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Mortal Combat: Snake vs. Hawk
AnimalPlanet ^ | 01/12/2012 | David Mizejewski

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 ...


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: hawk; snake
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To: Jemian
Thanks for the pix Jemian .... a beautiful snake. What a traumatic ordeal for him. Ya done good to set him free.

Guess you can be grateful it wasn't a buck.


21 posted on 06/09/2012 6:08:43 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: contrarian

The *squack* a pileated woodpecker can make is unnerving when you’re alone in the woods...can be very eerie.

Hummies are the best. We always a a pair that have so much personality. Generally when they are comfortable in their territory they can get very close, like in your encounter, and *chirp* to talk to you.


22 posted on 06/09/2012 6:12:35 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: Jemian

Question. A snake and a bird get caught up in a fight for survival. It gets broken up by a human who gives each one the ability to fight another day.

Why? Isn’t this the order of things? This was supposed to happen and sometimes the prey wins.

I am not trying to be facetious here, but the bird bit off more than it could chew. It wasn’t as if they got stuck in an apartment building or something that wasn’t natural for either of them. It was nature and it must take its course.

Or am I making a big deal about nothing? And if I am, it’s George Bush’s fault.


23 posted on 06/09/2012 6:18:56 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (ABO 2012)
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To: Daffynition

That deer would be on his own or perhaps steak.


24 posted on 06/09/2012 6:22:46 AM PDT by Jemian
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To: EQAndyBuzz

It is the natural order of things, but can I remind you that we, human beings, are part of nature? Yes, hawks eat snakes, snakes fight back and we also interfere. It isn’t a big deal in the larger scheme of things.


25 posted on 06/09/2012 6:25:39 AM PDT by Jemian
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To: Daffynition

Snakes are just the latest red-tailed hawk fashion statement.


26 posted on 06/09/2012 6:33:49 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: Daffynition

Snakes are just the latest red-tailed hawk fashion statement.


27 posted on 06/09/2012 6:34:03 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: Jemian

This is how we wound up with planet of the apes. If my great great great grandchildren are enslaved by a colony of birds, I will find a way to come back for you.

Other than that, pictures are great.


28 posted on 06/09/2012 6:35:24 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (ABO 2012)
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To: Daffynition

It’s been a snake-ey sort of a year:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2893081/posts?page=9#9


29 posted on 06/09/2012 6:42:04 AM PDT by MissMagnolia (Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't. (M.Thatcher))
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To: contrarian

My dad had property in the mountains that he used for hunting. It was posted ‘no trespassing’. His favorite stand was at the edge of a creek overlooking a little meadow and in that meadow was a nut tree (can’t remember what kind). Anyway, he was hunting in his stand one Saturday and into the meadow comes this group of ladies with buckets, just jabbering away (by-bye deer). One of the topics of discussion was “the mean old man who owns this place”. Dad let them gather their nuts and when the buckets were about full, he climbed down out of his tree stand and strolled over to them and said “I’m the ‘mean old man’ who owns this place!” He then told them they were welcome to come gather nuts, but please don’t do it on days when he was going to be in his tree stand hunting. They were looking very chagrined since they realized he had heard every word of what they were saying & they promptly beat cheeks off the property. He never saw them again.


30 posted on 06/09/2012 6:56:27 AM PDT by MissMagnolia (Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't. (M.Thatcher))
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To: Daffynition

daffy, I never saw a lab look embarassed before...poor baby..LOL


31 posted on 06/09/2012 7:28:49 AM PDT by goat granny
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To: EQAndyBuzz

LOL! It’s a deal.

FWIW, my motivation in freeing the snake was so it will continue eating the chipmunks and baby rabbits in my yard which HAVE EATEN MY DAISIES.


32 posted on 06/09/2012 8:07:26 AM PDT by Jemian
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To: Daffynition
We walked out our front door one evening and saw a Texas rat snake beneath a fir tree right next to our front door. Looked like an old bicycle tire. It scared the bejeebers out of my wife. I got a hoe and put it four or five inches from the snake's body and rotated the handle of the hoe quickly back and forth. The snake cautiously stuck its head around the tree and promptly struck at the hoe. Rat snakes aren't venomous, but they can be aggressive.

I moved the hoe closer to the snake, and the snake took off through our bushes. It was about five feet long although it didn't look that long when under the tree.

When I looked 15 minutes later it was back under the same tree. I faintly touched the snake with the hoe and the snake took off in the opposite direction than before. I wouldn't hurt it because I know it helps rid us of small rodents, but I would try to keep it away from our front door.

We haven't seen the snake since. We did see a baby rabbit that could easily fit in your palm in our front bushes the next morning and an adult rabbit sitting under the tree where the snake had been,

Here's the snake as we first saw it. The head and some of the snake was behind the tree.


33 posted on 06/09/2012 8:11:48 AM PDT by rustbucket
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To: rustbucket

Well *that* guy will get your attention! Thanks for the pix. Quite impressive.


34 posted on 06/09/2012 8:29:55 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: Lakeshark; Darksheare

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-hawwwwwwwwwwww!!!


35 posted on 06/09/2012 8:56:06 AM PDT by Borax Queen
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To: goat granny

*The best laid plans of Labs and snakes....*

You *know* he’s thinkin’ *WHAT-DO-I-DO-NOW-MOM?*

Vice-grip in his jaws...not letting go of his *prize*. Pride B4 the fall. :)


36 posted on 06/09/2012 8:59:23 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: Borax Queen; Lakeshark

*Yawns, blinks eyes*

Now what did I wake up to.. OH DEAR MERCIFUL ZOMBIE INVASION!


37 posted on 06/09/2012 10:51:07 AM PDT by Darksheare (You will never defeat Bok Choy!)
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To: Darksheare; Borax Queen
It looks like you could have used one of these:

Call her Ava and she'll handle those pesky snakeses.......

38 posted on 06/10/2012 5:50:24 AM PDT by Lakeshark (I don't care for Mitt, the alternative is unthinkable)
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To: contrarian

One year we had a family of red-tailed hawks nest in the pine tree next to my house. It was glorious. The hawks served as an invisible force-field over the garden. That year was the first year we were able to pull a harvest out of our garden unrobbed by squirrels and birds.


39 posted on 06/10/2012 6:20:11 AM PDT by No Truce With Kings (Ten years on FreeRepublic and counting.)
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To: Lakeshark; Darksheare

FOTFLOL!!

I’m so calling PETA this time for real. :0)
And, Al Gore, even though he’s a proven hoax-ster.


40 posted on 06/10/2012 8:59:31 AM PDT by Borax Queen
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