And now for something completely different...

jeffashman · Mar 26, 2022

So, I said I'd try and find something other than birds to post, so here it is. Almost stepped on the sucker but saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye, and quickly stepped back. This one was a very small, 7-8 inches, Cottonmouth, so I was fortunate. If it had been bigger, I might have been struck, because I was close enough. Note to self, pay more attention to the ground, as well as the canopy.

Tamron 18-400mm f/11 1/1600 ISO 1600 at 400mm

mar26202201 by Jeff Ashman, on Flickr

NS: Nikon Shooter · Mar 26, 2022

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This is something we won't have the bad luck
to meet in septentrional latitudes!

Jeff15 · Mar 26, 2022

Wow, stay safe......

K9Kirk · Mar 26, 2022

Nice shot, Jeff and different, that's for sure! Love it!
As dumb, bored kids in AL. we used to hunt them with long sticks and bash them on the head with the heavy end. I did say dumb kids, didn't I? Have you considered getting some snake boots?

MitchP · Mar 27, 2022

Ah. I just commented in your other thread. We used to behead rattlesnakes when I was kid, but I think a Cottonmouth is even more dangerous?

Hardus Nameous · Mar 27, 2022

Nice! It's even smiling for you.
It's not often I see pictures of the inside of a snake's mouth.

PJM · Mar 27, 2022

Different and awesome!

slat · Mar 27, 2022

Nice shot and perspective.

jeffashman · Mar 27, 2022

K9Kirk said:
Nice shot, Jeff and different, that's for sure! Love it!
As dumb, bored kids in AL. we used to hunt them with long sticks and bash them on the head with the heavy end. I did say dumb kids, didn't I? Have you considered getting some snake boots?

Thanks! I should have found a stick and shooed it off the path, but that was an afterthought. I was on a trail that isn't frequented very often.

MitchP said:
Ah. I just commented in your other thread. We used to behead rattlesnakes when I was kid, but I think a Cottonmouth is even more dangerous?

Cottonmouths are dangerous in that they don't have a rattle to warn you, and they blend in very well. You really only see them if they raise their head back and open wide, so that you can see the white interior of the mouth.