Big, Ole Snake

   Well, it is that time of year again when the flowers bloom, the birds sing and the moccasins start to come out of hiding.  All of those things were found today.  I was sitting with my brother in the warm sunshine when he actually noticed the birds singing and flowers blooming.  This made me smile as I have been working hard at getting the Small Gardens back in order.  His gardening skills have always inspired me and I know it is a compliment when he talks of flowers and plants with me.  The birds were not of my doing but they sure were adding to the ambiance of the visit!  He and I often did not even speak as we sat enjoying the day.

  Later, Son and I went to check the small skiff before the onset of the stormy weather to come for the next few days.  Son was leading the way and walked right past a cottonmouth without even seeing it.  I stopped, called his attention to it and we both marveled at the size of the snake.  Yep, we were sure thankful we were on that pier and out of reach of that snake!  It was a big 'un!  

  Most folks would have tried to kill the cottonmouth but, in this case, that would have caused more trouble than was called for.  To get to the snake would have put both of us in danger of being bit.  More snakebites occur when people are trying to kill a snake than any other time.  Leave it be, folks.  That snake wants no part of you just as you want no part of it.  It is best to let it go on its merry way.  We did just that.  We went our way.  The snake went its.  The birds sang.  The flowers bloomed.  All was good.

My Wise Choice

   This morning, Son was pulling some huge timbers from the stack to use in repairing the pier.  These are salvaged beams that are at least 3 inches by 12 inches by 12 feet long.  My offer to help was met with a strict "No!" as he feels that I should not be hoisting the heavy things.  Instead...he does...by himself.  I stand by idly fretting.  At one point, he let me help measure the next timber so I scrambled across the pile to get a good position.  When he turned back my way, he said "Ummm, be careful.  I did see a young cottonmouth under that board."  Oops!  Well, I was already there so lingering long enough to measure was not going to be a problem.  Returning to my previous position seemed to be a predicament, however.

  Since the snake had slithered in a crevice beneath the board right where I needed to put my foot as I descended the pile, I looked for a different route.  Ok, snake vs spider.  Huge spider.  Gigantic spider!  I chose the spider.  A big-as-my-hand orb weaver hung on her web across my only exit from the pile.  Alrighty then!  Not wanting to disturb the lovely creature, I practically limboed under the web.  At one point, the spider was about four inches from my face.  The spider and I were eye to eye!  I think we either became lifelong friends or mortal enemies, at that point.  She stayed perfectly still and did not do the usual web bouncing thing to scare me.  I kept moving.  Once I had my head and shoulders under the web, I was in pretty good shape.  Whew!  Well, now!  I felt pretty awesome at my maneuverability!  Not bad for an old lady!  At least, I did not step on the cottonmouth that was probably in hysterics at my attempt to avoid it.

 By the time I vacated the lumber pile, Son had the timbers ready to haul to the pier.  He did this with a makeshift cart and muscle-power!  His cart even allowed him to push the large boards all the way to the part of the pier where he was working.  I merely followed and chattered about the lovely spider and my wise choice!

The Perfect Visitor!

  In view of the current social distancing order, I fully discourage any visitors to the Bayou.  I live here.  You don't.  There is no need for you to come.  After all this is over and the virus has been defeated...you are welcome.  Not now, however.  I have stuck with the idea that without a host, the virus will die.  Mark, on the other hand, still comes and goes as he pleases.  It bothers me but nothing can be done so I do not even attempt.  I spend a good bit of time outside deep-breathing our fresh air, getting plenty of sunshine and doing yard work.  Great progress is happening in the garden!  

  Today, that social distancing put me to installing some gravel guards for the roof drain.  The way our house is shaped, rain pours down with a vengeance and washes gullies as it does.  I have tried everything but it seems as if this gravel drain some forty feet long is the only surefire way of coping with the destructive power of water!  The gravel guards will keep the gravel, itself, from being strewn into the lawn and then flung about by the mower.  I was on my hands and knees when a visitor showed up.  Surprisingly...this one I welcomed!  In fact, I was overjoyed to stop work, sit a spell and enjoy a bit of company.  It was delightful!

  A Southern Black Racer decided to investigate what I was doing in the garden.  While I was working, a movement caught my eye and I turned to see the snake making its way to me.  I was quite sure that it would veer off course to avoid me but, nope, it came straight in to visit!  The snake slithered up to the pile of large rocks that I had removed from the edge of the drain and then proceeded to inch closer.  Once it was about two feet from me, it stopped, started flicking its tongue and stared.  Oh, sweet thing!  Even when I slowly reached over to get the camera, the snake kept its place.  For a good half hour, my new friend and I shared some quality time.  I welcomed it to the garden and told it that I would prefer it chose the area as its permanent residence.  How sweet would that be???

