Thanks. I have a lot of practice. You just never know what is going to happen. Luckily they usually reward me with something dramatic if I wait for a while.
It always amazes me how big prey they can swallow. These gophers are fairly big, but yep, I know they can swallow much bigger fish. It surely helps if the prey is wet or slimey. Smart birds. Very well photographed, thank you!
That last gopher really was a big one. Wonderful captures again, sir. My buddy who lives on Ring St. said it rained for a couple of days there. I sure miss Two Toes.
That certainly could be. I guess I see it as a way to rough up the prey and keep them from biting. I’ve noticed that if the gopher starts reaching to bite, the heron will shake it. Also if it is crushing or squeezing lungs or blood flow, shaking would tend to add more force. It seems to be quite an effective way to still a gopher.
I usually use my Canon R6 with a 400 mm EF F4 DO lens. It is definitely my best lens and it just makes everything look better IMO. In the right light it can take very nice pictures.
So unlike owls, herons don't cough up pellets full of gopher bones, so everything is digested I guess? I've seen GBHEs catch and eat sparrows but I like this better. I need this guy (?) in my yard which is being dug up by the critters.
I’ve seen these guys cough up crawdad shells. Really those were impressive. It was like a ball larger than a golf ball with mostly cleaned out shells but crushed real tight. I have also seen them cough up a goopy slimy mess which seemed to be the remnants of a gopher but I couldn’t tell. I’m not sure what that was but yeah I think they mostly just digest it all.
Yeah everything is feasting on them. Even the domesticated dogs catch them all the time. I know a guy that walks his yellow terrier and that dog is amazing at catching gophers. It likes to chase herons too.
No matter how good the first two taste, you can always make room for another gopher.
Yep. It’s an all you can eat gopher buffet.
On gang
Waiter: How do you like our gopher?
Heron: Drowned.
They really are dinosaurs!
You are amazingly patient and dedicated to your photography! Well framed, focused, and exposed! Thank you for this incredible view of the Great Blue!
Thanks. I have a lot of practice. You just never know what is going to happen. Luckily they usually reward me with something dramatic if I wait for a while.
Have a thousand of these around sewers in NYC, especially around any trash that is left out, and in alleys too.
That’s interesting. I bet they wouldn’t mind eating a rat or two.
It always amazes me how big prey they can swallow. These gophers are fairly big, but yep, I know they can swallow much bigger fish. It surely helps if the prey is wet or slimey. Smart birds. Very well photographed, thank you!
great vid. i used to live next to a park with birds like this. it used to keep me and my canon camera so active. i miss it
I live in Montana, next to Yellowstone.
The gophers here are huge compared to the ones in this video. In this video they almost seem like field mice.
Gophers....you can't eat just one!
That was interesting and adventurous 😊
Smart… it drowns the gophers?
That last gopher really was a big one. Wonderful captures again, sir. My buddy who lives on Ring St. said it rained for a couple of days there. I sure miss Two Toes.
Thank you. Two toes was a very special bird. He struck harder than any heron I ever saw. It would be nice to see “him” again.
If you ignore the bird body. It is a snake with a beak. 😂
He literally impaled it. You can see two globs of blood falling down at 1:13
Thanks for the great videos as always!
You are very welcome. It was a labor of love. I love watching these herons especially when they are successful.
Epic week of captures for you too!
Thanks
Amazing..
Wonderful. Stunning video friend. Perfect job.
Thanks. I appreciate that. I’m not sure where the great blue herons are lately but I’m sure I’ll see them again soon.
I have seen several here in Indiana, I once saw a pair standing on a small lakes spillway, and thought they ate fish.
Yeah they are really good at catching fish too.
@@jimzenor9148 They are good hunters of multiple prey then. Thanks.
@@AdamosDadyeah they really are. czcams.com/video/o36_S6uNzFc/video.htmlsi=1IoG8ju4FFcmfOc0.
That link shows one that is a really good stalker of fish
@@jimzenor9148 Thanks Jim, it will be my next video to watch.
I wonder if the heron's shaking the prey would break the neck or spine of the prey and immobilize them.
That certainly could be. I guess I see it as a way to rough up the prey and keep them from biting. I’ve noticed that if the gopher starts reaching to bite, the heron will shake it. Also if it is crushing or squeezing lungs or blood flow, shaking would tend to add more force. It seems to be quite an effective way to still a gopher.
Heron I have to wash my pray before eating
Brilliant filming.. Grateful if you can kindly share some info on your equipment
I usually use my Canon R6 with a 400 mm EF F4 DO lens. It is definitely my best lens and it just makes everything look better IMO. In the right light it can take very nice pictures.
beautiful animal, alhamdulillah. great quality video
Thanks. This is a particularly beautiful heron.
Saw a big coyote get one of these once. It had to drag it away.
🥣 soup 😂
So unlike owls, herons don't cough up pellets full of gopher bones, so everything is digested I guess? I've seen GBHEs catch and eat sparrows but I like this better. I need this guy (?) in my yard which is being dug up by the critters.
I’ve seen these guys cough up crawdad shells. Really those were impressive. It was like a ball larger than a golf ball with mostly cleaned out shells but crushed real tight. I have also seen them cough up a goopy slimy mess which seemed to be the remnants of a gopher but I couldn’t tell. I’m not sure what that was but yeah I think they mostly just digest it all.
Thats gopher city i see
Yeah that place was crawling with gophers.
hongry bird
I know it’s basically population control but damn it must suck to be a gopher there 😭
Yeah everything is feasting on them. Even the domesticated dogs catch them all the time. I know a guy that walks his yellow terrier and that dog is amazing at catching gophers. It likes to chase herons too.
Wtf