I've learned over the years that my best plans can often go out the window, but that sometimes another opportunity will fall into its' place. On this day, I headed out looking for wading birds in Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia. In the past, I have found this time of year to be perfect for the nesting herons and egrets. However, this year the nesting has not started, and I found the refuge empty. Disappointed by the lack of birds, I decided to hike a couple of the walking trails and see what I might discover. Much to my surprise, I found myself face to face with this Rat Snake. For some unknown reason, the snake was very agressive, and actually decide to charge at me on several occassions. When he finally gave up on the attack strategy, he decided to climb the nearest tree, which gave me a wonderful photographic opportunity. The lesson here is to simply keep your eyes open and jump on every opportunity that presents itself. The unexpected can often be the most interesting subject.
