Nice Surprise!

On Friday, May 1st, we were at a local softball field at Fort Des Moines County Park getting in some practice. Afterwards we took a walk around one edge of the lake. Of course, I was on the prowl for any snake I could find.

I came across these two Northern Water Snakes sunning in the grass. They couldn't have been more than three feet apart and they were actually about ten feet or more from the shore. They were in a pile of rocks off shore.

Each snake was well over 40 inches long. The one in the photo with the dark belly was the longest (and the meanest). It was a nice find on a really pretty day!