Further upstream in a more stagnant offshoot with a small waterfall and much more tree cover I spotted two snakes sitting in the branches of a small tree overhaning the water. From their patterning I guessed them both to be Norther water snakes (Nerodia sipedon). I was able to coax them out of the tree and into my net seperatly, and I was guessing one to be male and the other female. They were pretty aggressive once I got them in the net, and I wasn't able to pick them up for fear of being viscously bitten, but I still got a few good pictures. These snakes are usually 24-42 inches (so the ones I found were very average size) and prefer quiet waters near swift flowing streams, which was exactly where I found them.
Male
Female
Also a species to note that we observed earlier that day around 1:00, still in Oxford but along the wide 4 mile creek (more north east of where we these animals were found) was a Spiny soft shell turtle (Apalone spinifera). We caught a glance of him basking on a wide log that protruded into the middle of the stream. It was pretty far away, so idenifying him by the traditional nostral ridges, streaked foot pattern, or rough shell was impossible. Due to our location, it is more probable to find the Spiny softshell rather than the Smooth softshell. These animals are highly aquatic and prefer large bodies of water where they can bask on logs or hide in mud flatts.
~Victoria Ferraro, Miami University
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