Monday, June 4, 2012

A walk in the Park

In Columbia Missouri, my sister took me on a quick visit to Stephens Lake Park.  We took a walk around the lake and saw a few birds and a northern water-snake. 

Stephens Lake

Stephens Lake


Canadian Geese

Red-winged Blackbird

Water lillies, I don't recall seeing water lillies like these on the Missouri farm.



Northern Watersnake, non venomous

Norther water snakes are often misidentified as Copperheads when they are reddish brown in color.  Looking at the photos in the comfort of my home it's easy to identify this snake as a Northern Water-snake.  Copper heads are pit vipers and this snake doesn't have a pit between it's eyes and nostril.  Another clue is it pupils are spherical shaped and a copper head has elliptical shaped pupils.  The bands don't have the same shape either, but I can see how they get misidentified.  The Northern Water-snake is not poisonous.

Northern Water-snake