Natures glorious wildlife - The Grass Snake

A Rat! that is about the only wild creature that gives me the eebie jeebies but at the same time I find them fascinating.

I can happily tolerate a mouse or a spider and often just watch the little garden creatures go about their busy business.

I am also fascinated by snakes in the garden. I recently saw an Adder - the first in a long while - and often see Grass Snakes

Whilst the grass snake will bite it not poisonous and will slither away to find sanctuary and the earliest opportunity.

I came across this young grass snake this morning while doing my chores. It coiled in readiness for an attack as it thought the need to defend itself but my intention was only to photograph it and return it to the sanctuary of longer grass.

Sadly, due to extreme fear and often extreme ignorance the grass snake is killed by people who stumble across it and feel threatened. It is against the law to kill a grass snake so if you see one, back away until it feels the threat from you recede and just watch because they are such lovely creatures.

Identification needed.

When I started to write this post I was convinced of this snake being a grass snake (and I still am) but on searching for the latin name I have come across two possibilities.

I thought I was dealing with Natrix natrix but I am now confused after coming across this site which states that it might be a Coluber viridiflavus. This particularly young specimen has no real markings except for the yellow scales around the eyes and neck.

Any help with this would be appreciated.