The Snake!

Poor birds were going nuts! They were congregating around a cluster of trees and vocalizing as loudly as they could. Armed with binoculars and my camera I ventured out to where they were. At first I didn't see anything but branches moving where the birds had been but a closer look at the ground revealed a snake! It wasn't very big around but about 3 feet long. It was so still I wasn't sure it was alive but the eyes were on me. I took a few pictures which I emailed to my snake expert, Mike and he told me it is a Texas Rat Snake. They are not poisonous and very good at getting rid of mice and other rodents that may want to inhabit a house. From the bulges in the snake I think he must have raided a nest up in one of the trees. From what I have read they will climb 30 or 40 feet to get to a bird nest if there are no rodents on the ground for them to eat.