North Coast Diaries

Red-striped Northwestern Garter Snake --- Friday, August 21, 2009

Yesterday I caught and photographed a red-stripe color morph of the Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) at Rock Creek in Coastal Lane County.  My copy of Reptiles of Washington and Oregon has a picture of one with a blackish ground color and the text also talks about red-striped individual that could have any of several ground colors.  I don't recall ever seeing a Northwestern with a red-stripe.  I'm used to seeing yellow striped individuals. And for all you skeptical labial scale counters... Update: Here are few extra photos showing some of the range in variation of Northwestern Garter Snake, also taken at Rock Creek.

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