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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --001a1139bcd813f6c8051077c16a Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 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 > > > > --001a1139bcd813f6c8051077c16a Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <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't you be scared guano