  Even though I have taken to talking to critters, I promise that this whole isolation thing has not twisted the brain.  It has always been this way.  To be totally honest, I am fully enjoying my "alone time" as I am getting so much accomplished!  And...I am meeting new friends along the way. 

A Friend With Sage Advice

  It seemed to be a fine day for making a new friend but, since I rarely leave the Bayou and since not many folks come to visit, there was a slim chance of doing so.  The morning passed with not a person in sight and all hopes of a bit of quality time being spent with anyone were quickly dying.  Well, if it had to be that way, so be it.  I value my alone time highly and should not complain if the day should include nary another soul.  That is the way of life for me.  I tend to be content with what is thrown my way.  Today would be no different.

  Along about noontime, the sun was warm, the skies were blue and a hike seemed to be in order.  Meandering about the Bayou fills me with wonder as there is never any lack of magical occurrences found there.  Usually, the hike begins and ends at the pier.  A huge loop takes me around the marsh and deep into the creek bed.  Under the dark canopy of trees, magic is sure to happen but, this time, that magic happened in a sunny spot directly down the hill from the front door.  As the path twisted and turned, a bright splotch of sunshine found my new friend.  Here was the very being that I was supposed to visit since dawn.  Coiled upon some brambles, a black racer was basking in the warmth.  It did not take but a moment for the realization that my "new friend" would not be human but was to be this snake.  Dropping to my knees, I settled in to let it know that all was well between the two of us.  The snake made no effort to move as we sat just inches apart.  At times, I would rest my hand on the very bramble where it was resting.  A mutual respect was being shared.  A good hour was spent doing nothing more than appreciating the magic of the Bayou with my new friend.

  According to some legends, snakes can represent many things such as transformation, creativity and healing.  The transformation of oneself into a better person seems to be a pretty good idea and a boost in creativity is always needed but it was the healing that was brought to mind with this encounter.  It was time to discard any "venom".   For the past few months, things around here have been sort of topsy-turvy so my brain was in dire need of a good cleansing.  It was high time to purge the negativity that had accumulated and rejuvenate the spirit that dwells inside.  I could do this...I can do this...I will do this.  Life is good only if we choose to make it that way.  There is no time to stand idle and let things slide.  

  The time spent with the snake was refreshing to the soul.  It felt as though the two of us bonded through just being.  Whether I see this friend again is not important.  The message that I gained is, however.  It is funny how critters can sometimes speak volumes more than humans who supposedly have the talent to talk.  Communication with most people is little more than inane prattle.  Communication of thoughts is the key.  The hour was well spent with a fine friend, indeed.

Oh, What A Beauty!

  It was just a little after midday when Son and I eased our way down the hillside to look over some of the early preparations for the clue hunt that is not until October. He has gotten a start on some of the major props since this year's hunt calls for some pretty laborious building projects.  What started out so many years ago as a simple clue hunt with paper clues has evolved into a major undertaking.  My oldest son made the remark several years ago that our clue hunt is almost as if LARP (live action role playing) met up with room escape and had a baby.  Needless to say, there are very few written clues and an enormous amount of mechanical props that have to be solved.  It is interesting but a lot of work on our part.  The two of us enjoy the challenge, however, and it seems as if the teams enjoy solving our mysteries.  That said, we headed out to check a ship's mast that he installed in the yard.  

  While admiring his handiwork and discussing the possibilities of other related props, a movement in the grass near us diverted my attention.  Not far from us a lovely snake was "lying low" and trying to remain unseen.  Too late.  I was just itching to get the camera in action!  I slipped around in front of the snake and dropped to my knees.  I wanted to be sure to capture the beauty of the snake.  Well, nice snaky had other ideas!  Maybe it was just camera shy but it slowly turned to the left.  Ok, so I would have to crawl up a bit closer.  Now, I was only maybe two feet from the snake and got my shot!  Wow!  After a few more photos, it was time to set the camera down and simply admire the snake for what it was.  Son and I both were enamored!

  This snake is a Eastern Black Kingsnake.  It was formerly called a Speckled Kingsnake (for good reason).  Taxonomy changed all that recently but it is difficult for me to see the snake as anything other than a speckled!  In my opinion, this is one of the most docile snakes on the planet.  In a sense, it is one of our protectors as it has a healthy appetite for other snakes including venomous ones.  It is noted for consuming copperheads, cottonmouths and even rattlesnakes.  A kingsnake of a given area is usually immune to the venom of other snakes in that area but may not be immune to snakes from other areas.  That matters not in the case of our lovely visitor since I am in hopes that it will stay put and call the garden its home.  It is welcome to slither about to its heart's content!

