One evening this past week I was photographing lotus flowers at a local pond in a quasi-meditative state, enjoying the calm after a thunderstorm had passed.
The life cycle of the lotus, from bud to flower to seed pod
Suddenly a woman screamed out in my direction, “Snake, there’s a snake right behind you.” My first reaction was one of disbelief, because I was standing on a flat rock partially surrounded by water that was flowing rapidly between two man-made ponds. All at once I saw the submerged snake swimming strongly against the current. Then to my surprise the snake lifted his head out of the water.
My next reaction was to spring into action to take his picture. My camera was already on my tripod and I swung it around and snapped a couple of shots without having time to adjust my exposure or shutter speed. The image below is far from perfect but it gives you an idea of the cascading water and the snake poking his head above the surface.
Swimming snake lifts its head above water
After that brief photographic opportunity I returned to my peaceful pursuit of the lotus flower.
Sidewards-facing lotus (a variation of the lotus position)
It was only much later that I wondered whether I had encountered a poisonous snake. An article entitled “Snake Mistake” by Christine Ennulat in Virginia Living helps readers distinguish between the harmless brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilata) and the venomous water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus). I am pretty confident the snake I saw was “only” a brown water snake.
Maybe I will react more quickly the next time someone tells me there is a snake right behind me. I might even get a better photograph!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wow, beautiful photos…and snake story. 🙂
Thanks. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Hey Michael—what a day you had that day! I did some researching and I think it might be a Northern Water Snake or Pine Snake (which are non-venonmous). Amazing you could get the shot!
Cindy
Thanks, Cindy, for doing some more research on “my” snake. Whatever he is, I’m happy to continue to believe he is non-venomous. Yes, it was quite a day with encounters with a snake, a green heron, and a snapping turtle (plus the lotuses too).
Here’s a link to an article about them, but you can see them in a Google search for images. http://www.loudounwildlife.org/blog/2010/04/the-northern-water-snake/
Wow. That article is informative but not really reassuring. “These snakes have a bad temperament and will defend themselves viciously..” As you can see, identification of species is not my strong suit. Thanks, as always, for your help.
So much for serenity.
Serenity is hard to hold onto even under the best of circumstances.
With squarish spots on its back and round eye pupils, it looks like a Northern Water Snake. Common and harmless. You’re likely not going to bump into a mocassin in Fairfax County, Mike. They’re not here naturally. Also, I actually rather like the movement in the photo of it.
Thanks. I have done a bit more research after the post and almost everything seems to point to the Northern Water Snake. I have no experience in snake identification but the eye shape and the way it was swimming underwater made me pretty confident it was not a water moccasin (though that didn’t help me much in figuring out what it was). Thanks too for your positive comment on the photo. I too kind of like that way the photo looks.
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