Like a Sitting Duck

  Life on the Bayou can be perilous at times.  There are always predators on the prowl looking for an easy meal.  It is a wise move to take precaution and be alert.  I feel more at ease with the old dog on my hikes as one never knows what might be just around the bend.  Several times before PJ came to stay with us, I walked up on coyotes and once a bobcat.  I was fortunate that these potential predators were curious but not vicious.  They kept their distance as did I.  Plus, the alligators. cottonmouths and snapping turtles can give nasty bites given a chance so it just pays to be wary at all times.  

  Not all predators are easily evaded, though.  This afternoon, the tide was low..so low that the mudflats were fully exposed.  Tiny rivulets were all that connected one shallow tide pool to another.  More oft than not, these rivulets were formed by a snake that had slithered across the mudflats in search of a quick meal.  The shallow tide pools were mere puddles in the mud.  These were not fit for any living critter but were, indeed, housing thousands of minnows.  The small bull minnows had become trapped by the falling tide and did not make it to deeper water.  They were stranded.  

  The stranded minnows were like sitting ducks.  Any predator seeking that noontime meal had easy pickings.  While I was watching the minnows frantically trying to skim across the mud to the next puddle, a small garter snake came out of the marsh and wiggled its way to the first puddle.  It was no hard task for the garter snake to catch a minnow....then another...and another. Watching the garter snake feast made me think of how easy it would be for a heron or egret to eat its fill from the very same puddles.  Raccoons, rice rats, otters, turtles, birds snakes and crabs make use of the low tide to fill their bellies.  It is a matter of survival of the fittest.  Had the minnows not lingered in the shallows, they would have been able to reach deeper waters and safety.  Now they were sitting ducks that had nowhere to go.  I started to attempt a "Catch and Release" program but, then, thought better.  Yes, it was a sure death situation (by their own doing) for the bull minnows but the other critters were able to survive merely on this mistake.  The little garter snake soon had its fill and slithered into the marsh to rest....far away from predators!

You Can't See Me!

  Down by the pier, there is one spot in the marsh that was wallowed out by the folks that came to pound in the posts when we built the pier. These folks were doing a fine job of getting the long poles down in the mud until the driver of their machine got careless.  The huge trackhoe that he was driving slid off the skidder and into the marsh.  Instead of using his brain to figure out how to get the tractor out of the mire, he simply made matters worse by sloshing about the marsh.  Needless to say, by the time a wrecker came to haul the machine out of the mud, a gigantic hole was wallowed.  This was ten years or so ago but the hole still exists.  While, at first, it aggravated me, I soon came to realize that this hole was to our advantage.  It gives us a relatively safe place to secure the small skiff during storms. 

  This spot also gives critters an ideally protected place to rear young. The tide-pool fills with clean water with each rising tide and also is home to a number of different minnows. These minnows become food for many shore birds, otters, turtles and even snakes.  One snake, in particular, finds this area a perfect haven!  A small garter snake has called the wallowed out hole home for quite some time.  Dozens of baby snakes have been born here to let the saga continue.  The one snake, however, had become quite the steadfast friend.  We see this little one almost daily and its fear of us has diminished greatly.  Usually, it will just slither to one side or, as in the case yesterday, the snake will sink under water.  All that can be seen is its little head.  While it thought we could not see it, the snake kept a watchful eye on us.  

  It surprises me just how many folks are scared of snakes.  Yep, some are venomous and can inflict nasty wounds but most are harmless.  We are more threat to them than they are to us.  I can't say there is any snake around the Bayou that would go out of its way to "attack".  They are just not that way.  Most bites are caused by a defensive snake that is being attacked by someone trying to kill it.  Leave the snake alone and it almost assuredly will treat you the same way.  Unless a venomous snake happens to be trying to come inside the Little Bayou House, I am good.  If the snakes stay in the marsh or any place that is deemed "snaky", I am good.  If the snakes are doing what comes natural, I am good.  The little garter snake, while not venomous, was doing all the right things so it is more than welcome to stay in the wallowed out spot of the marsh.  I rather like the little critter.

