesn't take you by surprise!

Luckily they are just harmless critters around here. The people are more toxic than the wildlife.

 

Luckily they are just harmless critters around here. The people are more toxic than the wildlife.

What is it, Garden Snake or Blow Snake, either way just a good mouser.

kv

 

What is it, Garden Snake or Blow Snake, either way just a good mouser.

kv

It's a toss between an Eastern Garter or a Kirtlan"s. The length says gsrter, but the markings resemble a kirtlan. A little south for a kirtlan, but possible. I kind of wish I would have looked closer. The scaled down pictures loose a lot of detail, and the original pictures have color variations between then.

 

I haven't posted in a bit, so, here's a mink, a barn swallow, and a great blue heron:

 

It's a toss between an Eastern Garter or a Kirtlan"s. The length says gsrter, but the markings resemble a kirtlan. A little south for a kirtlan, but possible. I kind of wish I would have looked closer. The scaled down pictures loose a lot of detail, and the original pictures have color variations between then.

It's way too big to be either of those snakes, according to specs I found on the internet. That is a pretty girthy snake, which says water snake to me. I don't know where you live, but that looks like several I've encountered on my property here in S.E. Texas. Plain bellied water snake. They are often mistaken for water moccasins because of the very similar size, shape, and coloring (older moccasins lose their patterns and get dark, look just like that). The difference between the moccasin and its nonvenomous friend is the shape of the head and eyes.

If you live anywhere in or near the southeast portion of the U.S., I would say that is a plain bellied water snake.

 

@strantor it did look kind of big compared to what I normally see around here. I might be wrong with the five foot length (three may be a better estimate), but it did seem longer than anything I could find online that is supposed to be native to the area (northwest Ohio). Luckily nothing around here is supposed to be venomous other than a couple water snakes that aren't even toxic enough to worry about. I've never really paid much attention to or came in contact with any snakes until I moved here 12 years ago even though I've been within 30 miles my entire life (all 40 some odd years now). I don't live close to a large body of water anywhere other than private ponds and retaining ponds, but there is a ditch that could easily swallow a semi truck and trailer a quarter mile down the road that ends up in Lake Erie after a 50 or so mile venture through the countryside. It almost always has a bit of water in the bottom. There is a property behind me that is somehow designated for wildlife. I don't know the exact details, but it is almost always wet in the low areas, has tall grass, and deer tend to hang out there. I have a feeling that is probably where it lives.

 

@Yaakov you always have some great wildlife pictures. It seems your home is probably ideal for it with the river and all. I have spotted a mink lately up by work on my way home a couple times standing on the side of a small concrete bridge. It always runs for cover before I get close enough to really see it. I wasn't sure at first, but your picture made it click.

 

@Yaakov you always have some great wildlife pictures. It seems your home is probably ideal for it with the river and all. I have spotted a mink lately up by work on my way home a couple times standing on the side of a small concrete bridge. It always runs for cover before I get close enough to really see it. I wasn't sure at first, but your picture made it click.

Yes, Since the pandemic I have spent almost all my time shooting within a couple miles walk from home and it's been very nice to see the variety I have been able to get.

The minks are pretty elusive. I've seen many but this is the first I've been able to capture.

 

It's a toss between an Eastern Garter or a Kirtlan"s. The length says gsrter, but the markings resemble a kirtlan. A little south for a kirtlan, but possible. I kind of wish I would have looked closer. The scaled down pictures loose a lot of detail, and the original pictures have color variations between then.

I was thinking a blow snake, the head seems a little larger in your picture. @strantor beat me to it, was in the shower, Blow Snakes or Garter even Hognose have shape heads, which is to be considered often mimicking venom snakes, much like the Cobra in the nile delta or Adders they even stretch their neck out like a cobra then rear hissing they don’t move fast enough to get away and defend themself‘s with this posture.

kv

 

Eastern Garter Snakes are relatively thin and distinctly striped.

Make great pets!

 

I wish I knew for sure now. I didn't think it would get the attention it did both here and other places. I decided to start carrying my phone while out doing yard work a while back so I can listen to something other than the crybaby spineless neighbors all the time. Sooner or later I'll come across it again and be able to get a better shot.

 

I looked at the 25 snakes of Ohio, only one resembled what is taken in your picture. @strantor said water snake and is what I think it looks like also.



kv

 

@killivolt @strantor @SamR Thank you all!! After a little more digging around I believe you all pointed me in the right direction. I rechecked my original photos, dug around some more, and will have to agree it is a water snake. I was hoping for something more exciting, but alas it isn't so this time around. I kind of skimmed over that picture killivolt as it didn't look quite right without the white markings, but after a bit of reading I realize I just found a more interesting one. It also helps you blew it up a bit which makes it even more obvious. Maybe next time I'll find the more interesting varieties... until then I guess I'll have to see if there are little ones later this summer and how many the mower claims this time.

 

We have an early summer infestation of canker worms, today a flight of Grackles flew in and have been cleaning up all day.

 

Eastern Garter Snakes are relatively thin and distinctly striped.
View attachment 241184
Make great pets!

We have Garter snake pits close to here, in the spring they emerge in the 100's to mate in huge writhing balls..
They often fall prey to crows who know exactly where to peck an opening to harvest their liver.

 

Koblenz