Nerodia fasciata

During our field ecology lab on Monday April 8 we were alarmed when we heard reed bars drop and Dr. Distel scream out a 'yelp'.  We thought either he was hurt or he found something really cool.  I had been wanting to find a water snake all semester, they are awesome, I just dont like to touch them!  Dr. Distel pulls this tiny banded water snake from the Guadalupe River, he was our first water snake find of the semester.  Needless to say I was filled with joy and was much happier that it was a small banded water snake and not the large ones that we have seen in the past.