Grey heron predating common frogs
Wednesday, 1. April 2009, 21:22:40
Well Ive finally got round to posting properly again. I have a busy couple of weeks with a stag night, wedding, and new jobs, so I've struggled to fit everything in and I am now way behind. Anyway I'll start the effort to catch today with the rest of the heron shot from Richmond Park weeks ago. Here is the heron catching the first frog 
As you can see from this shot one of the frogs was caught by spearing it with its beak
I took these photos in two sessions once soon after we entered and the other just before we left. I cant remember exactly which session some of the photos were taken in now though.
After catching it the heron manipulated the frogs in its beak
ANd once it was stunned and in the right postion it swallowed it
In the first session I got some close ups after it fed
And another after it had preened
In the second session, I and a number of families had gathered to watch the heron, before a sel;fish dog owner let their dog run around the pond spooking all the wildfowl before i literally jumped for the heron. The onwer of course found ruining the encounter for 15+ people highly amusing until a certain man said in his most Essexy sarcastic accent "Nice one LADY!" At which point she look a bit stunned and swiftly retreated. Thankfully I manged a few shots of it in the water before hand. I can't decide which of these I like best
And just to some up how good a wildlife photography (and experience for the families also present) moment it was, here is Sue demostrating how close it was
(100%)
WIDGETIZE
cakkleberrylane # 2. April 2009, 00:42
RobinL # 2. April 2009, 02:26
Great series of shots. I enjoy the Herons alot. I have a series of shots from several years ago, where a Great Blue Heron caught and swallowed a large rat! Good riddance to the rat! You certainly got close to the Heron and the Manderin!
Words # 2. April 2009, 06:50
Ukwildlife # 2. April 2009, 19:27
The duck is a close relative of the wood duck, kind of the chinese verious of it in fact, the mandarin duck
Ukwildlife # 2. April 2009, 19:32
Ukwildlife # 2. April 2009, 19:33
Wulpen # 2. April 2009, 20:22
Thats a great series of shots...
Flying Red Fox Blog # 2. April 2009, 21:22
Hope you had fun with all the wedding and events, thats much more important that keeping a blog up to date in my opinion, well done.
Words # 2. April 2009, 22:53
Do tell! Or will you be setting clues in future posts?
SittingFox # 4. April 2009, 08:49
Er...for the record, not all dog owners are that inconsiderate. Some of us do take care not to disturb anything, and the worst incidents of wildlife disturbance that I've ever seen have been by nature photographers. I could tell you a story of one guy whose attempts to get photographs of coyote pups ruined the observation of dozens of respectful bystanders and scattered the vulnerable pups everywhere, and he refused to budge even when a park ranger had words with him. There are bad apples in all barrels!
Ukwildlife # 4. April 2009, 09:44
Mark - Indeed it has!
Words - Ill tell all, hopefully tommorow
Adele - thanks. Some thoughtless photographers make me wince sometimes