Clicking on the photos will enlarge them :)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I Could Have Went All Day Without Seeing This!

I went out to put the sprinkler on some flowers earlier today. Oh my gosh there was a snake! He wasn't moving like he was startled, I thought maybe he was cold (it did get in the upper 40's here last night) apparently he was stalking a frog. Anyway, after I set the sprinkler out I was going to the store. First I called my husband to tell him, he is used to snake calls. Okay, I get in the car with the camera and drove around to the flower bed (it's by the road) and I see the snake with a Frog in it's mouth! These are the best photos I could get because I was IN the car!! Anyone who knows me at all, knows I HATE snakes. Leedra, you will be proud. You can try to click and enlarge the photos, I cropped a couple so I don't know if it will work. They do enlarge.

Look under the Daisy Mum to the right see the belly of the frog and the end of the snake on the left?
Now look by the 4th Iris blade from the left..
Here you can see the snake is biting on the lower part of the back of the frog. This one will enlarge.
Now they are on the left side of the Daisy Mum. That snake was trying his best to hold his bite on that frog and that frog was squirming and moving all around trying to get away.
Finally the frog got away from the snake....
He is quite swollen though, can you tell?
What kind of snake is this, do you think the frog got poisoned or just hurt? I don't know how non-poisonous snakes kill their prey unless they just hold the bite until the critter dies? The snake and the frog stayed still for about 10 minutes then I left. Of course as soon as I returned from the store I drove straight to the flower bed, they were both gone. My watering flowers is finished for today until my husband gets home.









23 comments:

Jean said...

These pictures are awesome! What a brave girl you are to sit in the car and take pictures! I bet you would have been long gone if it wasn't for blogging! Jean

Teri said...

Fabulous shots of this nature piece. I'm afarid I would have been screaming instead of taking photos :)

Patsy said...

OK, That does it you do live in the Garden of Edan. Keep your husband in the house and run Eve run.I mean Darla.
Patsy

Latane Barton said...

Okay, you miss brave soul, getting close enough to take pictures of a snake. Oh, lordy. I do believe I would have been in the next county... maybe I meant country!!

Leedra said...

When I saw the comment you put on my blog, I was laughing and thinking not Darla. Your comment sounded like a child excited about the candy they were just given. You go girl!

Dorothy said...

Hi Darla,
I don't know what kind of snake this is but as far as I'm concerned, all snakes are bad news!
Poor little toad frog probably hopped off and died. He must have sprayed the snake to make him turn him loose.

Susie said...

Oh my goodness!! I can't stand snakes either. Even when I see them at a distance they give me the goose bumps up and down my skin.

That poor little frog. I hope he didn't go off and die.

Anne Fannie said...

Hi Darla, I hate snakes. You are braver than me though, I still would not have gone close to that thing even in a car. My husband gets snake calls too. The last time I picked up a rock and there was a snake under the rock, I froze and wet my pants. My husband never seems to forget that...LOL I hope he came home and got the snake because when my husband doesn't find it, I cannot go out unless I know its gone.
~Ann

Shionge said...

Sure looks scary there and you are so cool and composed to capture this ;)

Dorkys Ramos said...

Aaack! I would've been long gone- straight to my bed to hide under the covers for a few days! Thank goodness the frog got away. It would've been sad to just sit there and let nature do it's thing.

Grammy said...

Oh my, that is scary. Nut wonderful shots. He look like a big one.
Sherry is having more than a friends week if you want to try it out the link is on my newest blog. You just need to write a blog on a special friend you want to share.
take care Grammy

Shelley said...

Like you - I am very afraid of snakes! I'm impressed you took these photos! poor frog...

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Darla: The snake is a Garter Snake sometimes referred to as a Gardener Snake. they will not attack you but may feign an attack. It has a slight poison and was paralyzing the toad. It probably swallowed it while you were gone. Here is a link to a post I did with the snake swallowing a toad that you saw in September.
http://thefishingguy.blogspot.com/2008/09/post-with-warning-2.html

flydragon said...

Ewwwwww. The first time I visit your blog you have a snake!! I hate snakes. What great photos though. And I prefer to think the frog got away safe and sound.

Leedra said...

Well, I am going to sound like the kid with candy now. I TOOK A PICTURE OF A BEAR TODAY! Unfortunately, not the greatest picture. I think I will have 2 to post. Maybe I can get them on before I leave on vacation. See my answer to your last comment.

BipolarBunny said...

Well, I could have gone all day without hearing about that. I guess I should have been warned by the title. Curiousity grosses out the cat.

Val said...

Yes, I thought I saw a snake! oooohhh! I hate them. You are so good with that camera. I would not have thought of taking pictures, because I would be running too fast.

Becky said...

Hey Darla, thank you for stopping by my blog today and leaving a comment. Girl, that poor froggy! I was freaking out looking at the pictures (and you know I had to enlarge to get the full view, what was I thinking). Anyhow, I'm glad that mean ole snake didn't get froggy in the end.

marmee said...

wow interesting battle between the beasts in your garden. glad the frog got away but it was giagantic. you weren't too afraid to get some pictures. good for you.

Anonymous said...

Great pictures, when I enlarged them you can really see the details. I don't blame you I wouldn't be going back out there anytime soon. :)

Mamajil said...

Ewww!!! That is scary to me!! I would have run and not taken been able to take a picture!!

A Colorful World said...

Wow, Darla--how interesting! I've never seen a snake stalk anything, much less chow down!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful snake :) I find them all the time in my yard as well, but have never seen one eating a frog or anything else. but I do like them-- natural pest control, ya know? ;) Love your photos!