Snakes at Work

The week before last seemed like snake week at work.  The coolest sight was without a doubt seeing a Northern Water Snake eat a catfish!

Below is a phone pic of the Northern Water Snake eating the catfish.  I was patrolling a trail along the river and I heard a splash and looked down and saw the snake coming ashore with the catfish in its mouth.  I watched it as it turned the fish around to properly eat it before it took it under the bank and out of sight.

The dark shiny part in the middle of the pic is the catfish.  The lighter color at the head of the fish is the snakes mouth stretching open!!  It was uber cool!

Labeled for those that need help.

I also saw the below Copperhead on the road to the quarry.  I took the picture because of a funny story that happened earlier.  When Andrea was about 38 weeks pregnant we were taking a lot of walks to get labor going, and we would walk the area where this picture was taken.  One day we were walking with Doc and I looked down just in time to see Doc step on a Copperhead!  When Doc stepped on the snake Andrea was about 18" from it!  I jerked Andrea's hand to pull her towards me and she instantly knew why I was pulling her.  Andrea jumped a mile high and started hyperventilating.  Amazingly, the snake did not move except to pick up its head and Doc never saw the snake!!!  It was very comical after the fact.

Copperhead.

Copperhead on the road for perspective.