Time to call it quits...

  Well, as much as I loved my little Frog Pond, the time has come to call it quits.  Even though the whole pond was tiny, it was a lot of work.  What started out as a goldfish pond ended up as a home for frogs.  In the beginning, there were some nigh on a foot long goldfish living in the little pool.  Hurricane Katrina came and took the fish to parts unknown when the flood waters overtook the property.  Afterward, I did not have the heart nor energy to restock the pond.  I allowed the frogs to move in and take over.  It was not too bad as their nightly serenades entertained the lot of us and the frogs did their part in keeping the insect pests under control.  Still, there comes a time....

  Today made me realize that I just do not have the stamina to keep up this part of the yard.  It all started at dawn during my morning hike.  I had just returned the old dog to his comfy bed and went out to check the plums.  The plum tree is just beyond the Frog Pond and, as I strolled past the area, a slight movement caught my eye.  Oh, Ms. Nycto!  You startled me!  Yes, Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess cat, was lapping up water from the pond.  Then another critter caught my eye.  Just two feet from the cat, snake was silently slithering over the edge of the pond and onto the water lilies.  Uh, oh.  That did not look like a water snake.  Could it be?

  I took a few photos so I could check the snake's identity if it slipped beneath the water.  After the photos, I eased my way to the opposite side of the little pond.  Yep.  There was that snake and it was not a good one to have this close to the Little Bayou House.  The Frog Pond is just beyond the back porch.  It may be a good ten feet from the house, if that.  The snake was none other than a cottonmouth.  While I stood watching, the snake caught one of the little green tree frogs and was attempting to swallow it.  Ms. Nycto hightailed it due to the commotion and upset the snake.   At this point, the snake regurgitated the little frog but I could tell that the wee thing was gravely injured. 

  Ok, so I needed to get that snake out of the pond with as little danger as possible.  First thing I could think to do was drain the pond.  This is done often by means of a small electric pump.  I watched as the snake settled in to catch another frog so I made a quick dash to the shed, grabbed the pump and coil of hose.  The pump was set up and dropped into the pond.  It immediately begin to drain but was far to slow.  At that rate, it would take half the day so there was nothing else to do but help it out a bit.  By this time, the snake was fully aware of my presence and had slipped into a hollow stump near the south edge of the pond.  It watched as I used a five gallon bucket to bail the water.  It took nigh on an hour of bailing to make any headway but soon there was enough slippery sloped sides to keep the snake from an easy getaway.  I woke Son and we proceeded to capture our snaky fiend.

  The capturing process involved the five gallon bucket, a water hose and a potato rake. The bucket was laid on its side at one end of the pond and I used the water hose to direct the moccasin into it.  This was not an easy task as the snake only wanted out of that pond!  But, eventually, the snake complied and slithered into the bucket.  At that exact time, Son slipped the prongs of the potato rake under the handle of the bucket and set it upright!!  Aha!  The serpent was captured!  Another bucket was slipped atop to keep the critter inside.  Now...what to do.  I have this "no-kill" mantra but, in this case, that was not an option.  The snake had already found a ready supply of meals via the thousands of frogs.  I hated it but the snake had to go.  I could not take the chance that it would attempt a return.  The old dog does not see well any more and may step right on the snake.  (He did step on a turtle yesterday!  A turtle..mind you!  How do you step on a turtle?)  So, as much as it sickened me to do it, the snake was killed and tossed where the alligators could dine upon it.  

  All of this saga made me realize that it was high time for the Frog Pond to cease to exist.  The work involved in cleaning it, the upkeep of pumps, filters and liners and the potential threat of a venomous snake taking up residence was just too much for this old lady to handle.  Time to call it quits.  So, very little water was returned to the pond.  There is just enough to allow the tadpoles time to morph into frogs.  After they do their thing, the pond will be completely drained, liner and plants removed and the whole area will be filled with soil.  Grass will soon cover the spot and the pond will be nothing but a memory after twenty some odd years.  Things are changing.

Not a Cottonmouth!

  I am first to admit that my vision is far from what it used to be even with the glasses that are always with me.  Not that it is terrible but sometimes, I do have trouble.  Couple that declining vision with a bunch of shadows and things can get downright befuddled.  Take this morning, for instance.  I was out at dawn with the old dog.  He had another rough night so I wanted to get him fed, out and back to his bed as quickly as possible. He needed his rest.  So, as we were slowly meandering down to his "spot", I had time to scan the marsh line for critters.  The tide was high and there was a bit of a south wind.  Suddenly, I spied something in the shallows where the water had come above the marsh line and was puddling in the underbrush.  A undulating movement of something...long, round, dark and wiggly.  Uh, oh.  Perhaps this was that large cottonmouth that I had seen earlier in the spring.  I was sure glad the old dog was not nearby.

