Something I Never Saw Before

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited May 5, 2011 in Wildlife
Hi Y'all,

I've been capturing images of the great blue heron for the past seven years. During that time I've seen them catch and eat some large prey. Until today they had an image like a young Mike Tyson, the baddest mutha around.

I was at the wetlands this AM when I saw this GBH catch a siren
1255778427_xFhgDKG-XL.jpg

things were going as per normal with the catch
1255779210_5mzrnKQ-XL.jpg

Then when the GBH brought its catch up close to its neck
1255780529_mtrWDL4-XL.jpg

the GBH tried to get the siren to release its hold on the neck
1255783518_qsmnD37-XL.jpg

However the siren had a response to that attempt
1255784908_q9Js9bB-XL.jpg

by this time the gBH was getting a tad blue
1255786330_pbGSTrm-XL.jpg

Finally the GBH gave up and let go of the siren
1255775334_xSC57xx-XL.jpg

This is the first time I have ever sen a GBH lose a battle with its catch
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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Comments

  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 17, 2011
    WOW, Harry, what a series! Talk about being in the right place at the right time with the perfect equipment. Not only is the series terrific, but every photo perfectly exposed and so sharp! I bet that GBH had a crick in its neck and a major league sore throat for a few days at least! Best, Pam
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited April 17, 2011
    That's an amazing sequence, Harry. :wow

    I'm thinking some nature magazine would want to publish these. nod.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
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  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited April 17, 2011
    Nice catch Harry. Wonder how the siren fared because it looks to be skewered by the GBH
    Always nice when they put on your own personal nature show
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,013 Major grins
    edited April 17, 2011
    OMG!! :wow Great catch and great photos.
    Them GBH's will try to eat anything they can catch.
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • SherSher Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    great captures! wow.. the siren was able to fight back and flee but got pierced thru pretty close to the head.. i would rather be his breakfast wings.gif
    50D | Tokina 11-16 | Tamron 17-50 | Canon 50mm 1.4 | Canon 70-200mm f/4 | Tamron 70-300 VC USD | Tamron 180
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  • johnbrinerjohnbriner Registered Users Posts: 61 Big grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Great timing and capture. I like the sharpness of these images. This series is aptly titled for me since I haven't seen something like this before as well. That great blue heron is tough, but from these photos, I can see that the siren didn't give up without a fight. Kudos to you for these excellent stills!
    John Briner Art
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Not exactly sure of this birds food choice but very cool series H. Nice captures.
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Very nice series Harry, and right place at the right time.
    Regards - Dennis

    Dennis Kaczor Photography
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Great series Harry clap.gifclap
    Dan
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    PGM wrote: »
    WOW, Harry, what a series! Talk about being in the right place at the right time with the perfect equipment. Not only is the series terrific, but every photo perfectly exposed and so sharp! I bet that GBH had a crick in its neck and a major league sore throat for a few days at least! Best, Pam

    Thanks Pam, I think its pride suffered more than anything else. The GBH seem very confused by the siren's "tactics".
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • LindiweLindiwe Registered Users Posts: 606 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Wow, what an amazing series! Must've been fantastic to be there and watch this. But you not only did that, you managed to capture it all and share the experience! Thank you! :)
    clap.gifclapclap.gif
    I wonder how long that siren managed to survive after its near-lunch experience.
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Next time the Heron catches a snake it will take it over to the bank and stab it a few times with it's beak before trying to eat it....they learn fast.
    Nice catch...good action.
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  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    great one ! we have seen them put things down eek7.gif what a great reaction almost like it knew plug the drain and nothing goes down --good job siren and very nice work Harry clap.gif
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

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  • YaflyyadieYaflyyadie Registered Users Posts: 558 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Amazing sequence.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I shot a lot around South-east Florida everglades and Lake Okee. from north of Monkey box and Cochran's pass to US-27.
    I have never had the oportunity of getting something like this, WOW, THIS IS AWESOME. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.beer.gif
  • MikeAldrichMikeAldrich Registered Users Posts: 145 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Wowsers! We got a lot of GBH's around here, I'm gonna have to start paying more attention to them. Amazing captures! ylsuper.gif
    “The digital camera is a great invention because it allows us to reminisce. Instantly.” -Demetri Martin

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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2011
    kdog wrote: »
    That's an amazing sequence, Harry. :wow

    I'm thinking some nature magazine would want to publish these. nod.gif

    Thanks Joel, it was really something to view.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2011
    DsrtVW wrote: »
    Nice catch Harry. Wonder how the siren fared because it looks to be skewered by the GBH
    Always nice when they put on your own personal nature show

    Thanks, the siren got really skewered but the fact that the GBH didn't try to pick it up again would indicate that it still had a fairly good amount of life left in it.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • GretaPicsGretaPics Registered Users Posts: 373 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2011
    Wow - fantastic series. Felt like I was reading a book and couldn't wait to see what came next. I have several GBH regulars near my home and I too have never seen this. So sharp too. Thanks, GP
    www.GretaPics.com
  • cwoodardcwoodard Registered Users Posts: 124 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2011
    What a neat series!
    Cynthia
    http://www.photosbycynthia.com/
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2011
    :jawdropWowsers, Harry!
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2011
    Allen wrote: »
    OMG!! :wow Great catch and great photos.
    Them GBH's will try to eat anything they can catch.

    Thanks Allen, I have always found the GBH to be an equal opportunity diner.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • PeterBirdPeterBird Registered Users Posts: 84 Big grins
    edited April 20, 2011
    Great series! It must have been something to watch this struggle!
    Peter
  • jackiejayjackiejay Registered Users Posts: 714 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2011
    wow he tryed to eat more than he could handle
  • GaleGale Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2011
    Wow Harry cool find.
    Boy it sure had him around the neck pretty good.
    Best Regards
    Gale

    www.pbase.com/techwish
  • hgernhardtjrhgernhardtjr Registered Users Posts: 417 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2011
    Absolutely amazing Harry ... I laughed and showed them to my college students today.clap.gif

    Why? Because it reminds me of a hand-drawn poster I've had hanging in my computer lab for years (go to Google images and search on the phrase "never give up" and several examples will show of the hand-drawn posters).

    I now think, perhaps, that frog in my poster really did "never give up" and like your siren, got away. BTW, every one of my students loved your shots, too!

    Wonderful set ... absolutely wonderful! Keep being like your GBH and "never give up"!

    -Henry-
    — Henry —
    Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2011
    Talk about not going down (the gullet) without a fight.... kudos to the siren. Very nice series, Harry, and thanks for showing us the whole well photographed process. I am a biologist by profession, and I'm impressed by all the fine natural history being well documented by the growing photographic community--most of whom do not have degrees in the sciences, but are contributing so much to biology thanks to sites like this one (your being moderator is another contribution, too, Harry).
    ---John
  • jeff lapointjeff lapoint Registered Users Posts: 1,228 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2011
    :wow

    holy crap dude! Strong work!!!
    www.lapiz007.smugmug.com


  • RustyJBRustyJB Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited April 22, 2011
    amazing Image Documentary
    i have spent hours myself watching the GBH , spend a lot of time in the Brazos Bend State Park (Texas), seen them back up from Gators, but never anything smaller than they are
  • KianKian Registered Users Posts: 56 Big grins
    edited April 23, 2011
    this is way cool!! great reward for your time and patience!
    Visit my smugsite: http://kian.smugmug.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2011
    Sher wrote: »
    great captures! wow.. the siren was able to fight back and flee but got pierced thru pretty close to the head.. i would rather be his breakfast wings.gif


    Thanks, my preference would to be not on anything's menu.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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