Australia is well-known for its deadly animals, both terrestrial and aquatic. We share the coast with crocodiles, sharks and jellyfish. On land we have 8 of the world’s 10 most venomous snakes. Australian hospitals treat approximately 3,000 snake bites per year, of which 1 or 2 are fatal.

With Spring’s warm weather the snakes have woken from hibernation. In recent field recording ventures around the local area I’ve been reminded of how careful we need to be – within 1 week I’ve seen snakes in trees, in the grass, and now … under water.

On the afternoon of this recording I discovered that my hydrophones were resting next to a whip-snake on the bottom of the pictured creek – it was was doing its best to hide from me.

This short clip captures the moment when the snake slithers past the microphones (31″) to the creek bank in order to breathe. It then re-enters the water and reaches the other side of the creek where it disturbs a turtle (the loud clunk at 1’25”).

It was much like a comedy of errors. Having disrupted its quiet afternoon I walked home, allowing the creek-site to return to its tranquility.