In my experience, snakes flick their tongue frequently when they feel threatened by a predator. If snakes could talk, then this one might be saying “You’re making me feel anxious!”
10 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Eastern Gartersnake
An Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) was spotted along Pope’s Head Creek at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. A wider view shows the snake is approximately two (2) feet in length. Notice its tail appears to have been amputated and healed afterward.
10 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Eastern Gartersnake
A closer look at the snake shows several fresh injuries along the body, such as the gash near its head.
10 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Eastern Gartersnake
Several bus loads of middle school students were visiting the park on 10 May 2017. I saw three students downstream from me who were separated from the larger group. They were throwing rocks at something along the shore. As I approached them, they started walking in the opposite direction. I spotted the snake when I reached the same place where the students had been throwing rocks.
10 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Eastern Gartersnake
I’m guessing the students were trying to kill the snake before they saw me. So if snakes could talk, then this one might be saying “Thank you for saving my life!”
10 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Eastern Gartersnake
Editor’s Comments: What’s the take-away from this ugly experience? This is another example of “good thought, bad idea.” It was a good thought to schedule a school field trip to a nature park; it was a bad idea to lose track of several students! Middle school students require adult supervision at all times. Trust me, as a retired K-12 science teacher, this is the voice of experience talking. The teachers are lucky none of their students were injured when they were missing in action. The snake wasn’t as fortunate — it was injured as a consequence of the teachers’ negligence. Let’s hope the snake survived its injuries!
Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Eastern Gartersnake, Fairfax County, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, Virginia
walter sanford's photoblog 
June 1, 2017 at 5:59 am |
Good photos and a good lesson. I have the same thoughts every time I see a group of school kids (or even parents who let their kids run wild) at Huntley Meadows Park. “Respect for wildlife” needs to be drilled into the kids as early as possible.
June 1, 2017 at 7:49 am |
One secret of good teaching is to clearly communicate both learning outcomes and expectations for appropriate behavior BEFORE the lesson begins. Evidence suggests the teachers may not have stressed “respect for wildlife” as the primary goal of the field trip.