Where the snakes crawl....

A while back, I fretted over a simple act of nature that played out here on the Bayou.  A friend of mine fell prey to an unlikely predator.  A sweet little Garter Snake became supper for a Blue Crab.  I know that this is something that occurs quite often in the wild.  The strong survive while the weaker become sustenance for others.  Still, this did make me a bit sad as I adore the Garter Snakes that inhabit the area of marsh near the pier.  I often see them and even will toss them a minnow or two from my bait pail.

This evening, I was overjoyed to see a small Garter Snake back on the mudflats.  It was trying to catch Bull Minnows for its supper.  I watched for a while as the snake would lie in wait for the minnows to draw close enough for it to dart out after them.  The snake had pretty good aim and was doing quite well at catching the quick minnows.  As I sat there watching the snake, I soon realized that there were three other Garter Snakes in the same area!  I had a whole family of the little critters!  Oh..did I mention that I adore these little guys?

I had never seen so many of the snakes in one area before.  This caused me to ponder if perhaps there was a lack of predators around or if there was just enough of a food source that other critters did not need to tackle a snake.  Whatever the case, I was a happy camper on the pier this evening!  I had lots of little friends to keep me company!

Could have been bad!

I trotted myself down to the pier late this evening to check the crab traps.  The sun was just starting to set so I had to hurry on down the board path.  I admit that I was not being the most watchful as I scurried down the hillside and did something that could have proved to be a bit, umm, well, not nice.  Wearing only my light, leather moccasins, I could feel most everything that I stepped on as I walked.  This is the very reason I wear these things instead of heavy shoes.  Even in the dead of winter, moccasins are my footwear of choice. Usually this is not a problem but today might have been the day I regretted not heeding the warnings of many folks.  I stepped smack dab on a snake!

I was just stepping up on the pier when I felt something strange. As soon as my foot set down upon the wriggling body, I knew this could be trouble!  Quick action was required!  I leapt back from the pier into the soft sand at the same time the snake slithered off onto the mudflat below.  Well, at least THAT was encouraging!  If this had been a Cottonmouth Moccasin, it probably would have held its ground...AFTER it had bitten me!  Nope.  This most likely was not a venomous snake!  Whew!  After I regained my composure, I searched for the critter.  Sure enough, a (quite large) Garter Snake was staring up at me from the mudflats.  Immediately, my jitters calmed but I am not sure that the snake's did!  What was scary for me must have been traumatic for the little critter!  I stared down at the two-foot long snake.."I am sorry, Little Guy!"  He just stared.  Then I thought to myself.."I cannot believe that I just apologized to a snake!"  After a bit, the snake slipped off into the marsh none the worse for wear.  Me?  I headed on down the pier to check the crab traps.

Garter Snakes are really sort of neat little reptiles.  They are actually "good" snakes contrary to what a lot of folks believe.  I hear a lot of people claim that the only good snake is a dead snake and this saddens me.  Most snakes are good for the environment.  Without them, we would be overrun with rodents and bugs!  I do understand the thought of ridding the yard of venomous snakes but when it comes to some fine creature like the Garter Snake, I would be hard pressed to ever harm it.  These small snakes dine upon a lot of other creatures that the squeamish folks deem to be unsavory characters.  Let a roach or spider cross paths with a Garter Snake and it will become supper!  More oft than not, a Garter Snake will try to make a hasty escape when encountered.  It has no desire to be threatening!

I was very fortunate tonight to have stepped upon this poor hapless Garter Snake and not a Cottonmouth.  Still, tomorrow..like every other day..I will slip on my moccasins as I traipse about the Bayou.  Granted..I will definitely be a bit more aware of where I place my feet!  So, folks, this will be a case of me following my own advice...Watch for snakes!

