Those look like azaleas. With a maple seedling growing in it :-)

I've always said to wait a year before removing plants in an established yard. Sometimes bulbs come up or trees bloom in the spring then look like just normal stuff until the next bloom season. You really can't tell what color the azaleas are so wait and see. They look healthy and require little or no maintenance, hardly get diseases or bugs, that's why so many Southerners have them.

Do pull/dig out tree seedlings, they are never where you want them to be.

And get a cat, it'll take care of any snakes though unless there are lots of rodents in the natural area you won't have any. 95% of our snakes are not poisonous. If you aren't sure how to identify them, the News & Observer newspaper sells a really nice full size laminated poster with those native to our area. I posted one in my shed since the woods are where I see them (maybe 5 in 15 years, 2 of which the cats brought in and one I ran over with the tractor).