  After I got him back safely inside, I ventured out to find my "snake".  I wanted to make sure the thing did not decide to make itself at home on the path to Mr. PJ's loo.  By now, the sun was starting to brighten things a bit which gave me a much better view.  To my surprise, that "snake" was still in the same spot...still undulating. 

  Whew!  I breathed a sigh of relief.  That "snake" was no snake, at all!  Some storm must have washed an old bike inner tube into the marsh and the high tide of this morning pushed it further ashore.  My "snake" was completely harmless.  There was no need to worry about Mr. PJ this morning.  Still, I will scan the path each time he walks.  With his vision and sense of smell going the wayside, I have to be extra vigilant....even to the point of watching for those "dangerous" bike tubes!

Face To Face WIth The Predator!

  There is one thing that is always holds true here on the Bayou.  You can always depend on something to catch your interest.  While it may not be something that you enjoy, it will be interesting.   Today's bit of (morbid) entertainment came around noontime.  I was cooking lunch when a strange noise alerted me that something not-so-nice was happening in the back yard.  Since we recently lost an entire nest of baby birds to some marauder, I figured that I had better investigate this call for help.

  As I quietly slipped out the back door and down the back steps, I had no idea that I would literally come face to face with a predator.  A snake was sort of precariously dangling from the top of the shed.  The twisting and torquing of the body told me that this snake was the cause but not the source of the noise.  The snake was in the process of trying to swallow a green tree frog.  This was a juvenile gray rat snake that was probably only about 15 inches in length and maybe a half inch thick.  The frog was a normal sized tree frog.  Even though the snake had quite a good grip on the frog, the frog was doing its best to escape.  One of the escape tactics the frog was employing was to inflate its body to nearly twice its normal size.  This indeed was helping as the snake was having a difficult time swallowing such a round object.  The squeaking sound that I heard was the frog being squeezed by the snake's jaws.

  My first instinct was to help the poor, doomed frog but, at the urging of Son, I had promised to stop interfering with nature.  "You have to let things happen, Mom."  So, I got to pondering about that snake and that frog.  I was not there to protect the insects that the frog ate before it met up with the snake so I should not protect the frog just because the snake needs a meal.  Plus, I really like rat snakes and this little one would have a doozy of a time trying to catch anything larger than the frog.  Given time, the snake will grow and move onto larger prey.  Perhaps it will clear out the shed of any rats or maybe catch a few of the squirrels that are devouring the peaches.  Any which way, the snake had his meal and I had the opportunity to learn a bit more about snakes and frogs.  Oh, and about the baby birds mentioned earlier, that dirty deed was definitely NOT done by this little rat snake.  Snakes swallow their prey whole....lets just leave it at that.

Don't Be Foolhardy!

  Here it is the first day of April and we are cold.  Well, cold for the Deep South and, believe me, everyone is complaining...as if that will do any good whatsoever.  While I admit it is a bit chilly, it feels good!  There are no gnats when the temperature is cool!  I will wear a long sleeve shirt if it means I will not be eaten alive by those little buggers!  Still, that cool weather should be a deterrent to more than just the gnats but, obviously, it is not.  

  Early this afternoon, the outdoors called and I heeded that call.  The old dog, Mr. PJ, has been feeling poorly, so he opted to stay on his bed instead of gallivanting about the hillside.  It is just as well.  It never occurred to me that snakes would be out with the wind chill being nippy.  Just to the side of the pier, marsh mats are laid flat after a bit of unusually high tide.  It seems that the mats are a haven for a good many critters and that includes snakes.  As I was photographing some shells, a musky odor caught me off guard.  Uh, oh.  I knew that smell.  This was no April Fool's joke!  Somewhere nearby there had to be a snake.  So...I eased back to a sitting position from my knees and waited and looked.  

  Slightly to my left, a cottonmouth moccasin was soaking up a bit of sunshine.  The snake obviously had been far under the marsh mats because it was still "wearing" a thin layer of mud but, even with that disguise, I knew exactly who was nearby.  The snake and I sat about eight feet apart for the better part of a half hour before it decided to take refuge back under the marsh mat.  

