It’s not the heat…well, it is, it’s the humidity! Ha!
♫♪♫ Summertime, and the living is easy…♫♪♫…If you have an air conditioner should be put in this song somewhere! After Sunday mornings 1 a.m. tornado warnings going off (could they not have warned us at 11?) and the sky filled with enough lightning you could walk around the dark house a few folks still don’t have power and are cleaning up the debris. We got off easy this time. A few sticks along the road, no larger trees down on the road. The road stick cleaning house elf called Pamela will have to wait until Thursday when the cooler temperatures prevail to clean up the mess. I like to know if it’s a branch, or a snake I’m looking at on the road so best to remove the sticks and branches.
Some animals don’t mind the heat…I saw Groot staring out the window very very intently, then he followed something to the next window, I looked out to see our very large Gray Rat Snake slithering, isn’t that a great word, across the lawn. This very large beauty puts in an appearance a few times in the early Summer.
It went towards the rock garden after sniffing down several chipmunk holes…The gray ratsnake is one of about ten species within the American ratsnake genus Pantherophis. Instead of nostrils, snakes smell with a special organ, called the Jacobson’s organ, on the roof of their mouths. Snakes use their tongues to grab chemicals (which smells are made of) from the environment. I wonder what I smell like to her? Ha! Go bathe lady!
It wasn’t sure if I was friend or foe…watching me, before deciding I was mostly harmless and it could move along. We see this large one frequently. Hunting, nesting? Not sure, she/he was here last year same exact day…how weird is that?
“A medium to large serpent, the gray ratsnake typically reaches an adult size of 99–183 cm (3.25–6.00 ft) total length (including tail); however, the record is 213.9 cm (7.02 ft). An agile climber, the gray ratsnake is at home from the ground to the tree tops in many types of hardwood forest and cypress stands, along tree-lined streams and fields, and even around barns and sheds in close proximity to people. Within its range, almost any environment rich in rodents, and vertical escape options, proves a suitable habitat for the gray ratsnake.” Thanks iNaturalist!
“When startled, the gray ratsnake, like other ratsnakes, stops and remains motionless with its body held in a series of wave-like kinks. The snake will also rattle its tail against whatever it is lying on, making an audible buzzing sound; this is intended to fool a potential threat into thinking that they’ve encountered a rattlesnake. The gray ratsnake will defend itself by raising its head and bluffing a strike. If handled, it will musk a victim by releasing the foul-smelling contents of its cloaca, and will bite if necessary.“
I won’t be picking one up…I was peed on this week already, a massive amount of pee, from a very small Painted Turtle I rescued out of the middle of Long Lake Road! Who knew…it had been holding it! Ha!
The gray ratsnake is listed federally in Canada as “endangered” (Carolinean population) and “threatened” (Great Lakes – St. Lawrence population). Habitat destruction and road mortality are leading causes of decline. I pulled two carcasses off the road last week when I was checking on the swan family 🙁
And speaking of swans, still three cygnets as of yesterday! Makes my heart sing! I caught them in the swamp beside the road last week. Such a fabulous sight where I could see over the grass! Had to jump up to see! Ha! Has it ever grown quickly in the last few days! Maybe I’m shrinking, must be the heat;)
I heard the Loon carrying on so headed down to the dock late yesterday, dodging the deer flies. A lone Loon was swimming about, diving, just being beautiful:) Maybe Father Loon taking a break from the kids!
While I was concentrating on the Loon this Osprey made a big splash-He was a bit far away and I had to scramble to focus on him/her, but cool to watch how they carry their fish catches in both talons, to streamline the wind/fish resistance!
I’ll keep an eye out later today, seems to be their favourite time after 5 for fishing, the wind was dying down, perhaps making it easier to see what was below the water’s surface. Then I went back to the Loon. They are so watchful, scanning the sky, checking every little sound and splash out.
I think this is the resident male. Two friends borrowed the canoe for a paddle yeaterday morning (brave heat ladies!). They saw the female with two chicks from a distance, who are already diving! Best protection there is! We’ll see them soon down at this end for sure! If it’s cooler tomorrow or Wednesday I might make an early morning venture out! Not right now…37.5° it says…0_0…I just saw a grackle panting! Time to go sit in front of the fan!
