On Mon, 10 Jul 1995, Dennis Paulson wrote:
>
> People who hang out in farmlands get to see Great Blue Herons foraging in
> their upland mode. Much of their food at those times is voles, and several
> times I've seen a heron grab a vole and swallow it with a quick flick, just
> as they do a fish. Herons and buteos concentrate in the fields in eastern
> WA during vole population highs.

This reminded me of a vivid sight when I lived in San Diego several years
ago. On daylight, high-high(leap) tides, birders would congregate at
some of the remnant salt marshes near Mission Bay in hopes of spying
elusive and rare rails. (Rails-a group of birds that must be a big
practical joke because I hardly ever see them.) Also taking advantage of
the high water were several Great Blue Herons. Being tough inner city
birds, they were not content to tackle just voles; the attraction here
was the rats that lived in the marshes. Seeing a GBH tackle and rather
effortlessly swallow an adult rat is impressive.

Jim Neitzel
The Evergreen State College
neitzelj at elwha.evergreen.edu