I spent last week away from Williamsburg. The drought, heat and humidity still continue on the trail. According to a family member, while I was away, the wetlands pond area filled up with dead fish which died due to the lack of water. The area has filled up with green grasses and probably all the deer are getting. There is a new baby fawn in the area.
In the past weeks, myself or members of my family have seen several snakes on Greensprings Trail. Most are black snakes, green garter snakes. There are at least two, sometimes three Northern water snakes which live in the culvert below Jamestown HS. I have great videos and pictures, but I also have a distaste for snakes and have not posted them. The good news is that I am getting less and less sensitive to them. One of the water snakes was on the trail at the culvert on a high traffic area. Despite requesting the county to relocate the snakes, they are still there.
While I was away, my husband flipping channels found a story on copperhead snakes in James City County on the JCC TV channel. Early the next day while walking the dog, he saw something in the brush near the Capital Trail and is insistant that it was a Copperhead. These are poinsonous. Do not confuse these with the Northern Water Snakes which appear reddish. He followed the snake enough that he said the copper coloring was very distinctive. In college he worked for Newport News Park and use to catch snakes for their interpretive center, and spends a great deal of time learning about snakes. My philosopy about snakes is stomp your feet and just go the other direction. No need to identify, run like hell.
Personally, I did not realize there were poinsonous snakes along the trail, but I am sure it was just wishful thinking. DO NOT let this deter you from the trail. Just be cautious about letting your pets and children go off the trail into the brush.
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