opheodrys aestivus
Monday, April 1, 2024 – 11:08 a.m.
Faulkner County, Arkansas – Kenny Vernon Nature Trail at Bell Slough Wildlife Management Area
Birding along the maintenance road near the marsh, with woods on one side and swamp on the other. I spotted the snake on the road and took some photos.
When I bent over for closer photos, it headed into the vegetation, crawling over some low plants and stopping with its head in the middle of a patch of grass. It seemed to be deliberately disguising itself in the blades.
Before long, it crawled over some other plants and disappeared. I made no attempt to stop it.
It was about a foot long and very thin.
Years ago, before I carried a cell phone or camera, I was hiking at Cadron Settlement Park when I spotted one that I remember as being a little larger than this one. It was curled on the path up the hill through the woods. I group of high-schoolers were headed my way, so I stood on the side of the path, one foot on either side of the snake so they wouldn’t mess with it. They walked by and glanced at me, but not one of them noticed the snake. After they passed, I went on my way and so, I assume, did the snake.