a friend!!!

Wow, he was super sluggish even though it wasn't that cool today. I tried to shoo him off the walking path so no one would bother him and he wouldn't budge at first.

Got a very clear picture of his pattern!

ooooooh he's so pretty

he looks like a gold necklace

We're at a really fancy winery so I worried someone might get scared and hurt him.

He was a lovely little friend. u So amiable. He just wanted to warm up a bit.

Trying to figure out what our friend is. Pacific Gophersnake maybe?

Looks like the hatchlings actually emerge in the fall, and our little friend was quite tiny for a Gophersnake so maybe it was just born recently!

GASP

I knew friend would summon the Nella!

Any ideas on the species?

nooo clue, I'm not great with native snakes, esp on the west coast

Looking into it, I think your ID of gophersnake is a good one!

Thanks for your input! My first thought was garter snake, but it looks like all of the ones in this area have the dorsal stripe, which friend obviously does not.

and those eye stripes are very distinct!

Indeed! Friend is an expert makeup artist lol.