  The action of the moccasin proved that snakes are "not out to get you" like so many folks believe.  Instead, my calm behavior was met with its calm behavior.  Neither of us threatened the other so the meeting was non-eventful other than me getting some photographs.  It pays to keep calm and do some levelheaded thinking instead of being rash and doing something foolhardy.  

First One of the Season

  This afternoon, I decided that I needed to escape the confines of the Little Bayou House.  Lately, I have had to take care of the old dog, Mr. PJ, so hikes were out of the question.  His health comes first and since he has separation anxiety due to age, I had to stay within a few feet of him at all times.  However, Son volunteered to dote on the old fellow so I could go out to clear my brain of all worries.  While it was heavenly to be back on the trail again, so to speak, I missed the dog's presence.  I guess I have grown too attached to the old boy even though he is technically not my dog.  I am fostering him for my son and daughter-in-law...albeit obviously for the rest of his life.  So maybe he is not my dog but he is my friend...so be it.

  In a way, it was good that the dog was not with me on this particular hike.  Before he became ill,  he had taken to venturing too near the marsh to do his business.  Not being a true Bayou Dog, he had no idea the dangers that lurked there.  My hike this afternoon took me directly on top of one of those dangers.  The recent high tides has left behind marsh mats that are quite thick and obviously make good houses.  As I was wandering about this day, a huge cottonmouth was sunning on a mat right next to the pier. I stepped on the pier and immediately saw the snake.  It was a big 'un!!  

  Watching the cottonmouth, it was soon evident that this guy was in no hurry to leave.  It made no attempt to slip back under the marsh mat but also made no threat to me.  Contrary to what most folks believe, they are not aggressive.  However, had I made one misstep, or aggravated the snake, the story might have ended differently.  I could have easily ended up with a nasty bite.  The snake was definitely within striking distance.  

  So, folks, with the warm weather as of late, be careful!  The snakes are out doing their snaky things and, if you are not careful, that includes protecting themselves by biting.  I think the old dog will be taken on the other side of the house for a while.  His senses are not what they used to be and his reaction time is way too slow.  No need to put him in danger. We will play it safe.

Nary A Snake

  Yesterday about mid morning, the neighborhood watch sent up a huge alarm.  Something was surely amiss!  I headed out the front door to check for snakes.  By neighborhood watch, I mean the usual cacophony of bird cries.  Let one blue jay find a snake and every bird in the county seems bent of joining in the fracas.  Wrens, jays, cardinals, thrashers and mockingbirds all joined in the effort to keep the yard free of any menacing rat snakes.  

  Being as I was barefoot, I kept a close eye on the ground just in case a moccasin had come up out of the marsh.  The birds were only a few feet from the front door so I was able to stay on the board path.  Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.  Sad thing is...I never found a snake!  I found mushrooms.  Not that the birds would be in a tizzy over mushrooms but. as I was peering under the iron plant hoping to see a telltale sign of a snake, I found a whole cluster of white mushrooms.  The teeny things were not much larger than a butter bean and were just as cute as a button!  Now, some of you may be adept at identifying mushrooms but I admit to having difficulty in the area.  I leave them all alone to grow where they may.  These were in a "out of the way" spot so there was not even a worry about the old dog taking a nip of one so they can continue to decorate the garden.  

  One just never knows what might be found lurking beneath the bushes when the birds send up their alarm cries.  This time, I never found that snake and chances are good that it was staring at me and wondering why I was excited over a fungus!

Our Marshy Friends

 It never fails to excite me when I find a snake on my daily hikes.  I am not one that is afraid of the critters because I understand that they do not go out of their way to do us harm.  Most snake bites occur when a person is aggravating the critter by either intruding on its territory or by trying to kill it.  The snake is acting defensively and biting is its only method of doing so.  So when I find one doing its snaky thing, I would rather sit and watch than try to harm it.

  About halfway down the pier, there is a small wallowed out place that holds a bit of water during high tide.  At low tide, this pool is quite shallow and hundreds of minnows are trapped.  This creates a feeding ground for many other critters.  Shorebirds, raccoons, otters, crabs and snakes all have easy pickings.  Yesterday evening, a small Gulf Saltmarsh Watersnake was feeding on the trapped bull minnows and small mosquito fish.  This little snake visits the area quite often and seems to have no fear of me.  We have a mutual respect for each other. 

  Gulf Saltmarsh Watersnakes are non-venomous snakes that are fish/shrimp feeders.  They are adept at catching their prey but having trapped fish sure makes it easier!  These snakes are federally protected in most areas as their numbers are in decline.  Their decline is due to the disappearance of suitable living areas.  They do not live in fresh water so saltmarshes are their only homes.  The destruction of the marshes along coastlines has greatly reduced the snakes' numbers.  They give live-birth to about ten to fifteen young.  The young are ready to go at birth and Mom does not help them in any way.  The little ones often feed on tiny invertebrates until they can catch minnows.  

