Recently, Jessica was out hiking along the I & M Canal south of Chicago with her dog and boyfriend, keeping her eyes peeled for wild animals who might be out and about. She’s photographed all kinds of wildlife on her hikes and loves adding new snapshots to her collection.
“I like to take pictures of critters, interesting or pretty insects, birds, flowers, landscapes and skyscapes,” Jessica (who asked that her last name not be included) told The Dodo. “I just like being outside amongst it all and want pics for keepsakes and memories.”
As Jessica hiked and kept an eye out for wildlife, she suddenly spotted exactly what she was looking for — a giant snake hanging out on a floating log about 4 feet in front of her.
“[He was] just there, literally at my feet,” Jessica said.
The snake was covered in moss and leaves from the water and was completely still. Not wanting to linger too long, Jessica quickly snapped a photo and moved along to let the snake relax in peace. She didn’t really get a good look at him because she hadn’t wanted to disturb him, but she was excited to have the picture to remember the moment.
Later on, Jessica went back and looked at the picture and realized the giant snake had been hiding something.
He wasn’t a giant snake at all — he was actually two smaller snakes hanging out on the log together.
The snakes were well camouflaged and Jessica didn’t get a very long look at them, so it’s easy to see how she missed this crucial detail. Once she studied the photo, though, she realized there were indeed two snakes there, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
Without meaning to, the snakes had played a practical joke on Jessica, and it definitely made her day.