It was a bright. beautiful day for a public trek, and I was graced with a small but wonderfully attentive group of fellow explorers, including the best gift of all: six youngsters, all under the age of seven. There are no better eyes and ears, and they, along with their folks, kept me hopping, as they made discovery after discovery, among them Spotted and Marbled salamander adults and larvae, an assortment of insects, all manner of birds and flowers, and this charmer serpent, a foot-long, reasonably docile youngster, whose identity wasn't immediately obvious. Juvenile snakes, I've learned, can be very tricky, and I guessed that, based on the banding pattern, it was probably a young Northern Water Snake. When I got home, I started hitting the books and the Internet, and after considerable study, I remain uncertain... but I think my initial ID is most likely right. Whatever its species, the serpent was definitely a big hit.