Great Blue Heron Catching and Eating a Cliff Swallow

Over the years I have photographed the Great Blue Herons doing some amazing things. Stuff that has left me speechless.

They are fierce in battle and will eat just about anything to survive.

I have watched two herons fighting and photographed one heron stabbing another through the neck with his long pointy beak.

I have photos of a heron standing on the edge of the ice on the Bear River where he reached down and yanked a small Pied Billed Grebe out of the water by his head. Fortunately, the little Grebe was a fighter and bit the heron on the leg and quickly ran back to the safety of the water.

I have photographed and videoed a heron standing over a small hole in the dirt and yank snake, after snake, after snake out of that hole when they would stick their heads out. He must of ate over a dozen of them.

Early this morning I watched a heron stealthily walk across a bridge and catch a Cliff Swallow right out of the air as she was flying back to feed her hungry babies in their nest. The heron caught several of them while I was there. Unfortunately I wasn’t in a good spot for photographs but I did get a couple decent ones.

It’s a dog eat dog, errr…. bird eat bird world out there so be safe!
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