Five snakes on the Shellpot Creek

We gave some rocks by the creek that appear to have a den of Northern Water snakes in them. I assume it is because the rocks get warm in the sun and that is how the snakes get warm on an otherwise windy spring day.

See if you can count how many are in this cleft in the rocks.

This close up (click on the picture for larger) shows at least four heads ( two at the top, one hard to see in the middle, and one at the bottom) though I think there may be more.

Don't forget to include the one that was hiding under the leaves next to the rocks, see its scaly skin in the middle of the picture below.


And one I don't have a picture of in the crack on top of the rocks. Needless to say if I go near these rocks I wear boots and shuffle my feet to give them warning to get away. I only creep quietly to take pictures. I don't remember this many Norther Water Snakes in any other year, perhaps I wasn't paying attention.

Is this a den where the snakes hatched or just a bunch of them overwintering and finally waking up for the Spring? As always a herpetologists opinion would be welcome.