PHOTOPAGE 406

 

April  2010

Through April and getting back to regular updating, this page features my encounter with a Northern Water Snake who had just captured an eel, carried it onto the towpath and struggled for 20 minutes, finally getting the eel into swallow-able position.

 

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406.11 Light Rain 

4-2 canal sprout in log ps rz.jpg (762100 bytes)

406.12 Knothole Sprout 

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406.13 Virginia Bluebells 

   

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406.1   Barberry
The area now has enough color to manifest the feeling of seasonal change.  

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406.2 Bouquet 

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406.3  Lesser Celandine 

 

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 406.4 Song Sparrow  

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 406.6 Treescape 
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406.7 Purple Violet  

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406.8 Cherry Blossoms 

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406.8 Northern Water Snake & American Eel 

Nerodia sipedon & Anguilla rostrata
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406.9 Watersnake & Eel 2

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406.10 Watersnake & Eel 3 

The captured eel ( about 9 inches) is still vigorously writhing - this Water Snake is not venomous and relies on the strength of its jaws and backward curving teeth.

 After 5 minutes, the eel is less active, although eels can live out of water for a long period - both are now dotted with debris - the eel's slimy skin has picked up twigs and particles and some has adhered to the snake.

After 20 minutes, the snake has maneuvered the eel so it can be swallowed whole - the bent body is no obstacle to the elastic jaws and body of the snake.

   
 
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