Garden perils

We are lucky enough to be living in Strath Creek during this pandemic so that when there is a break in the weather we can get outside to do some much-needed weeding in the garden. In the warmer months we keep a watchful eye out for wildlife, but in winter we tend not to be as aware, so that when one of the intrepid weeders took the next step to the left, it was a bit of surprise to see what was nearly underfoot – an Eastern (or Common) Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis), pictured below.

We took our camera out a day or so later to see if the snake was there again, and fortunately it was. By our reckoning it was probably about 1.4m long, although quite skinny. Usually you only see a brown snake as it heads away from you at lightning speed, but this one was much more relaxed, or sluggish, the temperature being a cool 14°C. Waiting conveniently until we had taken our photos, it slid ever so gently under the log where it seems to be living.

Some years ago we also saw an Eastern Brown out sunning itself at 9am on a frosty winter morning! So just be aware, COVID-19 may not be the only thing to avoid this winter, although we are actually quite accustomed to sharing our garden with the local snakes.