Competing for Breakfast!

Sometimes things occur on the Bayou that just leave you in awe of nature.  The other morning, I was out bright and early.  This was one of the few times that I had left the dogs inside as I wandered down to the pier.  I knew there were two baby rabbits in a nest under a log near the marsh and had hoped to avoid any confrontations between dogs and bunnies.  It bothers me a good bit to see Ezzy or Sunny take out after the little ones.  As I neared the edge of the pier, the bunnies were nowhere to be seen...hmmmm..strange..they are usually out before sunup.  I eased onto the pier and then noticed the little Clapper Rail.  She is always a bit skittish but that morning, she seemed downright edgy.  I was just getting an ominous feeling when I spied the trouble.

Within just a few feet of the Rail, a snake slithered onto the mudflat.  At first, the snake startled me!  Then after getting a better look, I realized that it was my little friendly Garter Snake.  The Rail, nor I, had any worries about this snake!  Although she remained wary, the Clapper Rail soon started feeding on the bull minnows that were trapped in the tide pool.  She even got brave enough to be within a few feet of the snake.  The Garter Snake, however, was fearless!  It caught several minnows and then fed upon some of the Fiddler Crabs that were scuttling along the mudflats. The bird probably could have eaten this snake for breakfast had it taken a notion to do so but instead just kept a wary eye on it.  Perhaps, the Rail had a run-in with a larger snake or perhaps this one even had gulped down some of the bird's hatchlings.

I watched the pair as they shared the territory.  Each hunting its breakfast..each very aware of the other's presence but each also respectful enough to keep its distance from the other.  The Clapper Rail eats mostly aquatic animals such as minnows, small fish, shrimp and crabs.  It occasionally will dine upon insects that it finds in the marsh but, more oft than not, will douse those insects in the water before eating them.  The Garter Snake, on the other hand, will eat anything that it can catch!  Worms, insects, smaller snakes, minnows, baby birds, small rodents, frogs, leeches and anything else it can overpower make up its diet!  The bird's and snake's dining habits lapped over into one another's territory that early morning.  It was quite the experience to watch two distinct "could be" nemeses vie for life-giving nourishment.  That morning, life was good for both. They ate well and did not have to compete for breakfast.  Life was good for me, too, as I had the opportunity to be enthralled once again by my Bayou friends.

Day of the Snakes

It is not uncommon to see a snake or two around the Bayou.  With that much marsh, it is to be expected but to see an eagle catch a snake that was a good five feet in length is not that common.  The first thing thing I saw this morning as I was headed to the blackberry patch was the Bald Eagle with its wriggling prey!  It was perched in the top of a pine tree and before I could grab the camera, it made its hasty retreat to the depths of the Bayou.  There it could rip the snake into bite-sized chunks for the little eaglets.  This was one of those times that I really regretted not toting the camera everywhere I go!  Instead of photographing the unfolding scene, all I could do was pick blackberries and dream of the missed opportunity.

A bit later, the pup, Sunny, took me for a walk down the hill.  I am leash training her as well as free-walking her so away we went.  While she did her business, I took notice of the  blue jays around us.  There were several that were bouncing back and forth between the trees and the ground.  Yesterday, we were literally attacked by a pair that had their baby out of the nest but somehow this seemed to be different.  I hustled the puppy back indoors and grabbed the camera.  I was going to be ready this time no matter what I happened upon!  And happened upon it I did!  There, next to the base of the oak tree, was a snake!  Aha!  So that is what had alarmed the birds!  Closer inspection proved that only the birds (and rodents) needed to fear this snake.  This is what Pop had always called a Chicken Snake! Better known as a Rat Snake, this one would not bite me.  I called Son down to "displace" the snake.  I did not really want him to kill the poor thing as, like I said, they do eat a of rodents!  Believe me when you live near the marsh, you do have a lot of rats, mice and voles!

