Yesterday I saw another of these beauties, a Black-Winged Kite, or Élanion Blac. They are supposed to be quite rare although the population is expanding, but I’ve seen three of them round here in the last week. The photo is ©Wolbrum avner
The Green Whip Snake was sunning itself on the stream bank and just watched me as I almost trod on it. I had time to go home, get my phone and come back and it hadn’t moved. When I tried to get a very close close up, it slid off to its hole in the bank. It was easily as long as I am tall. They’re not poisonous but they’re biters if they get annoyed.
I managed to snap its back end before it disappeared, rather more than a metre of it.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
Your so luck Jane such beautiful creatures in your garden 💜
I am lucky. The protected species at least aren’t openly hunted. It’s their habitat that’s in danger.
It so sad isn’t it nothing is safe 💜
Men with guns, traps, glue, nasty minds…
What a huge fat thing! Brave of you to want a close up of something that bites.
Silly, I know, expecting the snake to just understand I don’t mean it any harm. They’re spectacular things.
One respects their being.
It was extremely patient with me.
Perhaps lazy to get out of your way? But glad to hear it was comfortable enough to not run for a sooner!
That’s a thought 🙂
How magical and beautiful a moment to see and capture that lovely bird. Thank you Jane.❤
The kite photo’s not mine. I wish! It’s hard to capture birds, even stationary as you can’t get close to them!
Yes, birds rarely remain for portraits. But, it is a lovely feeling to have them pay us a visit. Cheers😊
That they tolerate us at all is a miracle!
Yes! Exactly. Blessing on your day Jane. Thank you so much for your posts. They are an inspiration.💖
Have a lovely Sunday too 🙂 And thank you for your kind words.
😊💖
That bird is stunning! I looked it up–we don’t have them here.
The snake is beautiful, too, in its own way. :). How cool to see them both. Your own bit of magic.
I’ve seen several of them and thought they were some weird kind of seagull. They’re that kind of colouring.
I like finding snakes, but the way they just watch without getting out of the way is unnerving.
The one snake I saw at the park this year moved so quickly to get out of my way I was amazed.
Sometimes they do, other times they just think, what the hell, and keep sunbathing.
😀
The world is full of magic (my first thought, echoing Merril). (K)
I’m glad I know how to look for it.
Wonderful to see 🙂
Nature is always interesting, almost always beautiful 🙂
Oh yes…
🙂
Our snakes are killers worthy of a wide berth, however despite their danger they are, like yours, beautifully marked. Birds, I agree, are most beautiful and photogenic. Keep your camera close when you are rambling about because the photos complement your carefully chosen words. Cheers.
Thank you 🙂 I don’t have the reflex to carry my phone about with me. I ought to.
Wow! Two wonderful sightings.
There are lots of snakes about but the kite is a rarity.
I must admit I jump for the tiniest snakes…the kite looks like a beautiful bird.
I love the reptiles. They’re like something from another time period, and yes, the kite is eye-catching, though the fact that it’s the colouring of a seagull but flies like a raptor is somehow unsettling.