black rat snake
 

So after dinner last night I decided to take a walk at the abandoned golf course near my house. The course has been closed for more than 20 years but the city maintains parts of it for walking trails. Not more than 15 feet from a golf cart path I spot what looked like a black irrigation hose. As I got closer I see it is a large black rat snake! Just what I was hoping to find! As I got very close the snake never tried to move away-he just watched me. I estimate his length at close to 6 feet. (My corn is just a couple inches shy of 5 feet but this guy looked about a foot longer.) I admired him for a long time. This is the first black rat this size I've seen around here. I'll be going back to the golf course more often.

then after the black rat, I find a box turtle along the same path. good day for reptile watching!

Very cool finds!

Are you sure that wasn't a tortoise, btw?

Cool nevertheless!

Thanx for sharing!!!!

Lucky!! These are great finds!

What a nice place to have nearby! Thank you for sharing.

Handsome guy. Thanks for sharing.

Great pics! I'm not sure we have black rat snakes around here. I live in southern Delaware and we for sure have 'Black Snakes'! They are very black and have a mean temperament. They are just not happy snakes. Probably the same breed but a different mind set! :) And the turtle looks like an Eastern Box Turtle. Very pretty!

Awesome! :)

You may be talking about the black racer. I believe they have a meaner temperament than the black rat snake. I believe the turtle is an Eastern box turtle. First one I've seen in a while around here although I'm sure they are common.