i have photos of GBHEs taking voles (ridgefield), catfish (washington
arboretum), and full-grown salmon (juanita bay). i also watched one take
what looked like a norway rat once, but the photo is not where i thought it
was... have heard (but not witnessed) they enjoy taking baby birds from
nest, which could be why they are unwelcome intruders in red-winged
blackbird territories...

they are voracious, and apparently easily-pleased by small and
fast-producing protein sources.

00 caren
http://www.ParkGallery.org
george davis creek, north fork


On Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 12:13 PM, Gail Roberts <
groberts at barnbeachreserve.org> wrote:

> Having a lot of fun this summer watching a Great Blue Heron that makes
> daily trips to the hayfield next to me (in Plain). It is a very successful
> and well-fed rodent hunter. I have never seen a heron hunt a dry field
> before. Have you? This one comes in daily, spends very little time (maybe 3
> minutes!) before it gets its first prey item...a mouse, vole, or pocket
> gopher. Down the hatch and instantly looking for more. I have been
> watching for a few minutes today and it caught 2 in that time. One was a
> very large gopher that put up a fight but was no match for the heron who
> threw it down on the ground, stabbed it, then tossed it around with its
> bill till it was positioned just right to swallow. The gopher became a huge
> lump in its neck as it worked its way down. This heron is a better mouser
> than anything I have seen!****
>
> ** **
>
> -< -< -< -< -< -< -< -< -< -<****
>
> Gail Roberts****
>
> Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest****
>
> >- >- >- >- >- >- >- >- >- >-****
>
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