Ashburn Horses and Black Rat Snake

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #123. I stopped to take a picture of these horses...

And then I noticed Mr. (or Mrs.) Black Rat Snake heading across the horse trail toward the bike trail.

This snake is getting ready to shed its skin, else it wouldn't have stuck around. As it was, the bike trail is very busy (I much prefer to walk on the horse trail) and a pretty bad destination for a snake. So I stomped my feet to try to get it turned around.

Mr. Rat Snake was all, "You're not the boss of me!" And proceeded across the trail.

So I picked him up by the tail and put him back in the grass on the other side. (There was some disgruntlement, as you can see.)

And that was the end of that.

P.S. I plan to contribute to Anni's I'd Rather B Birdin', too, but I have to head back to D.C. first. P.P.S. Here are a couple more shots of the Red-bellied Woodpecker visit to the porch in W.V. early in April.


Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
~

Breaking The Law! Breaking The Law!

Other Birdness:



Tufted titmice are known for their cuteness.[citation needed]

















Speakers to Eleventy Million Bazillion, people!


~

Dog Day Afternoon

Pictures from the West Virginia Panhandle

















(Cross-posted at Whiskey Fire. Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.)

Update: Response to S.C. Libel!


~

Better Geese Video

This time the wind didn't act up until the end. This is the first time I've seen the geese move towards the dog. Must be because of Canadian Flag Day!













UPDATE: Courtesy of M.B.:



Further Update: Geese and sunrise this morning (2-17-2012)






~

Snow Day

The Usual Suspects







The Cat With No Name




~

fire and rain

For best results, I recommend playing all the videos at the same time.









Yes, some woodpeckers stopped by today to say, "Hello."













(Cross-posted at Whiskey Fire. Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.)
~