I spent much of my time Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge scanning the trees for birds. On one of the rare moments when I was looking down, I ended up looking into the eyes of what appears to be a Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon).
Although it may look like I was dangerously close to this snake, I took these shots with my Tamron 150-600mm lens, which has a minimum focusing distance of almost 9 feet (274 cm). Northern Watersnakes are not poisonous, but I have been told that their bites can be very painful and that the snakes inject an anti-coagulant when they bite, so wounds tend to bleed profusely.
I particularly like the way that I was able to capture some of the details of the snake, including its scales and its head. If you look closely, you can even see a miniature landscape in the eyes of the snake.
UPDATE: One of the viewers on my Facebook page commented that this looks more like an Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) than a Northern Watersnake. I am hoping to get some clarification on the species of this snake and would welcome the views of any readers with expertise in this area.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Fantastic portraits. We’ve been encountering a few snakes on our property these past few weeks, just garter snakes, which surprises me given the season and our location.
Thanks, Laura. I saw a garter snake that same day. It looks to me like they are active as long as possible in the fall.
Nice find, Mike! Just a quick note–I’;d be more concerned about the chance of bacterial infection than an anticuagulant component. Snakes can harbor quite a range of both aerobic anaerobic bacteria, including Clostridium tetani, which is the cause of tetanus. Anyone who is bitten should consult a doctor and consider getting a tetanus shot if their last one was not within the last ten years.
Yikes, Gary. Yet another good reason to keep a distance from snakes.
Wow, amazing shots.
Thanks, Nina.