Yep, that was me with the Manatee. And I don't have any great zoom lens, just a simple, cheap digital. I am use to Cottonmouth and know their tendencies, but was new to the pygmy. I did have one that struck at me vehemently, but they do a lot of gyrations. They kinda look like they have parkinson disease in the way they jerk around. They don't open their mouth and show themselves like the cottonmouth. This particular one pictured here did not strike. I removed him from the side of the trail and was thinking of bringing him home with me...long story.
Hey Hans and Elfi. No, I haven't seen a whole lot of snakes in Cassine of late. After the spring, where I saw plenty, including some great cottonmouth, there have been few. The other day I handled a pine or an oak snake, not sure, and it was very docile. I hadn't seen a pygmy for perhaps a month or more until today. The snakes have been rather dormant, almost as if they were hibernating away from the sun. In addition to this pygmy, I also came across two sticks that looked eerily like snakes and while I did not scream like a girl, I came close. Each was in the middle of the trail and each thick and fierce looking.
The pygmy was found on the Eastern Lake trail between the two little bridges and before the picnic table area. Btw, if the wind is bad tonight I would not be surprised if Eastern lake busts through. It is high right now.
