Eeek!! That might be a young rat snake - or chicken snake, as they call them around here - but I'm no snake expert. I think I remember reading that baby and young snakes have different markings and colorings than their parents - it takes a while for them to get their true adult look.
It's funny, I saw a baby snake the other day, too, which was smaller than yours even - it had markings sort of like a chicken/rat snake, but not exactly.
Sherry

Hi Josh,

The markings sort of resemble an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake:

http://colous.info/images/rsnake.gif

I guess if the juvenile Southern Black Racer looks like that he's probably less likely to get eaten:

http://www.zazzle.com/young_black_racer_poster-228618357588161785

Look both at the markings on the body and especially on the head. It's pretty clear.

Thanks. I think this one is probably a baby Southern Black Racer.
Josh

Josh,

I forgot to mention--a couple of the things I saw said that the baby Southern Black Racers move their tails to make a rattlesnake-like sound. Very cool.

By the way, great picture--you caught it at a perfect moment.

I used to have a rat/corn snake, and he looked like that. I believe that's what it is. Great capture!

It might help to click on the picture, and then click again where it says "all sizes". You'll get a bigger view of the head. Compare the heads to the black racers and the rat snakes. The eyes alone are very clear. So is the rest of the head--shape and markings.

A bunch of pictures:

Black racers:

http://www.snake-trap-repellent.com/gallery/snake037.jpg
http://www.247wildlife.com/photos/snake025.jpg
http://rlv.zcache.com/young_black_racer_print-p228618357588161785vsu7_500.jpg

Rat snakes--here are grey, black and unspecified. The markings on the back are sort of similar, however again the head--in particular the eyes--are very clear:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1347/3175592690_6796dab811.jpg
http://www.agfc.com/!userfiles/int_images/snakes/blackrat_juv_big.jpg
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/usfws/juvratsnake.jpg/medium.jpg