Martin LeMay told Metro: ”The woodpecker left with its life, the weasel just disappeared into the long grass, hungry.’ (Picture Martin LeMay)

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 2 March.


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

Weasel rides a woodpecker. The internet responds hilariously with #WeaselPecker memes

‘As we walked we heard a distressed squawking and I saw that flash of green. So hurriedly I pointed the bird out to Ann and it settled into the grass behind a couple of small silver birch trees.



‘Both of us trained our binoculars and it occurred to me 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.’

ABSOLUTLEY INCREDIBLE photo by Martin Le-May. Green Woodpecker and Weasel. Apparently the Woodpecker escaped. pic.twitter.com/PUt1b2Mbhs — Jason Ward (@Jayward7) March 2, 2015

….. or how massive is that woodpecker? — Chris Owen (@wonky_donky) March 2, 2015

‘The woodpecker landed in front of us and I feared the worst. I guess 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.’

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