Snakes at Ipswich River

Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield, MA is about 2300 acres large. It is a very interesting place. I'd heard about it from a birder in Prospect Park, checked it out on the web, and got up there last week. Among the highlights:

A milk snake, about three feet long. It wanted to cross the path. It did.

Close up of the milk snake. H's mom spotted this one, and then, this one:

A northern water snake.

About two feet long. It too wanted to cross the path.

We also saw a eastern ribbon snake. I could not get a picture of it, however. I'd never seen any of these species before, so it was a trifecta.