Snake versus Duck

Heard a terrible duck-ish racket and Jen and I went out to investigate. When we saw them splashing around, we figured mama duck (buff and white runner pictured) was just enjoying herself splashing in the water. She spends most of her time on the nest, so she likes to go crazy when she takes a break. Running around beating up the other ducks, splashing in the water and quacking up a storm.
Luckily we thought to check the nest too. There was a snake trying to suck down her eggs. I figure that must have been what chased her off initially, I'm kind of surprised she didn't try to fight him off. Anyway we scared him away and all eggs are still there. He was VERY persistant. I pushed him off the nest over and over, but he kept sneaking around the artichoke plant and coming back to it. Finally we took the hose to him, and he raced off for a gopher hole. Now that's where I want the gopher snakes going.

Now that he knows where the nest is, he's very likely going to come back. I think I'll have to set up another snake tank- Just in case he's too persistant, he may end up spending his spring in the library eating frozen thawed mice like my king snake does, and released when the babies are too big for him to mess with.

Photos of the snake in the nest and the ducks splashing in the water to follow..

(And check out part 2 of this exciting tale here- http://allthumbsgreen.blogspot.com/2012/05/steal-my-eggs-go-to-prison.html )