Great Egret Eats Mouse!

[ian408]

I spent the day at Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge. Within about 10
minutes of getting out of the car, I was shooting egrets. Both Snowy and
Great.

Don Edwards is the largest NWR in the country and is made up of land once
used to harvest salt. Up until the 1960's, you could also hunt duck and many
folks built hunting lodges (read: shacks) for that purpose. Boardwalks and
trails lead you through the refuge.

Some of my first shots are of this Great Egret having lunch. At first, I thought
something was stuck in the bill. Upon closer inspection, I noticed little feet
trying to get free. The feet may belong to either a vole or salt marsh
mouse (endangered species). This will be confirmed when the biologist looks
at the pix.

Here's the Great Egret dining on a mouse.


http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/14258094-M.jpg


Ian

[Dee]

I spent the day at Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge. Within about 10
minutes of getting out of the car, I was shooting egrets. Both Snowy and
Great.

Don Edwards is the largest NWR in the country and is made up of land once
used to harvest salt. Up until the 1960's, you could also hunt duck and many
folks built hunting lodges (read: shacks) for that purpose. Boardwalks and
trails lead you through the refuge.

Some of my first shots are of this Great Egret having lunch. At first, I thought
something was stuck in the bill. Upon closer inspection, I noticed little feet
trying to get free. The feet may belong to either a vole or salt marsh
mouse (endangered species). This will be confirmed when the biologist looks
at the pix.

Here's the Great Egret dining on a mouse.


http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/14258094-M.jpg


Ian

But I was on the coast when I "snapped" my bird. Of course I couldn't get that close, but it was definitely a little critter with feet. I hit google and discovered that they do eat mice, etc. We'll often see herons in the fields and I wondered what they were possibly after, now I know.

You got a way nicer photo than I did, congrats!

[Harryb]

Good capture Ian. Nice job on the exposure also as the feathers aren't blown out. I would have tried a closer crop.

This is the first time I've seen one with a mouse.

Harry

[ian408]

Good capture Ian. Nice job on the exposure also as the feathers aren't blown out. I would have tried a closer crop.

This is the first time I've seen one with a mouse.

Harry
Thanks for the comments. I under exposed by about 1.3 or so to avoid
blowing out the feathers. The clouds helped even more :)

I also sent the images to one of the biologists at the NWR. Rather than crop,
I wanted to leave a little so the size of the bird, etc. could be determined.

Here's another shot showing the mouse going down the hatch...

http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/14285328-S.jpg

ian