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Here's the photo explained by the photographer.
This image of a weasel hitching a ride on a green woodpecker is not Photoshopped, the photographer explained to us.
Obviously, it’s not like the weasel has actually stuck his thumb out and asked for a lift – he’s trying to kill the bird.
Martin LeMay told Metro, ‘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 2nd 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.
‘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. 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.’
LeMay said, ‘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. Quickly the bird gathered its self respect and flew up into the trees and away from our sight.’
May I remind everyone how to tell the difference between a weasel and a stoat?
A weasel is weasily wecognised whilst a stoat is stoatally different!
A weasel is weasily wecognised whilst a stoat is stoatally different!
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
May I remind everyone how to tell the difference between a weasel and a stoat?
A weasel is weasily wecognised whilst a stoat is stoatally different!
A weasel is weasily wecognised whilst a stoat is stoatally different!
In all honesty I can't imagine I'll see a better picture this year.
What happens if I don't want to see a woodpecker with a weasel on its back?
Originally Posted by Cinds:
Yep, got this on my Twitter timeline too, Cinds. Incredible!
I've got a resident woodpecker - I'd be horrified if that happened to him.
(We named him Cider btw)
Originally Posted by Saint:
What happens if I don't want to see a woodpecker with a weasel on its back?
You don't open a thread that asks if you want to see a pic of a woodpecker with a weasel on its back!
The question was put to me then on opening I wasn't given a choice.
I was cruelly duped and now there's no going back 
Will I recover?
Originally Posted by Saint:
The question was put to me then on opening I wasn't given a choice.
I was cruelly duped and now there's no going back
Will I recover?
You'll get over it, in time.
Originally Posted by Scotty:
that had me lololololing 
Originally Posted by Cosmopolitan:
Originally Posted by Cinds:
Yep, got this on my Twitter timeline too, Cinds. Incredible!
I've got a resident woodpecker - I'd be horrified if that happened to him.
(We named him Cider btw)
Its only fitting.
Originally Posted by kimota:
That's nothing!
That reminded me of this.
Putin on the ritz
Did you not read the article? It shows other photos of what happened prior to the bird taking flight.