Fiery-necked Nightjar v. Boomslang
The following must rate as my best sighting ever at Kirstenbosch....
I entered at the Rycroft Gate and marched my way uphill at a rapid rate. I was almost at the top when I noticed a bird land in the pathway. It was fluttering and flapping but the very destinctive shape of the bird made me realise that it was a Nightjar. A Nightjar fluttering in front of me at 9h30 in the morning had my heart racing. How special is this...
But why was this bird fluttering around so much? Was it a juvenile learning to fly...before I could get any closer it flew off into the nearby bush. I followed not expecting to see it again but happily I did.
![Smile :-)](./images/smilies/asmile1.gif)
It was very difficult to see though because of the dense bush. I think I may have seen two Nightjars fluttering around. I was intrigued..mating dance ???? But then my eye caught glimpse of the following....
A Boomslang
![shock :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_look.gif)
( I think) was the cause of the fluttering and flapping. It was really difficult to see what was going on and eventually I could neither see the birds nor the snake. Oh well I thought that was exciting.
![Dance O/\](./images/smilies/dance3.gif)
I sat down on a nearby bench to view my photos...I was quite pleased that I had another tick for my 2012 bird challenge. Before moving on I decided to have one more look...I walked up and down the pathway but all seemed to be quite......
BUT then to my horror I saw the snake coming right for me
![shock :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_look.gif)
...I back tracked but at the same time I was trying to take a photo....the snake was on a mission and was coming towards me at a rapid rate.
At the last minute I noticed that the snake was not actually heading for my toes but for a poor Nightjar chick that I had not even seen...
Well the rest is history..poor chick. It did not stand a chance. The Boomslang grabbed the chick and flipped backwards into the bushes..it was all over in a split second
I was elated when I saw the Nightjar in the beginning
![Clap ^Q^](./images/smilies/applause7.gif)
...so excited at seeing the interaction between snake and birds
![Yay O\/](./images/smilies/icon_hurra.gif)
.........scared silly when the snake came for me out of the bushes
![shock :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_look.gif)
and very saddened at the demise of the chick......
I suppose that is nature though.
I was quite please that I had resisted the urge to climb the little stone wall to get a better view of the snake in the first place...
I also wondered what I would have done if I had seen that chick earlier...taken on the Boomslang with a stick ??? That would have been a really stupid thing to do so thank goodness I did not see the chick until it was too late......