With warmer weather here we are seeing media warnings about snakes, and how to deal with them. In eight decades encompassing early farm life, and later bush peregrinations, encounters with snakes have been numerous, crossing paths in four states with Tigers, Red-bellied Blacks, Eastern Browns, Dugites, Lowlands and Highlands Copperheads, and species unknown. In the early days when frogs were abundant on the farm, so were snakes, and in those days the prevailing attitude was to kill them. Time has moved on though, snakes are now protected, they are an integral part of ecosystems, and when encountered should be treated with respect and admired. Click images to enlarge.
The Red-bellied Black is a common and non aggressive snake, the males engage in ritual combat that is spectacular to witness, these were a lucky find and observed for some time.
While sitting tucked into a shrub by a foothill creek waiting for birds to drink, this black came down the creek probably looking for frogs. After moving in the direction of the photographer it was diverted by a strategically tossed twig, and then continued on its tongue-flickering way downstream.
The Red-bellied Black has been known to grow to 2.7 metres in length, and in the early 1960s while working in the bush, one seen crossing a 4wd track would have been about this length as it completely spanned the track.
The Eastern Brown is possibly a little less common locally, and sightings are something of a highlight for a naturalist. This nice specimen was crossing the track at the Sale Common and was watched by a small group of interested onlookers. The flattened neck gives an indication of its warning to not venture too close, a warning happily accepted!
This nice individual was spotted in the Glenmaggie box-ironbark bush, it kept a close eye on the photographer but appeared to remain fairly relaxed.
Colour is not a reliable species identifier with some species of snake, browns for example can exhibit a range of tones. This nicely coloured snake basking in the sun at Bellbird Corner Riverside Reserve is probably a brown, while an individual previously observed in the reserve was similar in colour to the snake in the image above.
A snake, possibly a brown, seen with a friend in the upper Macalister River area years ago was a beautiful golden yellow colour, it was also very fast moving. Two others, identity unknown, were a two metre snake with an un-banded dull green colour by the Avon River, and one in the foothills by the Valencia Creek that was ash grey.
Four species of snake have been recorded in the reserve, Tiger, Lowlands Copperhead, Eastern Brown, and Red-bellied Black, with Tigers the most numerous, growing to a large size. This photo was taken in the reserve by a friend, sadly no longer with us. Tigers are good climbers, one spotted in the reserve was almost two metres up a tree violet shrub, possibly searching for a bird’s nest.
Copperheads are less commonly seen, although the habitat is very suitable with the river and swampy areas, this one was sunning itself by the picnic table.
This next Copperhead is interesting in that after two big floods it was observed in the same place, dirty with silt, drying out on flood flattened vegetation in what must have been its personal territory.
Another Copperhead photographed at the local Macalister Wetland Reserve.
And to conclude, a handsome Red-bellied Black crossing a sandy track in Holey Plains State Park.
