Posted on 06/09/2012 2:20:59 AM PDT by Daffynition
I just recevied an email with some stunning photos depicting the daily struggle of life in the animal world. I share them here because while this kind of thing must happen millions of times every day across the globe, rarely do we ever get to see it up close. To me, that makes this an odd thing to see. The outcome is also pretty amazing considering the circumstances.
I don't know the origin of the photos, or the veracity of the story, but the photos don't lie and are pretty stunning. Here's the tale included in the email I received:
"This has to be the weirdest thing that ever floated by me on the Snake River. They were stuck together in death lock, each wanting to kill the other first. My guess is that the falcon snatched up the tasty snake, and it somehow got its tail around the falcon's neck, strangling it in midair causing both of them to crash into the river. They are both alive and well, considering. I think a few more minutes and the snake would have won. The tail was actually tied in a knot around the neck, and getting tighter by the second. I got the snake untied, and well, as you can see, they both made it.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.discovery.com ...
While I believe this story to be true, it seems, as most emails of this type, that it has some misinformation.
The *snake* is a Texas Fox Snake or a Texas Ratsnake which are found: near the Comal River (TX).
And the bird is not a *falcon* but a young Red-tailed Hawk.
Still very cool.
Hawk better go find new dinner. Poor thing was probably hungry.
Ah he’s a young hawk, well, he will get more skill at hunting. Looks like he’s been throught the wringer all wet. lol
*through
Red tail or broad tail? I dunno...impossible as a juvie to tell and all wet!
I’m glad they both were saved.
That cat is a bad*ss, and he knows it.
All these snake threads lately....I blame Shari and Alice. :)
“Seriously, don’t tread on me”
:)
It’s a known fact that *everything* is my fault.
:)
Big {{{{HUGS}}}}
I *almost* posted a thread, complete with pictures of a rat snake my husband, daugher and I freed from our bird netting. Somehow, the snake got caught in it and in his attempts to free himself (all snakes are he, btw) got himself wrapped quite tightly. He had rubbed some of his skin off in one place. We’re not sure if he’ll survive his injury, but at least he’s out of our blueberry bushes and netting.
2 years ago I was sitting 20 feet up in an oak tree while bow hunting for deer. A large red tailed hawk landed in a tree beside me with the still alive snake in his claw. HE/she gave me the evil eye as he/she casually would lean over and take a bite out of the snake.. That same year I was again hunting when a grey squirrel spotted me sitting up in his tree. HE sat on a tree limb barking away for about 5 minutes when suddenly a large red-tail swooped down and grabbed the squirrel by the shoulders and carried him down through the woods. My first thought was “bark now blast you”.
I usually blame ny cats. They don’t care as long as the meal service is on time.
I have had several tree top adventures with critters.. Most exciting was playing peep-eye with a pileated woodpecker who sat just above my head ( altitude 20 feet again) hanging upside down with its beak 6 inches from my nose. HE investigated me for about 10 minutes. My camoflage face net must have confused him. All I could think of was that if he could peck a hole in a tree, my head would not be a challenge. Another “investigation” a ruby hummingbird would hover inches from my nose and look at me, then “chirp”. I had never heard one do this before. Wouldn’t take anything for my tree stand adventures, including the 3 “mountain women” complete with flour sack dresses, brogan shoes, and .22 rifles that stopped under my stand to ummmmmmm take a rest break not knowing I was above them. Being the gentleman that I am,,, I closed my eyes... also changed locations after they were gone : )
Baaad snake.
The snake had wrapped around a small stump that I had left when cleaning weeds and vines.
We used scissors and a craft knife to cut the netting away
He was about 3 feet long when we had him stretched out.
When he was free, he immediately went to ground in a hole hidden in the roots of one of the bushes. Since that hole is in the middle of where we placed the netting, we next put a heavy rock over it to force the snake to use an alternative entrance. It may not live with the damage done.
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