I was so intent on determining what was in the beak of the loggerhead shrike that just missed my windshield that I almost ran over the three-plus foot Western diamondback, Crotalus atrox.



I was rolling south out of Marfa, Tex., at a pretty good clip when the shrike decided to defy death and swooped through at hood ornament level.

As I braked, I noted the bird had a tiny snake, slender about 9 inches long, in its beak. I went down the road a bit, U-turned, returned, and U-turned again. The shrike had perched on a barbed wire fence and was still holding the limp snake. I slowed and still carrying the snake the shrike departed. So much for a possible identification.

After checking the mirrors (no cars in sight), I glanced into the "shrike field" again and started pulling out. Something on the ground just in front of the car moved, and I slammed on the brakes.

I got out to the agitated cadence from a telltale rattle. My front left tire was about a half an inch away from a stretched out 3-and-a-half foot Western diamondback. He had crawled out of the grasses while I was meditating unsuccessfully on the shrike-prey.

I watched for a moment and the snake started forward again. Since it seemed evident that it intended to cross the four-lane, sometimes busy, roadway I hooked the snake into a bucket, covered the bucket, carried the snake across the road, and turned it loose.

I wished it bon voyage and it wasted no time disappearing into the roadside vegetation.

More photos under the jump...