As Fresh As It Gets
Earlier this week we saw a great blue heron grab a nice big fish out of the salt marsh. He was clearly excited with his prize but also knew that a fish this large was going to present a bit of a problem since it couldn’t be quickly gulped down…some major effort would be required. But he was willing and up to the task! He worked on getting that fish properly into place for 12 minutes before finally being able to enjoy his well deserved meal.
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Well, he’d obviously had a lot more practice than the one I saw here. Great shots of this beady-eyed sushi eater. 🙂
Thanks very much Sylvia! I appreciate your kind comments.
What a tasty treat for him! much better than a take out – although I suppose he is taking it out the water LOL 🙂
I never thought about it like that, but you are right, it is take out! 😀
Great series as usual Phil.
Thanks for looking Jan.
Your photos are always so amazing ! Was there something wrong with his wing? Great fish that he caught there Phil.
I’m happy you enjoyed these pics!
Do you mean the red spots around his shoulder area? If so, that’s just part of the GBH normal coloration.
Yep, that is what I was seeing..that’s good, so not hurt then.
That is an amazing capture for both of you!
Thanks for looking and commenting Molly, I appreciate it!
a cracking series – are these shots about knowledge of where you are likely to witness this sort of activity a long lens /fast shutter (to capture all the action) and bucket loads of patience or do you have it down to a finer art?
Thanks very much Scott, glad you liked these. We do go to an area where a situation like this may possibly occur, but there is never any guarantee. I come away empty more times then witness some action. And yes it does take patience. I may set up on a bird like this and wait for the tide to come in and bring fish with it and hope the bird is doing the same. But then I can spend an hour or so and the bird does nothing or even worse goes to sleep. So you never know…
Lovely sequence Phil. In that last shot they definitely seem to be eyeballing one another. Not a pleasant fate to be facing head first.. 😉
Thanks for your kind comments and yes it does seem that fish was eyeballing impending doom. 😯
Ottimo risultato per l’airone, ma anche per il bravissimo fotografo 🙂
Ciao, Pat
La ringrazio molto per le sue gentili parole Pat 🙂
Amazing. Your patience is well rewarded.
Thanks I appreciate you checking out these GBH pics.
It’s somehow appropriate that the patience of the heron to line up that fish is more than matched by your willingness to watch birds sleep. Nicely done again.
I have indeed watched my share of birds sleep. If I really want to try to get flight shots of a particular bird I may set up on it for a while hoping it will not only fly, but fly in my direction, with the light right, with it’s wings right, with my focus right, with my settings right, with the background right, and so on. Sometimes it all works out, often it doesn’t. But I keep coming back.
Thanks for looking at these pics!
Yes I am continually reminded about how many things have to align for a good shot. I guess that’s why they are special.
Buon giornata e buon inizio settimana.
Un abbraccio,
Luciana
La ringrazio molto per guardare queste foto Luciana!
Sometimes good, fresh sashimi (raw fish) like that is worth the effort!
Yes it sure is and this boy put in the effort and was rewarded!
They like their fish big where you live!
Especially the blue herons who unlike the egrets that do eat the smaller fish, the GBH will pass those up in hopes of grabbing a whopper!
That’s a heck of a meal for the heron. Terrific series of shots!
Thanks very much Scott!