![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/DeKaysBrownsnakeBushBackonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\")
<\/a>\nIf you look closely, you will see that’s not just a photo of a bush.<\/p>\n
Unexpected but Happy Encounters with the DeKay’s Brownsnake in Mississauga<\/h2>\n
I have had several nice encounters with Dekay’s Brownsnakes in the parks near my home. They are often quite small (think primary pencil thickness) snakes. They are usually hard to spot as they slide away into cover if they think you are approaching too closely.<\/p>\n
This one was basking on a dead log well back from the trail. I used a long telephoto lens to take a few photos then moved on. When I passed the same spot a half hour later, it was still there. To me, that’s a victory because it means I did not cause it to waste valuable energy avoiding me.<\/p>\n This second one was also warming itself in the sun. However it had moved up to the top of a shrub. I’m sure if I had jostled any of the other shrubs between us, it would simply have dropped down to the ground out of view.<\/p>\n This third one was moving quickly through the tall grass beside the trail. I was trying to get a photo of its face to make the id more complete. You can make out the black facial mark that is pretty common on these snakes in Mississauga.<\/p>\n They like to eat slugs and snails. That should make them a welcome addition to many gardens near me!<\/p>\n This next snake was a first for me. I was walking a clay path near home in the early autumn when I saw a snake lying on the trail ahead. I slowed to a stop and started taking photos, expecting it to dart off at any minute.<\/p>\n The area beside the trail was not vegetated, so I picked my way around in a wide arc. And the snake stayed put! This made my day as the lighting was much better from the opposite direction.<\/p>\n I thought it was a Dekay’s Brownsnake at first but when I was looking at its head and markings I wasn’t sure. So I took lots of photos. I knew Dekay’s are quite variable. Notice that it doesn’t really have the dark spots on the sides I am used to seeing.<\/p>\n It turns out, though, that this was a Red-bellied Snake. They are not uncommon but they are shy and tend to race into cover if they think someone is approaching.<\/p>\n Like DeKay’s they eat small prey like slugs and earthworms.<\/p>\n I’ve also seen some Common Watersnakes in Mississauga. These snakes can grow much, much larger than Dekay’s and Red-bellied Snakes. They are pretty variable in colour and can frankly sometimes look dusty and dirty making it even harder to see any pattern.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nThis is what was in that bush in the firstphoto.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nMy One Encounter with a Red-bellied Snake in Mississauga<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThis Last Snake Can Look Brown<\/h2>\n