The most amazing tale I think I've ever heard!!!!!

[lauwersp]

Today was a big snake day...

That'll be another post... instead, pull up a chair and prepare to be regaled with the most amazing tale I've ever told... and whether you want to believe it or not, it's 100% true... and it just happened.

First, minor background. As some of you know, I live in northern Michigan, near Charlevoix. I actually live in a house on Lake Michigan and across the street there is a large, metal pole barn, within which my office resides, and it's where I spend most of my time.

At 11pm tonight, just 20 minutes ago, I came back to the pole barn from the house. I have a new iPhone 4 and I use the LED flash as a flashlight when it gets dark.

So I walked up to the door and began to reach out to turn the door handle, and i saw what looked like a large large worm hanging off the handle. Though I was COMPLETELY stunned by this, I knew it was not a worm, but a baby snake! I switched the phone to the camera mode and took a picture before switching back to flashlight mode to reach out and grab the little guy.

I brought him inside and place him in my little travel container.

Now... I THINK he's a garter... BUT... he's not an Eastern! He's brown with checks! He has a light stripe down his back and a tan belly.

How was he up on that door handle???? I have NO idea! As you'll see in the pic, the door was not completely closed... i leave it like that sometimes... If he actually crawled up there (which is the only rational explanation I can think of) WHY would he do that... and why is he out so late! I NEVER see snakes out this late. Mind you, the reason the door was lit in pic is totally the flash... it is dark outside.

If it IS a garter, how is it a brown one? I thought the only garters around here were Easterns!

I've very excited. I checked around to see if there were any more, but I didn't see anything.

Please... all comments welcome... especially identification. Note the markings around the head area and I apologize for not taking better pictures... He's really jumpy and I didn't want to freak him out too much.

So, to be clear, the pic of him on the door handle was COMPLETELY how I found the little guy. At that point I had gotten no closer than I was taking the picture.

WOW!