Gooday all,
Reading about some of the hazards of birdwatching reminded me of the
incident that occured to me on Muralug (Prince of Wales Is.) in the Torres
Strait, Queensland back in the early 80's.
I had been travelling on a three-wheeler when I spotted some pigs with
suckers so took off for the chase across some grassy, slightly wooded flat
near the Homestead waterhole. After losing the pigs I was returning to the
track and the 3 wheeler when I spotted some martins and swiftlets over a
nearby hill. Meanwhile totally engrossed in what was happening skyward and
shuffling around between the trees with eyes upward trying to get a clear
view when suddenly a whip like action went around my legs. Peering downwards
along my airborne body I sighted a long slender brown snake wrapped a couple
of times around my legs.
While still airborne the snake relaxed and fell to the ground and slithered
off leaving a stunned birdo with an adrenalin fix gasping for a breath with
added gray hairs at no extra cost.
When I got back home I was telling Nauma about the incident, not wanting to
cause my wife any concern. His reply "Oh yea, that'll be the Whipsnake they
come at all those tricks".
No luck with the Swiftlets as they were the last thing on my mind after the
meeting.
Jon Wren
PO Box 868
Bowen (Climate Capital of Australia)
Queensland Australia 4805
Phone 07 4786 2614H Mobile 0412 789 285
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