Heron and Turtle?
Aug 27, 2020 07:43:27 #
Aug 27, 2020 08:06:03 #
Aug 27, 2020 08:53:10 #
Aug 27, 2020 19:39:15 #
Aug 27, 2020 19:54:28 #
Aug 28, 2020 01:12:01 #
TBPJr
Loc: South Carolina
Butchbmore wrote:
Tough meal?
I caught a longish series a couple of years ago--a young GBH was wading around in a golf course pond without much to show for it. Then it turned its head sideways and nearly upside down to look left. Pretty soon, it had a fist-sized turtle it kept trying to position to swallow. After dropping it a couple of times, the bird got the turtle positioned and down it went! The heron took a couple of mouthfuls of water and stretched its neck up, but the turtle moved into its abdomen. I was amazed--I had expected it to peck and pull the turtle apart to eat the insides. I never expected it to eat it shell and all.
It was strange to watch for another reason--the turtle's feet and claws were extended and reaching around and it was definitely swallowed alive. Great blue herons must have a heck of a digestive system and pretty darn tough insides!
Aug 28, 2020 07:35:19 #
Aug 28, 2020 10:07:59 #
The turtle may have been a soft shell or molting. Herons have sharp bills, but to punch through a turtle shell???
Aug 28, 2020 11:05:24 #
One flipped to the correct head-first position, down the hatch. Nice catch of natural behavior.
Aug 28, 2020 11:28:11 #
Aug 28, 2020 12:10:26 #
Their entire digestive system must be very tough. They swallow everything whole, which means turtle shells, fish and snake bones, mice and rat fur; yet their poop is always nothing but white liquid.
Aug 29, 2020 13:42:24 #
Butchbmore wrote:
Tough meal?
Great shots! Poor turtle :-( Thanx for sharing.
Aug 31, 2020 06:55:50 #
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