![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbc1jFQ9Lab6pe12uh3RS1K1eb6Ii67r5tbkwYDyUj44Whvvx9zmTQK_BWp0-hX9W4W9vGxP0eiVb-ajrRyUshnYSlGDElcQLM671GZt4XAtk5s3_7RC8UXumZ5dhaqOVGRfk8f9rL6CE/s400/21.jpg)
First there was a squeak and then a female White-footed Mouse ran by with one of her babies in tow. She paid no attention to me as she ran on into the tall grass. I could see movement in the leaves ahead and had a pretty good idea of what had caused her to run. I found a Black Rat Snake cleaning out a nest of young mice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rridD1hbKhoIBJ_Yjijf2sQE9ZXWuqERX4nl00d_W-Fe1OulKu26T93uGNm6L_CcDJTdBIOPCZnzkTuvmRt5K_RT9_bTLPLfgZBS5qSVuJRp-EgIZhBqt5Ag_sVcp5pjAeAgqycz1FQ/s400/22.jpg)
The snake took an interest in me as I crouched beside it. It kept reaching its head towards me as though it detected mammal behind the camera. Maybe this is the snake version of a feeding frenzy.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxdSfiVh_Jd5ulq_TaTgri-VUQVYJ6wAolAJChZz_5cdlQ5JJL-iHSM2WrPzzrdUGUhibBdG4KrHWNhqSCcQrznAXZnrZhljrwdNlZ9-2cN2urTOlUSP1U7NKDpc9UHjvAgzOc8fjcuo/s400/23.JPG)
After a while, the snake went back to its mice. Its interest in me caused it to momentarily lose track of its food cache.
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It took just a moment to rediscover the underground nest and the last of the mice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2AsV9hyphenhyphenV_kyT6uzmk6IwBXke6WiJCzOpu8NuNxKkX6fvJWvgvS2s6IYPONaSqgq8JyR0Cn9rDWV6158SYOA7tdsMP5l6rsYHdJYbajOgnykMdSh9tQm9PDooQuuZDBz4GO_WvS5O8ZM/s400/25.jpg)
There was no thrashing or constricting in the capture of these nestlings. Just a quick grab and swallow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJU6K9SCCca0gcuhzGa8Ja_Wj_0cNJJ0yeWkcgi4LcUvPMrN-vvEAgJZKNvh3brFIeBwkZODbDrb9WJcXVqu4J3hVxHXjFtaQaT_9iBlq4-ebO27G6fPgXe_nePX9InCMLiiTUZF_DnQ/s400/26.jpg)
I was taking shots as quickly as my camera would reset. The snake was wasting no time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wPep6i4pQ2yStBk5hpTVP8CAcRUNrw5hEvRKaxQqQO8wulzHPGBW-ATkCgi-Wjp6BtOpu5bsVb4f6_Bc_3VeRhCwKXXi_eGxyp9lRyrd7Sd8jbaYsdx8FkqMxuQBJpzoW3wc0HqpMXg/s400/27.jpg)
A slight swelling of the neck as the mouse slides down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv77hZ5LyTU6Y9wYO08eQilIz6sm5aHRbIfR-uyyBTVobZtXKORHdDb-i8oHHtApL0Llak8o5sTLOY5r2DkML2cg4pny9cNVozjEwiVSMpXirB597aHfQpi8OXKxTIUHWwxV3qPEne1Y8/s400/28.jpg)
A quick glimpse of the tail and the meal’s over.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYCcL1RwA-xV4mOm6RNf-Ac_4RnPxgeTO7oSEbNeL-0IVuJt5-WyaKdGgDVhELi2ReArT7vrNq85BFqyI4ZVYrtgM0sC6FG96r_rwbag1uCNv4MtH69-82lpSU9M1UVMLPPegfhjy9Kk/s400/29.jpg)
The snake spent a couple of minutes checking for additional mice in the area around the nest site. I know the snake ate at least four young mice.
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