Holding a flattened pose, this brilliant coloured common garter snake kept a watchful eye on me while I took a moment to photograph it. This little guy may look blind in the one eye; it will only be temporary, as it is actually just getting ready to shed its skin. The trails along the Oregon Coast have no shortage of these slithery serpents. I would regularly see dozens of snakes rush back into the brush after each step while hiking through the grassy clearings in the forest.
Searching for its next meal, a magpie glides effortlessly over fresh snow in the Alberta prairies.
