Canadian Railroads > on this day 2005, a snow snake

Actually this was for yesterday posting, images at Exeter BC, Nov 17, 2005. I was able to photograph a reclusive snow snake, quite deadly and usually not seen until it is too late. This was a different variety than what I had encountered,  most are pure white with beady eyes. The one I photographed was black and easily seen before it attacks.

In the early 1980's I was laid off from BC Rail and got employment with CN in Edmonton with CN as a "carman helper". Most of my duties in the running yard at Calder involved oiling and servicing plain bearing journal boxes. Generally topping up the oil, checking the oil packing and clearing any water or ice in the journal box. A lot of the other "helpers" were from eastern Asia countries and had never experienced the snow and cold of northern Alberta. One night we had received about 6 inches of fresh snow, my helper "Raymond" from Viet Nam was excited about the snow. I asked Raymond what kind of snakes they had in Viet Nam. His reply that there were 100 different snakes in the jungles, 99 bite you and you die, the other one eat you whole. I cautioned him that we had to watch for "snow snakes" in the fresh snow, they are pure white with beady eyes. Raymond had a wondrous look of shock in his eyes, saying it is too cold for snakes. Nope, these are special Canadian snakes, they live in the snow, you don't see them until it is too late, they make you trip, fall and get hurt.  Raymond was very careful all night watching for snow snake.

image 01  sneaking along the track
          02  crossing over the rail, quite flexible
          03  coiled ready to strike.


thanks for your patience and humor with this story.   Doug

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Snow snake scary..

Brings back memories of learning "The Ice Worm Cocktail" by Robery W. Service

Funny, when I went to Australia a tour guide told me to watch out for "Drop Bears"; they sit in the trees and bite your neck. 

However they did actually have Lace Monitors reptiles that were nearly 6 ft long, sharp nails and a strong jaw, they climb trees and sit in them look for dead birds or carcas they can feast. 
Rare but they have attacked humans.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/15 18:34 by Entropy.

Somewhat reminiscent of the famous BC critter known as the sidehill gouger ....

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

thehighwayman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Somewhat reminiscent of the famous BC critter
> known as the sidehill gouger ....

Is that like the sidehill cows I used to hear about in Vermont?

Ray

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> thehighwayman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Somewhat reminiscent of the famous BC critter
> > known as the sidehill gouger ....
>
> Is that like the sidehill cows I used to hear
> about in Vermont?
>
> Ray

Probably .... legs on one side longer than legs on the other so they can traverse sidehills (mountainsides) easier.
I had my ex-wife, who was from Ontario, convinced they really existed.

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

Snow snakes are typically thinner and shorter than grease snakes.

Bill Miller
Galt, ON

> Ray_Murphy Wrote:
> > thehighwayman Wrote:
> > > Somewhat reminiscent of the famous BC critter
> > > known as the sidehill gouger ....
> >
> > Is that like the sidehill cows I used to hear
> > about in Vermont?
> >
> > Ray
>
> Probably .... legs on one side longer than legs on
> the other so they can traverse sidehills
> (mountainsides) easier.
> I had my ex-wife, who was from Ontario, convinced
> they really existed.
>
I understand those sidehill cows are related to another
disease which affects photographers; tripoditis;
where one or two legs of the tripod are shorter than the other.

Bryce Lee
Burlington, Ontario

Ice worms are annelids of the genus Mesenchytraeus. They are the only annelid worms known to spend their entire lives in glacial ice.
Well known to climbers on the glaciated volcanos of the PNW.
Roger Beckett

up833 Wrote:
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> Ice worms are annelids of the genus
> Mesenchytraeus. They are the only annelid worms
> known to spend their entire lives in glacial ice.
> Well known to climbers on the glaciated volcanos
> of the PNW.
> Roger Beckett

I'm glad I did not have to explain that to "Raymond" on the snowy night in Edmonton.  Snow snake with a straight face was tough enough!!! Doug