  Little Gulf Saltmarsh Watersnake, you can live in peace in the marshes of the Bayou.  Feel free to have lots of little ones here!  It is always good to see you!

Neighborhood Watch Program

  In the critter world, it is more common that one ignores the other unless one is larger and is hungry.  Then, both become quite aware of the other's presence.  Most critters are not busybodies that have to be prying in their neighbor's business.  They just go their separate ways and live life.  However, there is a network of "Neighborhood Watch" participants that keep everyone informed of the happenings of the Bayou.

  The other afternoon, a cacophony of bird calls led me to believe that something was amiss.  I eased my self out the front door and listened intently to the calls.  By now, a few squirrels had joined in on the party.  The center of interest was a tall black gum tree near the edge of the property.  A mama squirrel had made a rather large nest in the tree and had her little ones safe and secure...or so she thought.  Since this nest is far up in the tree, the intruder was one of two things...a hawk or a snake.  I was betting on the latter.  By the time I made my way to the base of the tree, neither could be found.  Only a dozen or so assorted birds were curiously eyeing the squirrel's nest.  The onlookers were still yelling at the snake but it was too late.  Mama Squirrel was frozen in fear and was not even attempting to give battle to the serpent that was performing the foul deed.

  Lately, we have a lot of rat snakes living in the area.  They are making a clean sweep of the squirrels' nests and even a few of the birds' nests, as well.  While I hate to think of the little ones becoming prey, Son reminds me that I should let "nature take its course".  I love having the rat snakes in the yard to keep the mice, rats and voles in check so I have to turn a deaf ear to the "Neighborhood Watch" team when they send out the alarm.  There is no filtering out what is fair game for the snakes.

He is "King of the Yard"!

  She has all of the luck...especially when it comes to finding really neat snakes.  Darling Daughter, Elizabeth, sent me a photo the other day asking for an identity of a small snake she found in her yard.  "Is this a king snake?" she queried?  Yep...it definitely is and a beauty at that!  The crazy thing is, this snake was found one frigid morning when snakes should all be in their warm, cozy beds!  This little guy was not doing too good with the cold so Elizabeth warmed him a bit then covered him with some nice mulch.  That should suffice to get the snake through the cold morning.  Hopefully, the little rascal will find a much better wintering spot than the middle of their yard.  Snakes are ill-equipped to handle the icy weather we have been having.

  The king snake she found is one of the best critters to have in the yard.  A king snake not only rids the place of all sorts of pests, it will also happily munch on other snakes including venomous ones.  King snakes are immune to other snakes' venom so they have little worries when seeking a snake out as prey.  They constrict their prey to kill it before swallowing it but can eat snakes as nearly as large as themselves.  Besides other snakes, a king snake's diet consists of insects, lizards, rodents, birds and eggs. 

  After talking with Elizabeth about her lovely little snake, I sat back and thought of how proud I am of her.  You know you have raised your daughter right when she tries to save a snake even before she knows what type it is.  That little critter could not find a better place to live than right where it is.

Thank you, Mr. Cottonmouth!

  My morning hike to the pier found me visiting with one of the most feared denizens of the Bayou.  Just at the spot where the marsh ends and water begins, a snake came out of the grass and onto the mudflat. Oh, my!  What a beauty!  I was literally in awe.  A cottonmouth moccasin was just a few feet from me.  Since neither the snake nor I felt threatened, I was able to take dozens of photographs before sitting back to enjoy its company.  I was on the pier which put me out of range for a strike had the snake wanted to do so but never once did it show that it was ill at ease.  

  Cottonmouths are falsely accused of being aggressive.  My encounter today proved that.  A strike by one is not something to take lightly.  Their fangs can pack a wallop! Moccasins are highly venomous but are not out to stalk and attack people. They become defensive if threatened or are cornered.  The snake on the mudflats had no reason to be upset.  We had a mutual respect for each other and just showed a bit of curiosity about the other's life.  After a bit, the snake slowly went on its way and I did the same.  

  My excitement over finding a cottonmouth stayed with me the entire day.  It actually has been a while since I have seen one around the Bayou.  Usually, there are more water snakes than moccasins calling the place home.  Personally, I am elated to have found this one if for no other reason than I will now be a bit more cautious about where I step.  I have a tendency to become lackadaisical about keeping a watchful eye out for dangers that may lie in my pathway.  I am more prone to be eyeing a bird on the wing or a strange looking bug than where I am putting my feet!  Thank you, Mr. Cottonmouth, for keeping my priorities straight!

