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Project Noah Nature School
Boa constrictor
This spotting is of a small boa constrictor, barely ¾" wide. I didn't see it's length because it was looped around a branch eating a Great Crested Flycatcher until after dark when I gave up photographing. It is probably only a few months old. I put my sketch second because it is the least confusing to see what is happening. In the 1st and 3rd photos its hugely stretched mouth and throat have enveloped much of the front end of the bird. In the last photo, taken just before it got dark, the bird is well squeezed and on its way down.
This boa was found on the grounds of El Remanso Lodge, an eco-resort on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica by the gardener, who came and fetched me, knowing I was interested. It hung at eye level, having nabbed the Great Crested Flycatcher in the shrubbery, and had to enfold and ingest it on the spot.
I went to visit after dark and it lay on top of the branch, lumpy and inert. It paid utterly no attention to me as it engulfed the bird, or even afterward, draped across the branches all bumpy as I played the flashlight over it. Read the journal if you can. It tells the story.
Spotted on Dec 23, 2010
Submitted on Feb 23, 2016
26 Comments (1–25)
Thank you one and all! It's good to know the sketches add to the series, and to be honest, I am delighted to be in such expert and supportive company as you all!
Lovely shots and sketch! Congratulations!
Congratulations Irene great spotting
Great Spotting! I too love the sketch you made. It really helps get the picture and also your notes are very interesting.
Impressive moment! congrats!
Congratulations Irene !
Awesome spotting. Congratulations!
Congratulations Irene! Please consider adding your spottings to the new 2016 Best Wildlife Photo mission:
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/2004...
Many thanks! I am thrilled with the SOTW honor and I'm so pleased to be able to give this little boa its debut in Project Noah to such an appreciative congregation of naturalists. ;o}
Irene...you are a natural at excellent spottings. Keep it up!
Congratulations Irene!!! Very well deserved. Your spottings are awesome and adding your personal touch to each is quite special. Thank you for sharing :)
Congrats Irene, this amazing predator-prey series has been selected as Spotting of the Week!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/pho...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/7...
Fascinating spotting Irene and as usual the personal touch makes it extra special. Thanks.
Extraordinary spotting Irene... thanks for showing it.
Thank you!
Mission removed.
Irene, if you use Chrome you cannot remove missions from spottings. It is a known minor bug, some users cannot remove it with Firefox either while most can. It can also be removed using IE or Edge. If you cannot remove it with another browser I will do it for you later.
Thanks so much, guys! I feel so honored to be considered for the SOTW! Yes, I've really been fortunate in finding interesting subjects-- it helps to tell other people you want to see anything cool they find. Lots of eyes find lots of neat stuff for you. BTW, I accidentally clicked on "Interaction between different species of Arthropods" in the Missions box. I've removed it several times in "edit" but it won't go away. Sorry 'bout that!
Wonderful moment, lovely story, and thanks for sharing!
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
This is unbelievable...you get to see such interesting stuff...I am soooooo envious but thanks for sharing...we got to see it too and your sketch!
Irene, this is a fantastic spotting! I would have loved to have seen it in person, and your sketch of it is incredible! I love being able to witness predation happening without human interference, you definitely got lucky to see this :)
wow!
Beautiful sketch, great job!
No problem! lt is done!