I’m walking up to the North beach tip at Fort Desoto looking for shorebirds. I saw the above night heron in the sand dunes. I realized he had a ghost crab in his beak.
I didn’t want to spook him and get too close. This is highly cropped.
All of a sudden the crab gets away with one leg still in the heron’s mouth. The crab is running off to the right.
In seconds, the heron goes after him and gets him right before he gets too far into the reeds.
The night heron has the crab again.
I’m waiting for the big gulp shot. The heron continues to hang on to the crab. He’s probably waiting for the crab to stop biting.
He continues to move the crab around in his mouth. All I could think of was “I wish the sun would come out.” I had to settle for cloudy shots.
Finally, he looks like he’s going for the big gulp.
And all I got was a “big crab leg in front of the eye” shot. It was still fun to watch him enjoy his crab. Although he had to work hard for this breakfast.
Great closeup pics. Poor crab, being eaten alive
What a great capture! I’m always intrigued when the herons gobble down things with claws or that can bite back – crustaceans, turtles, etc. Thanks for sharing this sequence with us.
Great shots of the Yellow-crowed Night Heron. The exposures are right on. Without the sun, there are less harsh shadows, the light is more even. Very exciting series.
I know the Night Heron has to eat, but I was rooting for the crab.
What a fantastic job you did capturing this night heron!!! The first picture is incredible.
Amazing series! It’s interesting that the heron is able to digest the crab, shell and all.
“The Night Heron and the Ghost Crab” sounds like a ghost story for baby birds. Really enjoyed this struggle between bird and crustacean. The crab would make a good, if rather hard to swallow, breakfast!
K
Yum yum…great series… I love how you are patient enough to follow through the whole story.
super opportunity for SUPERB photographs
Wonderful series! Nice pic-taking! 🙂
HI Dina These are a mosst succeful series of shots of this Heron (and the crab). To me the light was just right. It pays off to persevere, wouldn’t be my cup of tea for breakfast but the Heron seemed happy enough!
Dina, what a fun and beautiful group of images! Great shots! What a beautiful face the Night Heron has, your third image from the last shows it perfectly.
I have to put Fort Desoto on my list of must visit places. It looks like a wonderful place for birders.
Outstanding shots of the night heron in action devouring crabby!