On my birding excursion late this morning, the birds were not especially abundant or conspicuous. However, I did encounter one of the largest black snakes that I have ever seen, stretched across a gravel road.
Officially, it was a western rat snake, found throughout the central portion of the U.S.; while guidebooks indicate that they may reach six feet in length, this one appeared to be a bit larger. Sunning itself on the roadway, it moved off into tall grass as my vehicle slowly approached.
Since this is still their breeding season, the snake may have been searching for a mate; up to twenty eggs, which hatch in late summer, are laid by the female. Western rat snakes are constrictors and feed on a variety of small mammals, amphibians and lizards; since they are excellent climbers, they also hunt for avian nestlings and eggs. They, themselves, may be victims of hawks (especially red-shouldered hawks), fox, mink, coyotes and, of course, automobiles and tractors. Those that survive the summer den in caves or deep rock crevices, often in the company of copperheads and rattlesnakes.
