Great Blue Herons are known for stealthy, slow hunting.
This fellow defied the norm when he caught and swallowed three fish in a matter of two or three minutes.
The long feather sticking up is part of the breeding plumage.
He is likely eating for a family. The adults fly back to the nest then regurgitate the food for the chick(s).
It will take a lot of these little fish to sustain the adult and chicks.
This spot seems to be quite popular with the Green Herons right now.
As with most things bird, it probably has to do with food.
There is water beneath that grass, hard to say how deep, but enough to support the kinds of squiggly things little herons like to eat.
I missed the Little Blue Heron catching his lunch, but did see him wrestling a bit with it.
Seeing the action from behind the bird gave an interesting view of the fish.
Finally, lined up correctly…
… and down the hatch.
The fish from last Thursday’s post Great Blue Heron Getting Lunch was just an appetizer. The GBH continued to hunt along the edge of the pond and was rewarded with a much larger catch.
The heron carried the fish around a bit then…
…one gulp and the fish was gone.
I’d had my eye out for a Green Heron on our first day back at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Usually they are tucked up at the edge of a pond or in low hanging limbs.
I was rather surprised to find this one stalking around in some swampy grass right out in the open.
He was finding something to eat, I saw just the swallowing.
A number of Snowy Egrets are nesting on a nearby island, along with some Little Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Anhinga. This fellow couldn’t seem to find a satisfactory spot to land and took a swoop out over the pond.
He put his landing gear down, but the water is a little too deep right here for them and those few sticks in the water wouldn’t have held him up.
Ah, a precarious perch, but all mine.
He assessed the situation back on the island…
and gave it another try.
Exhibiting the classic Great Blue Heron patience this fellow took a slow walk along the edge of a pond.
So slow he wasn’t even making a ripple in the water.
His patience, and mine, were rewarded.
Tricolored Herons are some of the more exuberant wading birds when they are hunting.
No standing around staring at the water for them. Pacing back and forth, with quick u-turns, highlight their hunting method.
Throw in some low stealthy behavior…
ready to pounce …
It’s a lot of work and doesn’t always result in even a snack. At least while the photographer is watching.
Herons like to land on things sticking out of the water rather than jumping right in if possible.
Sticks, rocks, and yes I’ve seen them land on Alligators.
This time the landing pad turned out to be a log.
The nearby Alligator didn’t seem to pay much notice as the Little Blue strutted by.
However, as the Little Blue turned, the Alligator sunk down.
Certainly the Little Blue Heron is not a threat to the Alligator, but he may not know that.
A Great Egret was going back and forth the length of the pond gathering sticks for his nest.
He flew close to the water on quite a few trips, creating some reflection opportunities.
Along with some duck weed there was a variety of other vegetative flotsam floating across the pond.
April 2019
