Of timber rattlers & snakes

For several years in a row, it was our good fortune to witness a daily display of snake power. A timber rattler was living in one of the piles of lumber next to the driveway. Every morning, he would slither up from the pile and sun himself on the metal roofing covering the wood. When it got too hot, he'd slide back into the shade of the 2 X 6 lumber. And when it rained, he'd uncoil and lift his head to the water, as if taking a satisfying shower. Then, one day, he did not reappear.

Up until the summer of 2008, snakes could be seen in some abundance in these parts: Rattlers, black snakes, copperheads and very occasionally, king snakes. Sometimes, they'd be too close to the house and we moved them into the woods. More recently, for reasons unknown, there seem to be fewer snakes to be found in the wilds.

Could it be that the Broadwing of the Badlands has eaten them all?