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Unlikely pairing: the two animals in Hornchurch Country Park (Picture: Martin Le-May)
Encounter: the pair wrestle on the ground (Picture: Martin Le-May)"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.
Park walk: Martin Le-May spotted the animals with his wife Ann (Picture: Martin Le-May)"The woodpecker seized the opportunity and flew up and away into some bushes away to our left.
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But the small mammal was not trying to hitch a lift - it was trying to kill the bird to eat it.
Martin Le-May was out walking with his wife in Hornchurch Country Park in Essex yesterday hoping to spot a green woodpecker.
He saw one stumbling around in the undergrowth and quickly switched from his binoculars to his camera to catch the action.
He said he noticed the bird after hearing it cry out in distress.
Unlikely pairing: the two animals in Hornchurch Country Park (Picture: Martin Le-May)
Mr Le-May told the Standard: "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.
"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 and white colour
interspersed with the flash of red head feathers.
Encounter: the pair wrestle on the ground (Picture: Martin Le-May)"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.
He continued: "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.
Park walk: Martin Le-May spotted the animals with his wife Ann (Picture: Martin Le-May)"The woodpecker seized the opportunity and flew up and away into some bushes away to our left.
"Quickly the bird gathered its self-respect and flew up into the trees and away from our sight.
"The woodpecker left with its life, the weasel just disappeared into the long grass, hungry."
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