Tuesday, October 2, 2012

birds win because they can fly

So I came home last night after a successful trip to Barnes and Noble (any trip to the book store, by the way, is always successful) and found this hanging out along the roof of the carport:

 Can you see that little squiggle up next to that ledge? No? Let me...just...zoom...in...
Meet Winston the Yellow Rat Snake
 WHAT?!?! Seriously? That snake is totally waiting to ambush us as we get out of the car!
Just to give you all a bit of scale: that pillar is about 1x2.5 and he is wrapping himself around nearly all FOUR SIDES!
Let me do some math here (it isn't my strong suit so give me a sec)...

Winston is at least three to four feet long! And he's all scrunched up which means he's probably longer.

This is what I think he was after:


There were two birds up in the corner of the that ledge sleeping. They've done it before and I've always told them that they need to go home to their nest because I'm no voyeur. And Winston looked rather intent upon getting to that ledge.


Fortunately for the bird - not so much for Winston - our shrieks of fear that a monster snake was about to launch itself at us from the ceiling woke the birds up and they took off. This one only made it to the pillar on the other side of the carport. I think he was still a bit groggy from all the partying he was doing. Winston, however, seemed less than pleased that his dinner had flown off and took to hunting some moths while we watched from the safety of the house.

This morning when Scott left he found the bird had come back to the pillar after Winston slithered off:


Jackie Chan (I've just named him that) is clinging, ninja-like, to the interior corner of the pillar completely asleep. Not even flash photography disturbed him!

10 comments:

  1. That's an ambitious snake. Not even content living up to its namesake and solely hunting rats, this crazy spider-snake ("Spider-Snake, Spider-Snake, does whatever a Spider can..."sorry, the song is in my head now.) took to the rafters to try and attack a bird that was a bit too smart for that slithering sneak.
    So what now, do you buy snake repellent, bird repellent, or start a nature documentary in your very own house?

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    1. Can you imagine a more terrifying creature than a "spider-snake?" It can slither AND scurry? Holy Moly! I do not want to live on a planet that has those hanging around the house!

      I think a nice Backyard Nature Docu-dramedy would be manageable but only if I can get James Earl Jones to narrate!

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  2. I love the way you wrote this entire thing.

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  3. Snakes........why did it have to be snakes!

    Or, a snake. Either way. Eeewwww! :)

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    1. I'm not entirely afraid of snakes...I just don't like it when things fall (or could potentially fall) on my head. This snake was planning. I could see it in his slither!

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  4. OH MAN!! That lil guy is plotting. I can't yet tell you what said plot is, but I have people on the "inside" that tell me it has to do with the end of the world.

    If you think about it, it makes sense. I mean, snakes defying gravity? Smells like orc mischief.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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  5. I literally shuddered at the close-up of that thing...he looks so sinister, waiting for his prey. Yikes! I hope the birds fare okay and they stay clear of Winston!

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  6. Because I love you so hard...

    http://www.flyingplatypi.com/2012/10/rudimentary-trophy-for-outstanding.html

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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