Nature OT

[Misled]

When you go out to take wildlife or nature shots, you never really know what you'll find. We went to the locks today where we saw the eagles a few weeks back. Didn't see them, but we've noticed alot of snakes of late, and very few rabbits. I guess this explains it.

 

[Recty]

Yum

I used to have a boa constrictor, I wish I had my camera back then, would have made some interesting shots.

 

[Misled]

What made it funny was I saw the snake before he had the rabbit. As I stepped up to the snake to take a pic I heard a noise in the grass. I figured it was another snake. As I stepped back as not to get bit, the rabbit jumped. The snake snatched him out of mid air. Too bad I wasn't that fast.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

That looks like one agonized rabbit!!

 

[IPT]

Timing is everything. What a find! Nice images. What kind of snake is that?

 

[Misled]

Black Rat Snake. There are tons in the area this year. Probably why the Bald Eagles showed up.

 

[Recty]

Do the bald eagles eat snakes? We dont have any snakes native to Alaska so I've never seen that happen.

 

[Misled]

I would imagine. Most large predatory birds here do. Our population of rabbits has really dropped around here. That can be partly because of the birds also. Our animal variety has really been changing over the past few years. It used to be rare to see hawks. Rabbits were everywhere. Now rabbits are rare to see. You can't throw a rock without seeing a hawk of some type. And only rarely saw and large black snakes. I've seen 5 so far this year. Also it's the first time I've seen an eagle here.

 

[Recty]

We have the same cycles with wolves/bears and moose/caribou. The herds of caribou get huge, then the wolf and bear population explode, then the caribou and moose drop, then the wolf and bear population drop.

Right now in Anchorage where I live, there are starting to be a lot of bear encounters. Last year quite a few people were mauled and a lot of people saw bears... I'm not sure how long it takes for the population to start waning again, but I'm guessing at least 5-10 years, so if I stop posting all of the sudden, I'm probably in a bears stomach!

 

[IPT]

Dude, I hope this year is nothing like last year........

 

[Reef Bass]

One night a few months ago we had a brown bear meander across town (ok, city of over 50,000 population) from one side to the other using drainage creeks and culverts. Not really news worthy except that it's pretty hard core suburbia here. The bear eluded sheriffs and wildlife experts with helicopters and hasn't been seen since.

Awesome timing on your presence and the shots there Jesse. The expresson on the rabbit in the first one looks like it's doing some hardcore yoga position without stretching first. Or like it's having the life squeezed out of it.

I'm guessing once the snake was engaged with the rabbit you didn't have to be as stealthy with your presence and photo taking?