Snakes, Butterflies, Turtle, and More! (DIAL UP WARNING!)

[stormyva]

These pics were all taken at Back Bay Nat'l Widlife Refuge in Virginia Beach. I took a quick, hour long jaunt thru some of the main trails and the main board walk over the dunes to the ocean front. There is an abundance of wildlife there when there are tons of people scaring it off!
Click on any of the pics below for the larger version.....
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_beach_01.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/beach_01.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_beach_03.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/beach_03.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_beach_06.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/beach_06.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_bfly_01.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/bfly_01.jpg)
At the entrance to the board walk there was a sign stating that some of the wild life that can be seen is dangerous. Pictured on the sign was a Cottonmouth that was listed as "Poisonous" and there was a warning that they are present in the area and need to be avoided. I was on the lookout now :D A short time later I hear some screams as a lady ahead of us on the trail snatched her son up, held him tight and almost broke into a run to get off the boardwalk. This is the little guy that was causing all the commotion. He was only about six inches long and was laying about 2' off of the main board walk. The Dad was off to the side talking about it being a good thing that she did that seeing as the snake would chase after her :D All in all the family made for some great entertainment. When they saw me leaning in to the snake to get the pics they asked why he was not chasing after me and once again I was drawn in to a brief "education" class to explain to the half dozen people that had gathered around that snakes do not really go off hunting and chasing people down. :D
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_ctnmth_01.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/ctnmth_01.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_ctnmth_03.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/ctnmth_03.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_ctnmth_05.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/ctnmth_05.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_ctnmth_07.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/ctnmth_07.jpg)
This guy was three leggin it across the trail a little bit further in from the boardwalks..... poor guy was missing one of his front legs from about the "knee" down.
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_turtle_01.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/turtle_01.jpg)
http://www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/redtail/tn_turtle_02.jpg (www.stormyworld.net/pages/back_bay/turtle_02.jpg)

[Lizzy001]

wow....NICE PICS

[HeatherRose]

Wow, stormyva, those are great pics! You're so lucky to have herps like that in the wild so close to home :D

Thanks for posting those :D

[matt_winter]

cool pics