I know, I know, I’m supposed to be on a blogging vacation and I knew as soon as I took my kind, wonderful husband up on that idea that I would instantly lose my writer’s block and find a ton of topics. I vowed to save them for the following week…that is until I saw this video on Twitter of what appears to be a crimson-crested woodpecker (about the size of a pileated woodpecker her in the US) in a battle with some sort of large snake. The video description reads that this is an olive whipsnake, but I do not know my reptile. The video is supposed to be from Peru and whether the id is accurate or not, this is some amazing footage and must be seen:
Also going around on twitter is an incredible photo of a red-tailed hawk in the middle of a cloud of bats. I have no idea who took the photo, but it’s fabulous.
Sharon – I posted your blog link on BirdingPeru bulletin board asking for an opinion and id of the snake.
Larry S
Awesome is the word. Also, I am in love with NBB. His writing style is great. I agree with him re: sparrows and crows. Here in San Francisco the crows are scarce. We have ravens. or a weird mixture of crows and ravens. Big Bird, Big Beak. Not really as big as the Tower of London Ravens, but saucy.
That’s some awesome footage. The woodpecker alone would have been a cool video but the combination is incredible. The only olive whipsnakes I know of are from Australia.
Oh hey so common names fail again. There is an olive whipsnake in Australia that is Demansia olivacea. There’s also an olive whipsnake in South America but it is Chironius fuscus.
wow that was sooo cool. I hate snakes though…wish the woodpecker could have gotten a few more good pecks in.
Oh my gosh! Remind me not to stick my hand in treeholes in Peru. Don’t know if the bird is persistent or stupid, the way it keeps going back for more with the snake.
Great video clip. My little girls watched it with me in stunned amazement. They laughed and laughed when the woodpecker pecked at the snake. It has been fun reading NBB’s posts. My wife can relate.
Pseustes sulphureus or Giant bird eating snake Colubridae- non venomous, probably eating the young of the woodpecker, otherwise the bird would have found a differnt site to excavate. The Guide, Hulbert a very knowlegable naturalist guide works free lance and sometimes guides for Otorongo Expeditions.
I have really enjoyed reading all of the posts on this blog, I am not much of a “blogger” but I think you have found yourself a new loyal reader!
Yikes! I was soooo rooting for that woodpecker
Totally awesome…wicked…thanks for sharing!
I can’t stop watching this video. I was not expecting the snake to be that big. I agree that the woodpecker must have had eggs or chicks in there and it was trying to get the snake to leave. Epic battle.
sfmarty–you have excellent taste.