Day 201: My little friend here came within an inch of having his tail shortened radically by the lawn mower. At the risk of having him return to the same spot while I made another circuit, I stopped what I was doing, picked him up and transported him to the safety of the begonia pot on the front steps. It took a few minutes to gain his confidence. He was breathing hard and fast, tongue flicking in and out as he attempted to scent my purpose. Once he realized I meant him no harm, he was perfectly willing to sign a model release and in fact was so grateful for the reprieve from sectioning that he didn't bother to ask for a copy of the contract for his lawyer to review.
We have three varieties of Garter Snake in western Washington which can be told apart by counting the scales at certain points on their bodies. Western Terrestrial Snakes typically have 19 or 21 scales at mid-body, 8 upper labial scales and 10 lower labial scales.Needless to say, I did not wish to subject my friend to the indignity of a scale count, not after what he'd already been through.
Update: I am reasonably certain that Mr. Snake is a Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides).
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