Big Dinner
One day last week we were leaving the salt marsh area just prior to sunset when we stopped to watch this great egret that had caught a very large fish.
We figured that the egret would likely decide this fish was too large to get down and that it would drop the fish and walk away. We have seen egrets and blue herons struggle with large fish for a considerable amount of time and are often forced to leave a fish it knows it can’t swallow. But this egret must have been particularly hungry because I barely blinked and it swallowed it’s dinner down with no problem in record time!
Phil Lanoue Photography 
What a stomach he has… ate all of them 🙂 Great shot again. Thank you dear Phil, love, nia
Thank you Nia! He must have a big stomach!
Goodness me! I wonder if he got indigestion after that huge meal, and all in one go too. 😀 Great photos, Phil.
Thank you Sylvia, I’m amazed they can fly after getting down a meal like that!
Hi Phil,
I think, he was very hungry!!! Great pictures!
Have a nice time,
moni
He was hungry! But that should hold him for a day or two.
Thanks Moni!
Excellent captures, Phil! It’s really amazing how these birds can swallow such a big fish without choking.
Thanks much Gracie! I am continually amazed when I see one eat a fish this large!
Wonderful shots!!!
Thank you for looking and commenting!
Bon festin ! Amazing “
I am happy you liked these photos!
At some point it must be tempting fate with the size of that fish!
It is indeed tempting fate. Some time ago we saw a GBH catch and eat a huge fish that it struggled to get down.
The next day there was a dead GBH in the same area. We can’t say for certain it was the same bird but would not surprise me if the fish choked it.
Good Lord, Phil! Did the Egret waddle away after that one? Do Egrets burp? Did fish oil bubble out its nose? That was a pelican-sized meal, indeed!
He kind of just stood there for a while with a confused look on his face as if to say…’did I just do that?’
Oh my word! You weren’t kidding Phil were you? I should think after that he just found himself a nice comfortable spot and snoozed the rest of the day away, satiated and replete! 🙂
If he was smart that was exactly what he did. Best to not do any strenuous movements after a meal this size. 😯 😀
Mo wonder they have long necks. No chewing necessary. Great shots.
Yes long necks but skinny necks. I am always amazed there is even room for a fish this size to go down!
Speechless!
We were a little shell shocked ourselves after witnessing this. 😯
Oh my!!
I know, right?! 🙂
Wow, I kind of feel bad for the fish! Can’t imagine being swallowed alive while you’re so large…
It’s true sometimes we do find ourselves feeling bad for the fish. That can not be a good way to go. 😯
Incredibile come riesce ad ingoiare un pesce così grande, gulp!!! Ottimi e splendidi scatti fotografici caro Phill
Ciao, Pat
Grazie mille. Non so come possa inghiottire che il pesce grosso 😯 😀
He must have been really hungry…
I hope he was because he sure got a giant size meal! 🙂
Unbelievable – indigestion tablets required
He probably has to lay down for a while, a long while.
Amazing! Hmm, I feel like sushi now…
It was kind of amazing. I could not think of eating fish for a while after seeing this event. 😛 🙂
Oh MY GOSH!!!!!!!!! that is all I can say.
I know exactly what you mean… 😀
That’s a big fish! Excellent capture, Phil!
Thanks Gareth, I appreciate you checking this out.
Goodness!!! How did he swallow such a big fish? Amazing shots!
Amy I don’t know how they manage to get a huge fish down down those skinny necks. 😕
Thanks for checking these out!
OMG ! How the heck did he do that? That’s incredible and fantastic that you were able to be there to watch it Phil.
I am amazed they can fit a huge fish down that skinny neck. Must not be a good ride down for the fish though I’m thinking. 😯
It was something to see, thanks Emily!
You have a knack for capturing WOW moments in nature! Great work Phil!
I’m just out there letting nature go on about it’s business and hope to be able to be around to see and photograph some cool stuff. Sometimes it works out. 🙂
Thanks for checking these out!
Hi Phil,
That was some mouth full for a Great Egret, maybe that’s why their called GREAT!
Well he had a GREAT big meal on this day that’s for sure!
Thanks much Phil!
He should have been a Pelican!!
The pelican would have eaten a fish that size no problem, but the pelicans have those big mouths to accomodate a big fish! 🙂
Seeing is believing. Hard to understand how that bird swallowed a fish that large. Great photos
I really don’t know how they do it with those skinny necks but somehow they do. 🙂
Thanks!
¡Un momento increíble!, no se como le cabe eso!!
¡Fue increíble! No sé cómo encajaba que los peces grandes 😯
OMG, stunning photo’s Phil.
Thaks Jan I appreciate you looking and commenting and glad you like these!
Think he might have needed some Tums after that. Nice shot Phil.
I would offer him some Tums, I usually have some on me for those after pizza moments. 😀
Thaks!
Quite an appetite… I hope he wasn’t sick afterwards 😀
As best as we could tell he was OK, but he should probably just stay quiet for a while after that meal! 🙂
Wow, that just not seem possible–until it obviously is. Great photos. Are you sure the fish actually went down that narrow neck in the end?
Oh yes, he got the fish down. It continues to amaze me that they can fit a large fish down those skinny necks, but they do. Not unprecedented for herons and egrets to catch and eat big fish as you can see from these photos here:
https://phillanoue.com/great-blue-heron-photos/#jp-carousel-377
https://phillanoue.com/great-egret-photos/#jp-carousel-618
https://phillanoue.com/great-egret-photos/#jp-carousel-629
https://phillanoue.com/2012/12/17/big-lunch/gbh-catches-big-fish-03/
Thanks very much for looking and commenting! 🙂
Wow!!! Lucky him!! 😀
He was lucky that he did not lose that fish to a larger bird such as a great blue heron who are often around to take advantage of such situations. 🙂
Nice! Although that last shot just looks uncomfortable…
Thanks! Amazingly though, he got it down.
Great shot!
Thank you Naomi I appreciate you looking and commenting!
Wooooow!!! No wonder these poor guys occasionally choke to death. Sheesh!!!!
Some time ago we saw a great blue heron with difficulty, barely get down a similar size fish. The next day we saw a dead GBH in the same area. We can not say 100% for a fact that it was the same bird but would not surprise me if it was and it did choke.
Wow… Very interesting. It does happen — eyes too big for their…throats! Some of the fish that you capture are simply enormous (I’ve never seen the likes here).
Just incredible! I also wonder how they can even move after such a meal 😮
Great moment you captured.
I know you would not think it could fly for quite a long while. We don’t even know how long after it stayed in that spot since we left after getting these pics.
Thanks for checking these out Sandra!
Great shot! Belle foto!
Never seen such a wonderful egret….I’d love to ❤
I saw one here in Italy, but he was small and all grey.
ciao
Giusy
Thank you very much for looking and commenting! I am very happy you enjoyed these photos!
I’ve been trying to remember to come back and look for this series of shots after you teased them. I’m glad I did – this is extraordinary. Are their necks constructed like a snake’s? Stretchy, so the prey can go down? They must be. Otherwise, there’s no way this would be happening!
I’m very happy you came in to check out these photos and great to hear you enjoyed them.
Yes their necks do seem to stretch quite a bit to accomodate a big catch. It is amazing considering how narrow their necks looks under normal circumstances.
Thanks!
It is a wonderful that it didn’t choke to death…although maybe some of them do occasionally.
I still can’t figure out how they get a huge fish down those skinny necks, but they do! Thanks!
Funny and amusing shot! They never cease to amaze me!
They really are something. I would have expected him to give up on that fish but he got it down!
I wonder if the fish was wiggling around in there.