Michael played with that snake for a while before moving it off a good ways from the birds.  Both of us marveled at how well camouflaged the snake was.  It would be extremely hard to notice it in a pile of dead leaves!  He put it down near the marsh so that perhaps it would find something a bit more enticing than baby birds.  The snake immediately slithered off into the marsh in search of lunch and the birds went back to feeding their little ones. Michael and I headed to the pier.

Then late this evening, I was back on that pier again.  I had caught a nice redfish earlier which made for a tasty supper!  I was in hopes of catching another before dark.  As I eased down the pier, I noticed a slight movement in a tidepool next to the pier.  Ahh, my friendly little Garter Snake was busy catching his supper!  At least the snakes today had all been non-venomous!  I can deal with this!!!  (And no..I did not catch another redfish.

The Perils of Life on the Bayou

Life on the Bayou is usually a pretty laid back existence...except if you are one of the critters that inhabit the area. Then daily trials begin and end with the ability to eat but not be eaten. It is a constant struggle for most of the animals. The food chain can be dangerous! This morning early, the Bottlenose Dolphins were busy hunting mullet. These mammals work together to corral the fish. They made huge loping circles around the mullet schooling them in tight wads. Once they had a good many in one area, the feeding would begin. The dolphins would dive deep and come up under the mullet. Their huge swells would send mullet jumping every which way. The dolphins would even toss mullet high above the water. Again and again, they would chase the mullet into a tight mass only to devour them. This large, marine mammal is near (if not at) the top of the food chain in the Bay. I love watching the teamwork of the dolphins.

I could not get a clear picture of the Bald Eagle that was fishing for mullet. The eagle was following along after the dolphin pod. It was in hopes of catching a fish for its breakfast but these hopes were dashed when another raptor intervened. The Osprey decided that there were not enough fish in the Bay for the Bald Eagle to have any so it started darting at the larger bird. Again and again, it swooped at the eagle. Eventually, the Bald Eagle gave up on the fish and headed inland. The Osprey had won the fishing rights to the Bay and soon took up the Bald Eagle's game. The mullet were in constant danger from both below the water and the sky above.

A bit later near the marsh edge, another bit of the food chain was at work. Crabs usually eat whatever they can find that is already dead. Occasionally, they will catch small minnows and fish but more likely than not, they are the prey. When the crabs are small, most everything eats them. Most fish love dining on small crabs, shore birds will eat every one they can catch and even other crabs will make a meal of their neighbor. When the Blue Crab is in its soft-shell stage (when it is shedding its old shell), it is easy prey for anything that wishes to have a meal. The crab at this point is powerless to escape much less defend itself. For hours on end, the crab depends purely on luck to survive. It is helpless...but it is a different story when it is in its hard-shell stage. Then the prey can become the predator as was the case this morning.

A crab was easily seen in the about four inches of water near the marsh. This crab had hunted down and caught its meal for the day. It had actually caught another predator. The crab was scooting itself out into deeper water where it immediately buried itself and its dinner in the soft mud. At first glance, I was not sure just what in the world the crab had in its claws. The glint of the sun on the water made it difficult to see but once the crab was in the shade of the marsh grass, things were different. This Blue Crab had a death hold on my little Garter Snake! It was heading to deeper water to drown the snake! My poor little snake friend had succumbed to the food chain of the Bayou! Never once had it occurred to me that crabs would eat snakes! Good bye, Little Snake!

~Today was Hubby's birthday! We celebrated by having a perfectly lazy day! As much as the hallway needed finishing, we decided that fishing was much more important! I wish I could say that he caught this large red fish today but sorry, this is one from a fishing trip this past winter. (I just liked this picture!) Everyone needs a day like this! Happy Birthday, Mark! ~

Wet and Wild!

