Birds - Post 'em up

[slater529]

Yesterday at the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area - Stillwater Unit, a Great Blue Heron snags a catfish.

 

[slater529]

OK, catfish fins are dangerous! Now what?

So the heron calmly walks over to the nearby log and starts to dislodge the catfish from his beak. As soon as it's free, the heron strikes again, much like a rattlesnake, impaling the the fish with both beaks this time. And for final measure, he repeats the process once more, this time running both beaks through the brain. Now that he's certain the fish is dead, he swallows him whole.

The entire process took about 20 minutes.

 

[slater529]

Finished with dinner. Time to clean that bloody beak...

 

[old_tv_nut]

Now all you need is narration by David Attenborough.

 

[GuyK]

A pair of Gadwalls (?)
View attachment 3760702

Yes, I think Gadwalls. Note the dark bill on the bird to the right, that's the male.

 

[GuyK]

Finally, the heron cleaned his bloody beak...
View attachment 3760937View attachment 3760938View attachment 3760939View attachment 3760940

That's a couple of great sequences of images. I got pics last week of a heron striking, but not good enough to post... it only got a stick.

 

[slater529]

That's a couple of great sequences of images. I got pics last week of a heron striking, but not good enough to post... it only got a stick.

Thank you!

 

[GuyK]

Female Red Winged Blackbird blasting off.

 

[slater529]

A few more from the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area - Stillwater Unit.

Great Blue Heron


A pair of Gadwalls


Pied-Billed Grebe with dinner


Red-Winged Blackbird - I was only able to capture part of him in the frame as he flew by.

 

[slater529]

House Sparrow

 

[JDub]

At a state park in southern Minnesota a couple of weeks ago. Many thanks to Bryce, who led us to the nest.

 

[JDub]

More from the same trip:

Indigo Bunting


Ruby-Throated Hummingbird:


Bobolink:

 

[GuyK]

Spotted Towhee in the rain today.

 

[GuyK]

Pterodactyl Great Blue heron taking off.

 

[GuyK]

Saw a Kingfisher yesterday. Not particularly exotic, but I don't see them as often as I would expect to.

 

[slater529]

 

[slater529]

_DSC6142-Edit by Bill Simpson, on Flickr

 

[Bill Ashton]

While in Marysville TN this past two weeks, I saw the first Bluebird I have ever seen in my life...and they are supposedly indigenous to our home-area...my son even makes bluebird-houses for his forestry clients!...the little thing flew down in front of me on sidewalk, as I spoke to him softly he flew up to adjacent park bench, looked at me quizzickly like "What you saying, juicer?" and flew off.

No image, sorry...I

 

[rustycat]

A few more from the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area - Stillwater Unit.

Great Blue Heron
View attachment 3761437

A pair of Gadwalls
View attachment 3761438

Pied-Billed Grebe with dinner
View attachment 3761439

Red-Winged Blackbird - I was only able to capture part of him in the frame as he flew by.
View attachment 3761442

Looks like the blackbird is giving you the side eye!

 

[Bill Ashton]

Wife caught this in Maryville TN while out on walking trail...