A Late Sighting

Dear Diary,

This looks like a young Garter snake.  He seemed quite inquisitive as to the large stump in the front yard.  He (or she) will be going into hibernation soon, usually the end of October, but warm autumn days will bring them out.  Garter snakes are solitary creatures but they hibernate in dens with other snakes to keep warm.  One den in Canada was found to contain 8,000 of them!  But I don't think I have that many around here.  Sebastian, the large Garter snake, lives in the stone walls behind the house so this guy better get going, it is chillier this morning, 45F.