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Friday, August 15, 2014

Red-sided and blue-bellied


I debated about showing these pictures, but then I decided to go ahead.  It's an opportunity to praise and share images of one of the most beautiful local snakesa California Red-sided Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis)

The unfortunate part is that this was a road-killed animal.  I'll be selective and I won't show you the entire snake.  But I hope you can appreciate how handsome it was.




Although the blue of the belly scales was much brighter in person, I think you'll be able to see the keels on the scales in the following close-ups:

  

  

Perhaps this snake will serve as a reminder to all of us to slow down and always watch for wildlife.

To learn more about California Red-sided Garter Snakes, check the California Herps web page.

3 comments:

Alice Chan said...

Oh, how awful that this beautiful snake was killed on the road. I've never seen one before, and I wish it had been a living creature!

Jackie Sones said...

I agree, Alice. It was very sad to find it this way. David Hofmann kindly sent me a link to a photo he took of live Red-sided Garter Snake on Mount Burdell in Marin County. Not sure this link will work, but I'll post it here with the hope that it will:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23326361@N04/4498199471/

Alice Chan said...

The link does work if you copy and paste it into another window. Look at that beautiful head! Thanks to David Hofmann for this.