Six images entitled: "A BIG Lunch"

Previously I posted an image of this GB Heron walking out of some reeds and along the shore with a young Muskrat in its beak. This SERIES includes a sequence of images from the initial sighting to the Muskrat finally being swallowed. I've left out the more gruesome of my images; however, some may still find these images disturbing. If so, please don't go beyond the first image.

A few of us had been photographing this heron in a local park which has two ponds. Initially, it was catching some small fish at the east end of the east pond. It then flew to perch on a railing in between the two ponds. From there it flew to the west end of the west pond, close to where our vehicles were parked. We were about to return to our vehicles when out comes the Heron with its Muskrat catch.

Top Image: The Heron proudly walking along the shore displaying its catch. It appears to be choking it.


The Heron here shakes and bangs the Muskrat into submission.


The Heron here marches further along the shore being watched by several non-interested Mallards. Perhaps it was just trying to get some distance between itself and us photogs. Occasionally it would dunk and hold the Muskrat under water, then shake it vigorously.


Here, after first having held the Muskrat underwater, the Heron appears intent on crushing the muskrats skull, perhaps to ensure it was dead and/or to facilitate swallowing it.


An open beak image. It appears that the Heron's lower mandible has pierced the Muskrat's belly.


The Muskrat is about to be wholly swallowed; however, it seemed to get stuck and the Heron released it, then went through some more dunking and slapping and crushing before finally straightening it out again and swallowing it head first like in the image above.