"Night Crawlers" and more...

As we were leaving St Marks one evening we had to stop several times to avoid snakes that were resting on the road. When we approached the first two snakes they obliged us and wriggled away ino the woods. However, the third and biggest snake refused to budge! Mary dared me to get out and take a photograph....it was a beautiful but large Florida Water Snake. These snakes feed on fish and amphibians and are non-venomous; when disturbed, they flatten their bodies and their heads appear triangular like members of the viper family such as the Eastern Diamondback Rattler. After two photos my water snake suddenly reared up and backed into the roadside vegetation. Continuing down the lighthouse road, we also saw 3 Great Horned Owls, one of which had a snake for supper...thus the circle of life goes on.
Our evening trip to the refuge was filled with many other exciting encounters. Black Skimmers, Roseate Spoonbills, Common Nighthawk, Black-crowned Night Heron, American White Pelicans and Black-necked Stilts all obliged and gave us great looks.

Susan