Not Wanting to Interfere

  Investigating alarm calls is nothing unusual.  Investigating alarm calls from the critter world is not unusual for me.  I always do.  Let the blue jays start their cacophony and I grab the camera and head towards the noise.  Something is amiss if a dozen jays are causing a ruckus.  This morning the birds did just that.  Down behind the shed almost at the water's edge, the jays were joined by cardinals, thrashers and a few titmice.  All the birds were in a frenzy which could only mean a predator was nearby.  A cat, fox, snake, hawk, owl or even a couple of crows can solicit such actions and I was determined to see just what had crept into the dense underbrush.  While traipsing through the clumps of palmettos can be an edgy process, I figured that anything there would have already vacated the area with all of the turmoil overhead.  I pushed through and stared at the bay tree that held at least two dozen birds. My eyes adjusted to the shadowy depths of the underbrush.  Just a few feet in front of me was the culprit.  A snake was coiled on a small branch that was just about head high.  What a beauty!  The rat snake was a young thing and not nearly as large as the female that visited the rose arbor so often last summer.  This little guy was maybe only two and a half feet in length but was large enough to raid a bird's nest.  

  While all of the other birds stayed high in the trees surrounding the snake, the male thrasher led the attack on the poor hapless snake.  His ladylove was thirty feet away guarding their nest of four hatchlings. The thrasher relentlessly attacked the snake.  He was fearless as he pecked, plummeted and clawed at the serpent.  The snake regarded the bird as a mere nuisance.  After each attack, the snake would coil around and face the bird.  It would strike even though that was a futile effort on its part.  Since rat snakes are nonvenomous, a bite would be just a scratch and the bird would be no worse for wear.  This snake was far too small in comparison to the thrasher to do much damage but the bird knew that the nest of little ones was in danger.  

  Without interfering, I watched the battle between the two critters. Neither wanted to relinquish its territory to the other.  One feared for its family.  The other knew supper was nearby.  It was soon apparent that neither the bird nor the snake was ending the standoff any time soon so I eased my way back out of the brush and headed back to the house. Letting nature take it course is a good mantra at times.  It would be a hard call to say that I favor one over the other.  

Oh, Look Who Came to Visit!

  I almost envious! Darling Daughter always finds the coolest snakes. Here I am living on a bayou and the best I see are chicken snakes, watersnakes and black racers.  How cool would it be to find some snake with a bit of color?  How interesting would it be to find one that is a tad elusive?  How neat to find one that is gigantic?  Oh...yeah...my chicken snake fit that bill so perhaps I do have cool snakes!  But, still...she finds the pretty ones!

  Early this morning, Elizabeth sent me a photograph of a snake that visited her porch.  She was not sure of the type but said that it was "really docile" so she did not mind getting close enough to take pictures. The snake stayed a while as it explored the porch then finally slithered off into her hedge.  She sent me the picture to confirm her tentative identification of Scarlet Kingsnake.  Well, to be absolutely positive, I called on the experts.  She was close.  The snake was a Scarlet Snake.  What a find!  

  The Scarlet Snake is more of a nocturnal snake than most others.  It hides in burrows and under leaves during the day and comes out at night to feed.   It seems that the Scarlet Snake is fond of lizard and snake eggs but will dine on bugs, slugs and small rodents as well.  The critter is not known to bite so she could have safely handled her new found friend!  I do believe it is time for me to go snake viewing at her place!

Sssssss....Spiders, Snakes and Storms! Oh, My!

  This crazy weather has really been smacking us here on the Bayou.  Last night saw another terrific storm slam the area just about midnight.  I watched as lightning flashed continuously over the Gulf for a half hour before finally taking aim right at us.  Just after the clock struck twelve, hail started pelting the rooftop.  The wind blew at gale force breaking limbs as if they were toothpicks.  Then, the lightning reached us...literally.  The nonstop strikes bounced across the marsh and then up the hillside until finally one large bolt made contact.  The large TV upstairs took a direct shot and was fried.  The stench of burning plastic filled the upstairs of the Little Bayou House.  Thankfully, we have not found any other damage...so far.  This weather pattern has been a weekly occurrence.

  With all of the stormy weather, the critters of the Bayou and surrounding hillside are searching for drier places.  Mark and I saw a beautiful Black Racer sunning itself on the pier ramp on one of our walks.  The snake was trying to dry out a bit after the rains and the warm sunshine probably felt rather nice.  The snake lived up to its name and quickly slithered off into the marsh as we neared.  I only wish I had been quicker with the camera!  That thing was fast!

