Eastern Pennsylvania Snake - Help to identify

[Npsynthesis]

Hi all - I was golfing today and thought to wonder into the woods to look for golf balls. As I reached down to grab one, I found myself very close to the snake shown in the picture. I quickly moved away from it as I though it looked like a copperhead. Can anyone confirm this? If it's not a copperhead, what is it????Thanks - J

[TxScarlet15]

Looks to me like a northern watersnake. I'm not up-to-date with the changes in the Nerodia genus, so I don't know if they go by a different name now. It's completely harmless, albeit somewhat feisty.

[SSSSnakes]

agree. It's a water snake. Normally aggressive and has an anti coagulate in it's saliva, which makes you bleed more.

[FWK]

Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) indeed. Perfectly harmless fish and frog eater, though it will bite in self defense (not aggression) if you mess with it.

[Bandit]

I concur with Northern Water Snake.