Snake freakiness as photographed by a top pro!

[The Snark]

Okay, so I'm not the great grackles answer to all things photography. At least I finally managed to take a picture that is almost in focus while out on my bike rides.
Anyway, how about a rather tenacious O. Hannah chasing a Kaouthai up a bush/tree! (Trust me. They are both pictured in there somewhere.)
I think that's Hannah's head over on the right. I hate these modern cameras with a little weird image screen you can't see in bright light and trying to get anything at all in that little screen while standing on a broken branch on one foot and clinging to a flimsy swaying branch with the other hand... No, maybe it's the Kaouthai's head. Oh heck. You people sort it out.
There's also some nifty tent caterpillar webbing in there. Weird white mess over to the left.

I think I also managed to get a butterfly in the shot, right about...................................here ^

 

[Najakeeper]

Awesome mate .

You are living the good life. I am happy to see a Natrix natrix here.

 

[The Snark]

The good life... Right. Really proud of my photographic feat I showed it to the boss. Something about me climbing a tree occupied by a couple of cobras irritated her a little. Fortunately she wasn't holding anything more lethal than a cat at the time. One of those oddities of human nature, expressing your concern for a loved one with a sharp object or bludgeon.
There was another oddity of the human condition about the time I clicked the camera. The usual revelation, 'I'm a superior species on the planet' quickly followed by the thoughts my opposable thumbs aren't worth beans up here with those two snakes and the advantage given by pre frontals was just informing me how fantastically stupid I was at that moment.

But a something I've been meaning to ask a snake person as Najakeeper. Cobras seem to be odd, especially Hannah. They hunt on the ground. That is also their most comfortable and familiar territory. Hannah takes that to the extreme being a speed demon whether on a firm surface, thick mud and even in the water. But when threatened, they invariably climb trees when available. Doesn't that strike you as odd? And how many other types of snakes are as capable on land, water, and up in the trees as Hannah is? For a big chunky musclebutt, they zoom trees like a vine snake and crossing a body of water barely slows them down.

 

[MarkmD]

Very cool pic thanks for sharing, can't see the butterfly but I'm sure it's thayr and maybe my eyes lol.

 

[pitbulllady]

Amazing capture, Snark! You just happened to be in the right place at the right time! I could see the King's head, as well as the N. kaouthai trying to escape, though that cobra looks nearly as big as its attacker. The butterfly has of yet eluded me, though.

pitbulllady

 

[The Snark]

I don't think Hannah is the brightest bulb in the light factory when it comes to being a discerning and discriminating epicurean. I once caught a glimpse of a juvenile maybe an inch and a half across at best with a toad in it's mouth that was at least 4 inches thick and the snake had it by the side like a dog with a bone. But it slithered off with it's brekky, apparently going to work out the details in private later. I also saw one that was gnawing on a rock though I'm willing to credit it with trying to shed. When you're 15 feet long with a permanent expression like Clay had just before he put Liston on the mat you can do what you dang well please.

Butterfly is brown and white and a professional camouflage artist and a half inch above the ^.

 

[ecooper]

Very cool!!!! Once again, I'm so envious...

 

[MarkmD]

Had a look a gain for the butterfly, is it resting on the leaf of the main tree the snake is on/on the same branch? other than that i'm not sure.

 

[The Snark]

---------- Post added 05-23-2014 at 07:47 AM ----------

Very cool!!!! Once again, I'm so envious...

You're envious??? Let me borrow your cameras! Let's look at my batting average. I've put an honest 10,000 km on my bike cruising our local boonies over a 5 year period and have so far managed maybe 15 shots of critters that weren't domesticated. If I was a professional wildlife photographer I'd be sitting on a street corner in SF playing a harmonica with a cup in front of me.

 

[Najakeeper]

But a something I've been meaning to ask a snake person as Najakeeper. Cobras seem to be odd, especially Hannah. They hunt on the ground. That is also their most comfortable and familiar territory. Hannah takes that to the extreme being a speed demon whether on a firm surface, thick mud and even in the water. But when threatened, they invariably climb trees when available. Doesn't that strike you as odd? And how many other types of snakes are as capable on land, water, and up in the trees as Hannah is? For a big chunky musclebutt, they zoom trees like a vine snake and crossing a body of water barely slows them down.

I think they flee to the trees as their predators are uncomfortable up there. Simple as that... Of course, my experience with O.hannah is easily disregardable mate.