I relocate snakes to a natural habitat (pond, lake, swamp) and any frogs that get big enough to eat my birds. I figure thats where they came from anyway.

I agree with Lisa. Relocating is not hurting them and you get to keep a clear conscience about it. I would bet that the snakes did come to the pond for the frogs. A little like yelling 'Open kegger!" at a frat house.

I wanted to check the link I used to use for how to capture snakes without danger to yourself or the snake and laughed when I saw there are now dozens of sites that describe essentially the same thing but darned if I could find the one that had all the nice illustrations that make things much more clear.I know it has been at least 5 years since I last looked at it and the history is two computers lost but the loss isn't major despite the lack of specific information.
Get a large, tall garbage can with a lid and a long handled broom. Remove the lid and lay it close by. Lay the garbage can on its side close to the snake. Using the broom, gently urge the snake toward it and then sweep it inside. Turn the can upright and quickly put the lid on it and secure it. Call Critter Control (The dog catcher) if they accept snakes. Put the can in a shady spot until you can remove it to a preselected location for release. Get permission beforehand if possible. It is not a particularly good idea to put more than one snake in a particular can at the same time.
Snakes can push themselves upward to their full length with very strong muscles so the can should be at least as tall as the snake is long unless you can be quick with the lid. A friend failed to determine this once and wound up with a snake loose in his bedroom that night. He was able to find it only after scattering corn meal over the floor and observing the track of the snake the next morning leading to the pile of his dirty clothing. LOL! His mistake kept me from making the same mistake but I didn't tell him that.
Since there are now so many sites with the same info, I can only assume a lot of snakes have been moved in garbage cans. Releasing them is simple. Loosen the lid and tip the can on its side near a pile of rocks or other hidey hole. If the snake won't come out, use the broom to tip the can upside down and then onto its side again. The snake should come out if only to avoid getting dizzy. Roll the can away from the direction the snake is fleeing so it doesn't mistake the can for a hiding place. Retrieve the lid and leave.
If the snake won't let you get near him with the can leave the can on its side that night with crumpled newspaper inside. He will be inside the next morning. Sandy

Thanks everyone.
I just feel bad forcing anything out of the pond. Maybe I have fewer frogs because of the ones that died over winter?
Do frogs avoid ponds with snakes? It never seemed to bother them before. Maybe all these snakes are related, and the smaller one will move on??
I have saved several frogs from the jaws of the snakes a couple times. I would just put my foot right behind the snakes' head. Catching them might be a different story, since they always jump into the pond. Its amazing how far they can jump from a lying position. My dog scared one last night on one side of the stocktank pond, and it jumped so far, it almost missed the other side of the pond.
I might have to try the garbage-can-on-its-side trick.
Seems like the snakes wouldn't hang around too long if there wasn't much to eat.........although there's probably mice.
I'm trying to view the snakes as I do everything else attracted to the water. I don't want so many of them that nothing else likes to come. I think I'll watch it for awhile, and see where it leads.
Maybe since the frogs died over winter, it might just take awhile for other frogs to show up.
I just don't want my watergardens to end up looking like that scene in the cave with all the snakes in "Indiana Jones". haha

Catherine, don't feel bad! Snakes will eat every last frog you've got so move the snakes... especially since frog populations are in such terrible decline. SNakes have far more adaptability than froggies, so you're doing the right thing. Personally, I wouldn't leave one snake behind. If it's a female you could got from 1 or 2 snakes to 30 snakes in the blink of an eye.

Most people have more frogs and more snakes than the ones they see. Nature keeps a good balance. The snakes will not eliminate your frog population or their food supply but they will eat individual frogs. The mini-ecosystem will survive intact with the snakes and will be fine if you move the snakes (if you move them, other snakes will eventually move in to fill the void but probably not right away).

Frogs will actually also eat baby snakes too, so the predator-prey relationship between water snakes and frogs has an interesting twist to it.

There is nothing wrong with moving the snakes or anything wrong with leaving them.

I went out today, and they were all sunbathing together. Looks like 4 of them today. I wonder if a couple are babies, and they will move away?
I've decided to leave them for now and trust nature to do its thing. We'll see how that goes.
Like you said Wayne, things will probably balance out. I guess I'm expecting something out of balance by wanting all frogs and no snakes!
I just wish the snakes sang the neat songs that frogs do!
Anyhow......I'm on hold for now, letting nature guide me.