This morning we return to the topic of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) with Essex, NY’s favorite wildway scout. John Davis, wildlife advocate, writer, naturalist, conservationist and athletic adventurer, has an uncanny knack for spotting wild critters in the West Champlain Hills. Here are just a few recent examples of local wildlife he’s documented:

• skinks
• snakes
• songbirds
• coyotes and coywolves
• bobcats
• weasels
• snapping turtles
• beavers

He frequently laments and documents roadkill along Lakeshore Road, a thoroughfare with abundant wildlife because of its proximity to the Split Rock Wildway. During a bike ride yesterday John fortunately intercepted this healthy rattlesnake while she was traversing the road. He dismounted his bicycle and hastened the snake to safety while keeping an eye out for approaching automobiles.

This Timber Rattlesnake and I were lucky to meet on Lakeshore Rd before a car could hit her; I escorted her to woods.” ~ John Davis, 16 June 2016 (Source: @Wildwaystrekker)

I asked John how big the rattlesnake crossing Lakeshore Road appeared to be, and he estimated “about 3 feet long and an inch and a half thick”. Here’s a final glimpse of the snake vanishing into the undergrowth. Safe!

Thank you, John. And thanks to everyone else who is attentive and responsible enough to slow down when they see wildlife in the road. If you decide to assist a rattlesnake, snapping turtle, or another potentially dangerous wild neighbor out of harm’s way, remember to balance prudence with empathy. Offer assistance if necessary, but don’t taunt or inadvertently threaten the critter. And don’t expose yourself to unnecessary risk. Good luck!