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Weasel Photographed Riding On A Woodpecker's Back

The bizarre sight of a weasel clinging on to a woodpecker’s feathers as it flew over an East London park has been captured by an amateur photographer.

An Amateur photographer from Essex, Martin Le-May, from Essex, has recorded the extraordinary image of a weasel riding on the back of a green woodpecker as it flies through the air.

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In an Interview with Mr Le-May, this is what he said

"It was a sunny afternoon, with the occasional cloud making the Hornchurch Country Park seem that grey-brown, dull winter colour even though it was the 2 March.

“My wife, Ann, and I had gone for a walk. I had hoped that she might see a green woodpecker as she has not really seen one before.

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“As we walked we heard a distressed squawking and I saw that flash of green.

“So, hurriedly, I pointed out to Ann the bird and it settled into the grass behind a couple of small silver birch trees.

“Both of us trained our binoculars and it occurred that the woodpecker was unnaturally hopping about like it was treading on a hot surface.

“ Lots of wing flapping showing that gloriously yellow/white colour interspersed with the flash of red head feathers. Just after I switched from my binoculars to my camera 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.

"The woodpecker landed in front of us and I feared the worst. I guess though our presence, maybe 25 metres away, momentarily distracted the weasel. The woodpecker seized the opportunity and flew up and away into some bushes away to our left.

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“Quickly the bird gathered its self respect and flew up into the trees and away from our sight.

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