[NatureNS] BBC Article - Weasel photographed riding on a

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From: Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 11:02:59 -0400
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Nice analysis from a photographic standpoint.

1. I agree with the apparent calmness of the weasel critique. In addition,
if you were that woodpecker, wouldn't you be scared guano-less and be
trying to remove that weasel as if nothing else in the world mattered? I'd
expect a struggle.

2. How much mass do you think a woodpecker can carry? Remember, size for
size, birds are a lot lighter than mammals, I suspect that weasel weighs in
at the same or more than the woodpecker. I strongly doubt that a woodpecker
could carry this much mass and continue flying.

Randy

_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.

On 4 March 2015 at 09:01, Angus MacLean <cold_mac@hotmail.com> wrote:

> I agree with Steve. I'm certain the weasel would not be so calm soaring
> through the sky.  Tampered photos show up daily - so many people like to
> pull the wool over our eyes.
> Angus
>
> ------------------------------
> From: mythos25@live.com
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] BBC Article - Weasel photographed riding on a
> woodpecker's back
> Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 10:17:28 +0000
>
>
> Wow that is quite the analysis Stephen. When I have more time this evenin=
g
> I will bring up the photo and follow your analysis.
>
> Nat Geo looked got an expert to look into it and while he wouldn't say it
> with certain he believes it is real. You may want to consider sending you=
r
> analysis to him.
>
>
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/03/150303-weasels-woodpecker=
s-animals-science-weaselpecker-photos/
>
> Here are more photos
>
> http://www.explosion.com/87192/this-weasel-hijacks-a-green-woodpecker-and=
-gets-a-free-ride/
>
>
>
> *From:* Stephen Shaw <srshaw@Dal.Ca>
> *Sent:* =E2=80=8EWednesday=E2=80=8E, =E2=80=8EMarch=E2=80=8E =E2=80=8E04=
=E2=80=8E, =E2=80=8E2015 =E2=80=8E2=E2=80=8E:=E2=80=8E01=E2=80=8E =E2=80=8E=
AM
> *To:* NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>
> Hi Keith,
> I could only find one other shot, a low power pan with poor focus which
> therefore doesn=E2=80=99t resolve anything. Do you have a URL for other s=
hots?
>
> If you look at the prominent bright area on the side of the bird=E2=80=99=
s throat
> which abruptly turns into a dark shadow on the breast just forward of the
> wing, this must have been shot in bright sunlight (in mid afternoon in
> February, apparently).  From the angle of the shadow (caused by occlusion
> by the bend of the extended wing), sunlight would have to have been falli=
ng
> from the right, top, about 50 degrees off vertical, and roughly in the
> plane of the photo.   I=E2=80=99m not sure, but am surprised that the sun=
 would
> appear so high in a February afternoon in UK.  For a 50=C2=B0 angle of
> illumination, it=E2=80=99s then surprising that the front edge of the wea=
sel=E2=80=99s left
> leg doesn=E2=80=99t appear to cast any shadow on the woodpecker.  Also, i=
f you
> magnify the image on screen and focus on the bases of the left primaries,
> the clear regular pattern of alternating dark-light bands on the distal
> part of the primary feathers gives way to a rotated square pattern near t=
he
> bases that doesn=E2=80=99t blend in and looks artificial.  Next to this i=
s an out
> of focus area that is surprising given the excellent focus on the ends of
> the primaries, which is where the most motion-blur would be expected if
> that=E2=80=99s what=E2=80=99s generating the poor resolution on the proxi=
mal wing.
>
> You can over-analyze images like this, and probably none of this allows u=
s
> to tell for sure if it is genuine or not, but in aggregate it still looks
> very dubious to me.  I also didn=E2=80=99t find his pitch particularly co=
nvincing =E2=80=94
> he really went out specifically to look for this species of woodpecker?
> Steve
>
> On Mar 3, 2015, at 10:43 PM, Keith Lowe <mythos25@live.com> wrote:
>
> > There are multiple shots of it. Some articles referred to it as "baby"
> > weasel. Here is a video of him explaining the circumstances.
> > http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31722410
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [
> mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>]
> > On Behalf Of Walt Norris
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 10:28 PM
> > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> > Subject: RE: [NatureNS] BBC Article - Weasel photographed riding on a
> > woodpecker's back
> >
> > As a photographer I would say this is a hoax  .
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Walt
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [
> mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>]
> > On Behalf Of Stephen Shaw
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 9:52 PM
> > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> > Subject: RE: [NatureNS] BBC Article - Weasel photographed riding on a
> > woodpecker's back
> >
> > Too good to be true?  As with the recent tufty eared squirrel, I'd
> suspect
> > some sort of photo-fraud.
> > The British green woodpecker is quite a large bird, about 12.5 inches
> long
> > according to Peterson et al, and while a least weasel should be about
> 7-8"
> > long, this one looks more like 6".
> > Has the weasel been photoshopped in?  It doesn't look to be gripping th=
e
> > neck of the bird and indenting the feathers there with any intensity, a=
s
> you
> > might suspect it would be doing in the circumstances.
> > Steve
> > ________________________________________
> > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on
> > behalf of Burkhard Plache [burkhardplache@gmail.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2015 6:04 PM
> > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> > Subject: [NatureNS] BBC Article - Weasel photographed riding on a
> > woodpecker's back
> >
> > In case you are interested to see
> > http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31711446
> >
>
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Nice analysis from a photographic standpoint.<div><br></di=
v><div>1. I agree with the apparent calmness of the weasel critique. In add=
ition, if you were that woodpecker, wouldn&#39;t you be scared guano