Sleeping it off

Walking in the woods this afternoon, I passed a garter snake basking in the sunlight. Usually, all I see of them is the tail end disappearing into the undergrowth, but this one was more asleep than awake.

He's watching me. Once he stuck out a tongue. Once.

I passed him before I saw him, a few inches off the trail I was on. I turned back and took a bunch of photos, getting right down in his face, then went on down to the end of the trail. Not until I came back up the trail did he think it wise to move on, slowly.

He's about two feet long.

Looking at the photos, I notice a suspicious bulge in that first U bend. A frog, half digested? A big slug, maybe? No wonder he's lethargic!