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Heron and Turtle?
Aug 27, 2020 07:43:27   #
Butchbmore
 
Tough meal?


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Aug 27, 2020 08:06:03   #
leftj Loc: Texas
 
Butchbmore wrote:
Tough meal?


Might need to use a straw.

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Aug 27, 2020 08:53:10   #
Butchbmore
 
That’s what I was thinking.

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Aug 27, 2020 19:39:15   #
kpmac Loc: Ragley, La
 
That's gonna be hard to digest.

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Aug 27, 2020 19:54:28   #
Butchbmore
 
Tell me about it!

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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!

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Aug 28, 2020 07:35:19   #
Butchbmore
 
I agree. It is fascinating to watch them eat.

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Aug 28, 2020 10:07:59   #
jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA
 
The turtle may have been a soft shell or molting. Herons have sharp bills, but to punch through a turtle shell???

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Aug 28, 2020 11:05:24   #
JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles
 
One flipped to the correct head-first position, down the hatch. Nice catch of natural behavior.

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Aug 28, 2020 11:28:11   #
Butchbmore
 
Thanks Jeff.

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Aug 28, 2020 12:10:26   #
Floyd Loc: Misplaced Texan in Florence, Alabama
 
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.

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Aug 29, 2020 13:42:24   #
Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA
 
Butchbmore wrote:
Tough meal?


Great shots! Poor turtle :-( Thanx for sharing.

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Aug 31, 2020 06:55:50   #
Butchbmore
 
Thanks a lot

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