This guy joined me on the front porch as I was watering the plants. Anybody have an idea?
Yesterday in SE TN.
http://www.flickr.co...N05/7297928674/
http://www.flickr.co...N05/7297937192/
17 replies to this topic
#2
fisherman1313
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Konk La Ree
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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:35 PM
That's a Black Ratsnake
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
Finally get Mountain Quail and Vesper Sparrow
Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
Latest Lifer(s):Harris's Sparrow, Oka Ponds, Campbell, CA, 1/1/13
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#3
BarnSwallow
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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:54 PM
Yes, black rat snake! I love them, they eat lots of mice and rats. I almost got bitten by one the other day. I was driving down a dirt road and it was stretched across the road. I stopped next to him, and reached out to touch him to get him to move. He didn't move, so I touched him a little harder, and he spun around and str4uck at me! He then sat there coiled up, gaping his mouth and shaking his tail. It was a young one, and still had some of his spots. I left him alone - I hope he didn't get run over.
#4
hbvol
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hbvol
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Posted 29 May 2012 - 11:03 PM
Thanks! I hope he survives here in the suburbs.
#5
creeker
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creeker
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Posted 29 May 2012 - 11:13 PM
Thanks! I hope he survives here in the suburbs.
I hope he does too. His biggest danger is ignorant people that kill every snake they see. I must have pulled a thousand snakes off of the roads at night over the years (including rattlesnakes in rural areas.) Most people swerve to hit them. Snakes eat mice, rats and gophers. Is anything more beneficial than that?
Creationist Birder
#6
hbvol
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hbvol
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 02:20 AM
Yep that was my thought. The biggest dangers he faces are my neighbors. If we could only train him to eat house sparrows.I hope he does too. His biggest danger is ignorant people that kill every snake they see. I must have pulled a thousand snakes off of the roads at night over the years (including rattlesnakes in rural areas.) Most people swerve to hit them. Snakes eat mice, rats and gophers. Is anything more beneficial than that?
#7
sdearth
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 02:24 AM
Yep that was my thought. The biggest dangers he faces are my neighbors. If we could only train him to eat house sparrows.
Then who will eat all those french fries in the parking lots?
Life list = 257 as of 3/09/2013 (goal of 300 by end of this year)
2013 bird count = 152 as of 4/19/2013
photo list= 134 as of 4/19/2013
2013 bird count = 152 as of 4/19/2013
photo list= 134 as of 4/19/2013
#9
creeker
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creeker
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 04:17 AM
Gulls.
That was exactly my first thought! Ever been to SeaWorld?
Creationist Birder
#10
BarnSwallow
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 10:31 AM
The gulls at the beach I go to recognize the french fry containers and will follow people who are carrying them down the boardwalk.
#11
JimBob
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Little SuperBirder
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 01:41 PM
Thanks! I hope he survives here in the suburbs.
We had a five footer get inside are chicken coop and literally scare one of the chickens to death! (i'm not kidding! She got scared jumped in the air and hit her head on something and broke her heck! lol)
ABA list: 295 Latest: Swamp Sparrow
2013: 220
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http://www.flickr.co...s/89595711@N08/
2013: 220
Yard List: 85 Latest: Violet-green Swallow, Tricolored Blackbird
http://www.flickr.co...s/89595711@N08/
#12
BarnSwallow
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 01:43 PM
My chickens killed a little baby black snake that got into their coop! They were very young chickens, too, not fully grown. The snake was about a foot long and pretty skinny.
#13
Liam
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Cheesecake
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Posted 30 May 2012 - 04:48 PM
My chickens don't mind snakes at all. A Gray Rat Snake was sitting inside one of the nestboxes after eating a few eggs. After I dumped her out, the chickens walked up to her and just looked at her. Once my dad found my little bantam chicken sleeping right beside what could be the same Rat Snake.
#14
hbvol
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 07:31 PM
As as follow up to my original post I found a small dead snake in my back yard this morning that was an exact copy of the snake in my OP except that it was about the size of a Bic ballpoint pen. It had no obvious injuries. Any ideas as to cause of death? Maybe starvation?
#15
Joejr14
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 11:43 PM
As as follow up to my original post I found a small dead snake in my back yard this morning that was an exact copy of the snake in my OP except that it was about the size of a Bic ballpoint pen. It had no obvious injuries. Any ideas as to cause of death? Maybe starvation?
Grey and Black ratsnakes (and even some darker cornsnakes) look very similar to the OP picture when they're hatchlings. And now is about the time to start seeing hatchlings down south. Wouldn't surprise me if you had a newly hatched ratsnake that just didn't make it for whatever reason.
#16
jblakelock
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Posted 17 June 2012 - 06:54 AM
The gulls at the beach I go to recognize the french fry containers and will follow people who are carrying them down the boardwalk.
Would those be Thrasher's French Fries? Yum!!!
Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake - Wallace Stevens
#17
BarnSwallow
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Posted 17 June 2012 - 10:49 AM
Why yes, yes they would!
#18
jblakelock
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Posted 17 June 2012 - 04:26 PM
Why yes, yes they would!
I'm a Eastern Shore transplant.
Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake - Wallace Stevens
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