Incredible photo shows a weasel ’riding’ a woodpecker

Incredible photo shows a weasel ’riding’ a woodpecker

Mangalore Today News Network

London, Mar 06, 2015: On Monday, birder Jason Ward tweeted out this crazy photo by east London hobby photographer Martin Le-May of a weasel "hitching a ride" on what appears to be a European green woodpecker, and the bird doesn’t look too happy about it:

 

If you’ve heard of the term fight or flight, this is a rare case of fight and flight.

The weasel wasn’t really riding the bird but trying to eat it.

Weasels are notorious nest robbers. And it looks as if Le-May got the perfect shot following a confrontation between a weasel and the woodpecker. Here’s another photo that Le-May took:

 

 

Le-May was walking in the Hornchurch Country Park in east London with his wife when they heard an animal in distress.

"The bird flew across us and slightly in our direction; suddenly it was obvious it had a small mammal on its back and this was a struggle for life," Le-May told Business Insider in a statement submitted through e-mail.

 

That was when Le-May snapped the picture. Eventually the bird landed back on the ground and started struggling with the weasel.

The weasel became temporarily distracted by Le-May and his wife, which gave the bird the chance to escape.

"The woodpecker left with its life," Le-May said. "The weasel just disappeared into the long grass, hungry.?



(Courtesy of Martin Le-May)