Red-bellied Black Snake (1/8)

Squamata: Elapidae

Pseudechis porphyriacus  

I was photographing wildflowers (they kindly stay in one spot) and trying to photograph butterflies and dragonflies (they don't), when I noticed that I had company.

On my knees with the camera sporting a 100mm macro lens is not my preferred option for photographing snakes. A good sized telephoto and a much greater distance is more my speed, but here I was, on the sandy banks of the Dumaresque River on the Queensland side of Keetah Bridge, having arrived in the sunshine state only minutes before, and here was the welcoming commitee, a Red-bellied Black Snake sliding down towards me presenting itself for a photograph.

One has to make the most of one's opportunities with snakes. Most of my interactions with them come as a complete surprise for both of us and we each head in opposite directions. By the time I recover sufficiently to take photographs, I can only capture a snake's tail receding into cover.

So here was my opportunity. I remained cool (broke into a sweat) and calmly took a photograph (several because finger wasn't steady) and then slowly retreated so as not to alarm the snake (visualise footage of a grasshopper jumping, but run backwards and at high speed).