Headed down south yesterday for enjoyable hike in one nicest parts of WA at Cape Nautraliste.
While the Terns and Ringneck Parrot were snapped it was my favourite Wren that grabbed my attention .
Oh also off topic had encounter with Mr Hissing Sid who was quite amicable, if anyone knows about snakes, ID would be good. I guessing a darker variation of a young Dugite
Laz
Looks like could be a Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis) or a Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) - maybe looks a little skinny for a Tiger, both have large variations in colour ranges. Obviously happy to be wrong.
This site is a good place to start looking
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bush/ID_index.htm
No expert on WA snakes, but am about to complete a Reptile Rescue Snake Handling Course here in Tassie.
Would need to see a close crop of the head scale pattern for positve ID on Tiger, most cant get a good look as the snake slithers off.
It is easier here in Tasmania, only 3 to choose from Tiger, Copperhead and White Lipped Whip Snake.
BTW, nice photos including Jake Blake (thats our local nick name for snakes)
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Cheers mate
I also dont think its a tiger too skinny and I couldnt see any sort of markings.
Im told dugites can have big colour variation though I havent seen one this dark before.
Here is a closer look at its head
Dont take life too seriously, it never ends well
Definitely not a Tiger, the head is not broad enough, and the scale pattern does not match either, I think the Dugite still looks good, there is an adult on the site above, which is almost completely black.
Tigers don't always have the classic "tiger stripes" the can vary incredibly from yellow/grey (and quite light) through to jet black usually with a light grey/cream belly. There have also been sightings of black snakes with red bellies in Tasmania ( but they are not your mainland Red Bellied Black snake), these are most probably Copperheads, but may also be Tigers. Below is a link to a PDF document from Wildlife Tasmania, which describes our snakes quite well. If you google wildlife Tasmania, it is not a bad site for native stuff, good information and newsletters (although not recently updated). The second link shows some of the colour variations quite well. So don't identify snakes on colour alone. Sorry if I have drifted away from your snake, but again they are something I have a passion for. http://www.wildlifetasmania.com/images/Snakes.pdf http://www.launcestonreptileclub.blogspot.com.au/Dale Huonville, Tasmania
No worries at all and thanks for the help
Dont take life too seriously, it never ends well
Looks like a superb trip laza, or should that be splendid
. Love them all, especially loving the identical mirror positions of the Terns, great capture!
I lived in W.A. up until about 5 years ago, had a juvenile Dugite appear in our suburban backyard and while it was pretty small, I would describe that one as being very skinny and a very dark brownish almost olive colour - I know, brown and olive aren't the same, but that's the best way I can describe it, lol. This guy looks very similar, so I think you're right laza. Looks to have a smallish head that's the same size as it's body, which fits text book descriptions too.
West Coast Tasmania
My brother considers himself a bit of a herpetologist and he had this to say about the snake.
"My guess would be a dark form of a Western Brown or Gwardar (Pseudonaja nuchalis) but all of the Brown snake (Pseudonaja) family vary heaps in colour & pattern,especially the western variations.So there's 2-3 it could be, though they're all pretty much the same."
Cheers for that , the type of eye seems to be very similar to Gwardar
Dont take life too seriously, it never ends well