Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Don’t Mess With Redheads

We had barely gotten started on the hike Sunday at Birdsong Nature Center, when I inadvertently stepped on a red rat snake. I was walking in the lead and looking all around and never saw it until our friend pointed out that I had just stepped on it.

100_9491

It was apparently sunning itself in what little sun was shining that day. It did not move at all and we were not sure it was even alive until B took his walking stick to lift it off the path. Then it got into its offensive/defensive coil….

100_9499

and struck at B with a speed and distance that was rather alarming to me.

100_9500

But still, it is about as purty as a snake gets.

100_9496

2 comments:

R.Powers said...

It is perhaps our most beautiful native snake... no accounting for taste of course, but I'm always in awe of these beauties.

Glad it met up with two people who could appreciate it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kimberlee said...

That is a BEAUTIFUL snake! So...stepping on it didn't seem to damage it...as far as I can tell from your story. So it's beautiful AND resilient...great combination! :)

Cool that you got photos before it went on its way!