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Tales of a South Downs fox... and other ramblings

Hard to swallow...

Tuesday, 13. January 2009, 00:17:33

,

These photos aren't particularly good. They were taken this morning at Tower Bridge in London, in light drizzle and from much too far away. However, they're my first shots of a cormorant actually catching a fish. Problem was, the fish was somewhat wider than the cormorant's throat. I watched the struggle for about 5 minutes. Lots of head throwing by the bird, flapping by the fish, the occasional dunking and a gradual drift down the Thames of about 100 yards. At which point I had to leave them to it to get to a meeting. Anyway, three not very good shots coming up.
Catching

Dunking

Gripping

The fish, by the way, is possibly a flounder.
Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM lens, at ISO 800, f/5.6 and shutter speeds of between 1/125 and 1/200s. All shots have been cropped.

Kestrel fest!Mist and sun

Comments

Ukwildlife 13. January 2009, 02:14

Great photos. The weather may not have been perfect but at least you didn't suffer from over exposure (at least on the in the photos!).

I was admiring the cormorants of the Thames today, those perched near Battersea power station in my case. I would say its a flounder, although I was reading something about "cormorants catching dabs near Tower Bridge" the other day...I'll try and remember where!


gdare 13. January 2009, 05:38

That chain looks impressive to me :left:

cakkleberrylane 13. January 2009, 11:17

Very well done nonetheless. I've never watched one catch a fish before so this is quite a treat.

SittingFox 13. January 2009, 17:11

Greedy cormorant! Talk about biting off more than you can chew... :chef:

Words 13. January 2009, 18:25

Neil, I think they must have seen your video and were showing off. Weather was dire though... absolutely pouring by lunchtime. The fish could be a dab... I'm just going from what the experts on WAB think.

Words 13. January 2009, 18:25

Darko, it's good isn't it. :smile:

Words 13. January 2009, 18:27

Lois, what's really amazing is that when I was young there weren't any fish in the Thames (certainly not in central London). They've done a great job in cleaning up the river.

Words 13. January 2009, 18:28

Adele, I assume it will have eventually managed to swallow it, but I saw maybe 20 attempts without any success. I'd have loved to have watched for longer.

annoushkiss 13. January 2009, 19:49

But it's very good :up:
We can see all the eating process, and these are not just ordinary shots!

Flying Red Fox Blog 13. January 2009, 20:54

Thats a good catch! :D It dosent matter if the quality is poorer, it shows that this was a lucky catch and not something you were necessarily waiting for, well done!

Words 13. January 2009, 22:41

Anna. thanks!

Words 13. January 2009, 22:42

Mark, well I'm not sure it was lucky for the fish :lol: But it shows the value of always having a camera with you.

Vulpes vulpes 21. January 2009, 17:55

I'd say after that experience with the cormorant that the fish most certainly was floundering! p:

Words 21. January 2009, 20:31

LOL! You're a dab hand at the jokes :wink:

Anonymous 3. February 2009, 18:40

Froggy1 writes:

As a sea angler the fish is a Flounder which have a liking for brakish water & will swim way up river. Dabs are a true marine fish & will not venture too far from salt water.

Words 3. February 2009, 23:10

Thanks Froggy!

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