As others have stated these pics have been circulating for some time. I have been seen at 5 versions of this email in the last couple of months. The senders were certain that it was a Red-Tail Hawk, an unknown hawk, an accipiter, and an unidentified falcon. Various versions also indicate the pics were taken on the Snake River in Oregon, the Travis River in Texas, an unidentified location in Texas, and an unidentified river in Missouri.

As for the snake it could be a gopher snake if the picture is from the west. Gopher snakes are highly variable in both color and pattern. For example check out gopher snake pics at:
http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/p.c.catenifer.html

and keep in mind all the pics at the California herps site are all the same subspecies and there between 6 and 10 subspecies recognized for gopher snakes, depending which published taxonomy one uses. However, I suspect that the that it is a rat snake as Dennis suggested.

If the picture is indeed from the Travis River near Austin then it is several hundred miles east of the known range for Gopher Snake and Rat Snake is the only candidate I am aware of that would be expected in that part of Texas (although I am definitely and expert on reptiles of TX). I would also point out the original email that was forwarded to me at work in November was allegedly from the actual photographer who claims it was on the Travis River at Austin, TX. He included such additional details as neither the hawk nor snake tried to bite him as he separated them. Also the snake was bleeding but dot appear to be seriously injured (definitely supported the inexperienced bird theory) The pics were sent to a biologist at a wildlife refuge near Austin and form there it got to circulating around the US FWS where I saw it about a week after the date stamp on the pictures. So my guess is juvenile Broad-winged Hawk and rat snake.

Hope this helps solve the mystery.

Mike Munts
Colville

From: Bud Anderson
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 2:27 PM
To: tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] Hawk/Snake...my mistake?

Hi again,

After reading Dennis's post, I may have to stand corrected but I had been originally told this picture was taken in Oregon last summer, presumably out of the range for breeding Broad-wings.

As Dennis points out however, the bird does look small. My apologies if in error.

Can anyone confirm the location please?

--
Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA 98232
(360) 757-1911
falconresearch at gmail.com



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