Even though he was right out in the open I walked straight to him. Being thin, and the lines, had me thinking it was a stick. They aren’t very big, maybe 3 feet (1 meter).
There were boot heel prints in the dusty sand here, you can see how thin they are.
Above is the trail we found him on. This trail is on an old wide dike. On the right is the Ashley River, the left a plantation marsh once rice fields. Viewed large you will see a trunk down the trail to let the water flow into the fields from the river. The river has been moving water back and forth on this spot for centuries. This is part of a plantations back property.
Here is another look at the Ribbon Snake stretched over the trail.
Again for perspective he is laying over tracks of a small ATV that has passed over the dike recently inspecting the area.
Taken on rice fields owned by Magnolia Plantation, Charleston.
Wow! It really is just like a ribbon 😀
Because it was not out straight a casual glance doesn’t really ‘see him’ 😳
I hate to be the know-it-all again, but that’s actually an Eastern Ratsnake, Pantheophis alleghaniensis. In the old days before genetic studies threw everything in disarray in the Pantherophis genus, we called these Yellow Ratsnakes in the species quadravitatta. Ribbon snakes are quite similar, especially with the longitudinal stripes, but are much more keeled (rough) looking. For what it’s worth! William
Always want your input here William 😊 thanks. Snakes are certainly not my strong suit. Thanks