  Then, of all things, Mark found that spiders had moved into his trolling motor.  While spiders living inside the motor is bad enough, the fact that these were Black Widow Spiders made the whole situation a tad scary! Seven fat egg sacs were like some sort of weird bombs waiting to explode and strew billions of baby Black Widows all over the boat. Creepy!  Once he found the eggs, he smashed them all and hoped that the moms were no where around the area!

  So far, we have been fortunate with little damage from the storms and with no unwanted critters trying to invade the Little Bayou House. Hopefully, that will hold throughout the summer.  I just read where the National Hurricane Center is not giving us much hope for a hurricane-free season.  In fact, they predict just the opposite which is much like what I have been saying.  A gut feeling is telling me to keep an eye on the horizon and a few hurricane supplies on hand.  Things might just get a tad rougher before getting easier.  Stay safe, folks, stay safe.

Its Snakey Out There!

  My hike around the hillside could have turned out a lot differently had I not been alert.  In a matter of thirty minutes, I came across seven different snakes.  While most of these were nonvenomous Diamondback Water Snakes, two were Cottonmouth Moccasins.  Had I not been careful, one of those moccasins could have dealt me a mighty blow. Snakes are out.  Due to the unreasonable amount of rainfall we have had and, also, due to the crazy high tides, the snakes are being flooded out of their natural habitats and into mine.  They are seeking higher ground like most everything else.

  The only thing I can see bad about having the snakes out of their normal territory is that they will be hunting food and the baby birds do not stand a chance.  Not many adult birds can do a thing if a snake decides to raid a nest.  The birds can swoop, dive and peck but most of this is to no avail against a predator with determination.  I have had to literally pull snakes from nests and that is no easy task!  Pulling a snake from a bunch of vines is sort of like what I would imagine trying to move a stubborn elephant by pulling its trunk!  Snakes twist and turn around vines and tree limbs making it almost impossible to move.  Add to this the chance of getting bitten (even by a nonvenomous snake) and things get a bit hairier!  I am no fan of tangling with any snake when it is angry and pulling that tail might just be what it takes to rile even the most docile of beings.

  All in all, it was a fine day for snake watching but I do warn folks that the snakes are being pushed out of their environments.  They will be where you least expect them so be careful!

 

Where are my glasses?

  There is something to be said for failing eyesight.  No, it is not fun by any means but you deal with it as it seems to be a common part of aging. Without my glasses, things seem blurry and out of focus so I depend upon those things.  But...without them, things are brought into a different perspective.  Objects that appear to be one thing can prove to be something quite totally different.  This has actually made a difference in my days here on the Bayou.  

  This time of year, snakes are out and on the prowl (or crawl, as it may be).  One has to watch every step as an old cottonmouth moccasin might just be underfoot in any given area.  I have found them as far from the house as the marsh edge but as near as the front step.  They are hard to see.  I do not depend on my eyesight to find these critters.  I go back to that fine skill that Pop taught me so long ago.  He always said that it was easier to smell a moccasin than to see one and he was right.  Still, any snake is not fun to come across on a daily hike.  Even a nonvenomous one can scare the bejeebies out of you if it is stepped on unawares.  It is best to be wary...which brings me to today and my poor eyesight.

  I was out pushing that lawnmower again when I noticed my brother waving at me.   Stopping my machine, I had a nice chat with him before cutting the conversation short with "I need to get back to work."  As he turned to walk back down the lane, he gave a bit of a start and then said "Uh, oh!"  That did not seem to good so I held off cranking my mower.  He was pointing up under the azalea bush at what appeared to be a rather large snake.  Well, now!  I figured it could not be anything too dangerous unless the sweet aroma of the orange blossoms was masking the stench of a moccasin.  We drew a bit closer to check out just what type our slithery visitor was.  At this point, we both had a good laugh.  Our snake turned out to be a perfectly snake-shaped stick!  It even had its "head" raised about six inches off the ground.  Wow!  What a good impostor! 

  After another round of chatting (this time about our "snake"), he headed home and I went back to work.  My cutting took me far down behind the peach orchard and into an area dotted with palmetto clumps.  These are a favorite hiding place for snakes  and being as I was only wearing leather moccasins, I needed to watch my every step.  The recent "scare" of the stick snake might have been a good thing.  My wariness was already on edge.  I was alert.  I was careful.  Sometimes we can become so caught up in our thoughts and chores that we become careless.  Perhaps that stick was put there as a reminder that I need to watch my step.  Had I been wearing my glasses, I would have surely seen that it was just a stick and had never made me more cautious. Sometimes, we have to see things a bit blurred to see them more clearly.