Unwelcome visitor at my front door

[super70s]

http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html

Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.

The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.

At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.

I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf).

[Wilson]

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because that
could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular head.

[super70s]

Post by Wilson

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because that
could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

[jmcquown]

Post by super70s

Post by Wilson

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because that
could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

Don't be surprised if it hasn't found a nice cool place to nest under or
near those brick steps. Sometimes they do have to come out and sun
themselves to get warm and those bricks provide both.

Jill

[super70s]

Post by jmcquown

Post by super70s

Post by Wilson

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because
that could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular
head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

Don't be surprised if it hasn't found a nice cool place to nest under or
near those brick steps. Sometimes they do have to come out and sun
themselves to get warm and those bricks provide both.
Jill

I often see small lizards hanging out on those steps in the summer, I
don't know if snakes will eat lizards, kind of like cannibalism? lol

A couple of weeks ago I opened my back door which is level to the ground
and what looked like a baby version of this same snake had made it's way
past the rubber guard of the storm door and into the space where the
main door is. I took a broom and escorted him into the woods. I'd freak
if I opened the back door and saw one the size of the one that was on
the porch, lol.

[Wilson]

Post by super70s

Post by jmcquown

Post by super70s

Post by Wilson

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because
that could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular
head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

Don't be surprised if it hasn't found a nice cool place to nest under or
near those brick steps. Sometimes they do have to come out and sun
themselves to get warm and those bricks provide both.
Jill

I often see small lizards hanging out on those steps in the summer, I
don't know if snakes will eat lizards, kind of like cannibalism? lol

They're both reptiles, but we, and many things we eat, are mammals. So maybe
not quite cannibalism. ;)

Post by super70s
A couple of weeks ago I opened my back door which is level to the ground
and what looked like a baby version of this same snake had made it's way
past the rubber guard of the storm door and into the space where the
main door is. I took a broom and escorted him into the woods. I'd freak
if I opened the back door and saw one the size of the one that was on
the porch, lol.

[Leon Fisk]

On Mon, 17 May 2021 18:20:14 -0500

Post by super70s
[...]

Post by Wilson
A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because that
could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

Some info on your local snakes here:

http://tennsnakes.org

I'm happy to see snakes around the place. They mostly eat stuff that
causes me woe...

[super70s]

Post by Leon Fisk
On Mon, 17 May 2021 18:20:14 -0500

Post by super70s
[...]

Post by Wilson
A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn snake.
Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are because
that could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a triangular head.

Thanks, I didn't think it was poisonous. I'm in Tennessee, at the foot
of a mountain.

http://tennsnakes.org
I'm happy to see snakes around the place. They mostly eat stuff that
causes me woe...

Thanks for that, my snake could be the "North American Racer" since it
was totally gray (some of the same snake species are totally dark and in
other pictures have patterns -- must be a male/female thing).

Says it's a very common snake and a "good climber and our fastest snake
known to reach speeds of 5-7 mph."

Reminds me of that old Doobie Brothers tune, "Snake man's on my trail,
and I only stepped outside to pick up all the US mail."

You were right about all the beneficial aspects of snakes, they list
several at the bottom of the main page.

[jmcquown]

Post by Wilson

Post by super70s
http://web.blomand.net/~dennmac/snake.html
Anybody have a guess what kind of snake this is? Solid dark grey in
color. Picture isn't too clear since I took it from behind the glass
storm door.
The last place on my property I expected to encounter a snake since he
had to climb 6 rows of brick stairs to get to the top of the porch, or
maybe shimmy up a gutter.
At least it isn't a copperhead which I've come across a few times in
past years.
I finally scared him away with a leaf blower (the wind did the job since
of course snakes are deaf

A little hard to tell in the picture, but I'm going with Rat or Corn
snake. Not poisonous and probably beneficial. Don't know where you are
because that could make a lot of difference, but most vipers have a
triangular head.

It is hard to tell from the photo but I agree it looks like what you're
describing, Wilson. Rat, corn or what I just call a common black snake
here in Southern SC. They aren't venomous. They can get quite long and
of course they can climb steps. They can even climb trees.

Example: Bringing this back to birds, some years ago there was a mated
pair of cardinals nesting in the pyracantha "tree" growing next to my
garage. I could see the tree through the large dining room picture window.

One day I heard a huge commotion. Looked out and the cardinals were
going crazy, diving at something. There was a black snake/corn/rat
snake climbing up the pyracatha to where they had a newborn in the nest.

Those birds managed to scare it off the first time. But the snake was
persistent. It came back. This time nothing they could do would stop
it. I witnessed the snake come back down with the baby, head first in
it's mouth, no doubt neck snapped and already dead. The snake went
underneath the cement foundation of my house. It was quite distressing
to see. But that's nature.

The parents were extremely distraught. The poor birds kept pip-pipping,
calling to each other, flying a short distance away, coming back to the
next. After about three hours they abandoned the nest.

All this to say, of course snakes can climb. :) It will likely be
nesting somewhere near those brick steps, too. Cool and dark.

Jill