Woohoo!!! It rained! Not much but it rained and I will be thankful for whatever I can get! I was just lamenting about the drought and my poor dead tomato plants when all of a sudden the wind started to blow, the sky darkened and then thunder. I almost held my breath thinking this could be another false alarm just like those we have been getting almost every afternoon. Threats but no rain. Today was different! The sky opened up and let down the nicest shower! I just know all of the plants that were still hanging on by a thread were so elated to feel the cool, moist droplets and the little birds and animals were probably lapping up any drips they could find. Ahh, the cooling sweetness of an afternoon shower after so many months..nothing better! Rain! Wouldn't it be delightful if this decided to set in for the night? Do I dare wish for that????

The rain came directly after Son and I quit for the day on our paint-stripping job. We are still working on the windows and chairs. We had cleaned up our mess and I took a stroll to the pier. The tide was low for this time of year. Normally, the summer tides never get so low that my crab traps are uncovered but tonight they were sitting well out of the water. As I was on my way back up the pier toward the house, I noticed something in the little tide pool next to the pier. An unknown entity was stirring up the bull minnows something fierce! Then up pops a head! Ahh, my friendly little Garter Snake was getting supper! I am not the only one that fishes around here! I watched as it would slither into a spot and then be as still as a stick. The minnows would start to gather around and snap! The snake would have a nice, large mouthful! It amazed me at just how adept he was at catching the minnows. They are quite quick and to be that close to the water, you would think the snake would have difficulty spying them. He caught minnow after minnow and soon decided supper was over. Off into the marsh, he slipped. Smart thinking my little friend for no sooner did he disappear than in came the Egret. This bird would have surely had Garter Snake for its supper! The Egret is a large bird and does not think twice about snatching up something so small as the Garter Snake. I have seen Egrets even scoop up small moccasins on occasion..something that has to be a bit dangerous considering the venom in their bite. Tonight though, both the snake and the bird shared a meal..and one did not become the main course for the other.

The view out my window..

Early this morning I made the mistake of throwing back the curtains and raising the window blinds. It was a beautiful sunshiney day and I was determined to enjoy every minute of it! Aaack! Horrors! The windows were so grimy that I could hardly see out! This would never do..I had to wash them. Well..there went my happy morning..right out the window. Now that I found the dirt and grime, I had to stay indoors and wash windows. I am not a big fan of housework of any kind and this was something I truly did not want to spend my day doing. Well..let's get it done..no procrastinating today! Down came the curtains and into the wash they went. I hauled in the ladder, filled a bucket with water and vinegar, grabbed some rags and set to work. Grumble.. This is the worse thing I could be doing. Grumble.. I would much rather be fishing. Grumble.. Such a beautiful day is being wasted. Grumble.. I stopped wiping the window..WOW!.. What a view! Sitting on the top of the stepladder, I was able to see things a bit differently than I normally view them. I know that I live on an incredible place that is so amazingly beautiful but I suppose I needed to be in a different position to fully enjoy it. Maybe I needed a new perspective of what makes me happy. Or perhaps it was just a kick in the pants to make me realize that cleaning windows needn't be a dreaded chore. Whatever it is called, I started scrubbing those windows with a new ambition. There are ten windows in this room and each held a breathtaking view..not a bad way to spend a morning. Not a bad way at all!

When I did finish the cleaning, I still had plenty of time to meander to the pier. The tide was pushed far out with the North wind making extensive mud flats. Our crab traps were high and dry and it was easy to see the many sticks and logs that take my fish hooks when I snag them. Not much fishing to be done on a day like this! Still, there is always something interesting on the Bayou. Today it was a Garter Snake. This tiny snake lives in the marsh under the pier. It is a tiny thing maybe only fifteen inches long but is big in personality. This little fellow seems to like being noticed and makes an appearance quite often when I am on the pier. I watched as it slithered along the mud to the small tide pool. Here the minnows were trapped and were an easy target. The little snake managed to catch three while I was watching. It ate well for today. After feeding, it took advantage of the sun and warmed itself before slipping off into the marsh. I suppose it won't be long before it will hibernate and I won't see my friend for a while.