Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer)

            Forgive the very small image size… it's a small snake, and the 80-400 is by no means a macro lense.

We weren't certain at the time that this wasn't a rattlesnake, because although probably a full-grown adult in fact, that happens to be about the same size as a very young rattlesnake.

The two characteristics we didn't realise at the time, that each clearly mark it as not a rattlesnake, are (apparently):

a) The round pupils.  Rattlesnakes have the stereotypical narrow vertical slit pupils, a la cat's eyes.  Gopher snakes have much rounder if not fully round pupils (as this one does).

b) Juvenile rattlesnakes don't have a full rattle, but they do still have a 'scale' or 'button' at the end of their tail, which is noticeably stubby.  Gopher snakes have long tappering tails, to a sharp point.

It's lucky that it isn't a baby rattlesnake, as some completely oblivious guy with headphones on stepped fully on it, and then *stopped* and stood on it for a few moments, before he finally realised why we were waving our arms wildly at him and motioning for him to stop.  Sigh.

Luckily the snake appeared unharmed, though the poor thing was probably terrified. 😣

Some rights reserved

Taken on: September 9, 2017

Tags:

Lightroom

Animalia

Pacific Gopher Snake

Photo Upload for Lightroom

Pituophis catenifer catenifer

Reptile

Reptilia

animal

snake « less

Sets appears in: • Stanford University Academic Reserve

Groups appears in: • Nikon Digital • Wildlife Photography more » • Creatures • Herp Photography • SNAKES • Reptiles & Amphibians • Flickr Nature • FlickrToday (only 1 pic per day) • Animal Closeups • Snakes, Reptiles, Arachnids and Herps. • Awesome Nature • Animal Planet • California Wildlife • Wild Herps • #1 Nature & Wildlife Photographers' Corner • Beautiful California • Nikon 80-400 f4.5-5.6 AF-VR • *Animal Photography* • we love wildlife • Nature and Photography • Animal Photos! • Snakes of The World • Animals (All Kinds) • Ultimate Reptiles • " NATURE _ Limited " ▬►Flora & Fauna◄▬ Landscape • Best of the Reptiles (Post 1 comment 2) • Herpetology / Everything REPTILIAN • Reptiles And Amphibians • ONLY ANIMALS (POST1,COMMENT1) • California Photographer • !WORLD OF ANIMALS! (Post 1 and Comment 1 or more) • **Animal Magic Group** Post 1 & Comment 2 • Reptiles & Amphibians of North America • NIKON "D" CLUB • Herping In California/Central and Eastern United States • NATURE IS LIFE - Natura è vita - Post 1 AWARD 4**SWEEPER ** • Nikon - Nature • Herp Center • Herping Is easy • Nikon DSLR Club • Amazing Wildlife Photography (Invitation Only) • Reptile Kingdom • Nikon Photographers • Nature and Animals (Wild Only) • PLANETA ANIMAL • Explore. Document. Discover. || Wildlife Photography • Nikon D500 User's Group • D500 Club « less

Camera: Nikon D500, f/7.1, 1/30 sec, 400mm (=600mm), ISO 140 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D500
Lens:	80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.033 sec (1/30)
Focal Length:	400mm (35mm equivalent: 600mm)
ISO:	140
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Other
White Balance:	Auto
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.0.1 (Macintosh)
Show full info

Stats: 2,380 views / 8 comments

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: