You need the right angle

[Harryb]

Hi Y'all,

A sequence of an anhinga that I captured during MI V

I came upon this lucky anhinga
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377274_muj8f-XL.jpg

Now the problem with catching such a large fish comes with the swallowing part.
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377272_xEWzf-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377275_zwUPC-XL.jpg

The first try being unsuccessful the anhinga puts down the fish and then starts to pick it up for its second try
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377284_U7jdM-XL.jpg

second try
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377290_rJTTp-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377293_cVbp2-XL.jpg

Now that's the right angle
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377298_gSviy-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377307_3xx4v-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377310_nLmfp-XL.jpg

you can see the fish is now down to the lower portion of the anhinga's neck
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254377308_hDA6K-XL.jpg

[OsirisPhoto]

Great images.

Would that bird normally go for such a large fish? He looks almost like he's having second thoughts in the last image :D

[Harryb]

Great images.

Would that bird normally go for such a large fish? He looks almost like he's having second thoughts in the last image :D

Thanks and yes they will go for any fish they can catch. I've seen them with even larger catches. The only time I've seen a bird catch something they couldn't get down was when a grebe (our smallest duck)caught a frog.
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/241533798_zxcL8-XL.jpg

[cmason]

# 6 is outstanding! Looks like you were very lucky with your angle as well.

[DJ-S1]

Good lord! :huh Great series Harry, I've been showing it around the office here. Amazing they can get something that size!

[BCF]

Great shots! I've seen common mergansers swallow fish bigger than their heads. They spend a lot of time maneuvering the fish so it goes down head first.

[Ric Grupe]

Hmmm. Makes me think of the Watergate ratter's nickname. LL had the same monicker. :scratch:D

Very cool series, Harry. :thumb

[spechtal]

Those are amazing photos Harry. It is amazing to see how small his head looks after he's downed the fish.

[Giphsub]

:huh Wow! Great set
Harry :clap Awesome captures. I love the red eye!

[BigAl]

Very nice Harry :thumb

Looks like you were pretty close!

[Ann McRae]

:yikes :yikes

Do you think his mates know the heimlich maneuver?

Great stuff, Harry.

ann

[jwear]

always suprised at how they get them down Only once with a peli .it was the only one that did not get it down :huh great set Harry look like you folks had a great time againn :thumb

[kdog]

Unbelievable. I'm feeling a little choked up just looking at those. :huh

Great set, Harry. :bow

-joel

[jeff lapoint]

friggin awesome Harry:clap

[kriyababaji]

I wouldn't want to see this guys bill at the sushi bar!! Wow, a hog with wings.

Nice set of captures.

Shane

[gluwater]

I was watching all trip for something like this Harry and never saw it. I guess I'll have to come back down next year and try again. Great series.

[Harryb]

# 6 is outstanding! Looks like you were very lucky with your angle as well.

Thanks and I did ahve to change my angle from the first shot. You can see that from my original position there's no color in the anhinga's eye.

[Harryb]

Good lord! :huh Great series Harry, I've been showing it around the office here. Amazing they can get something that size!

Thanks DJ, watching these guys swallow their catch and can be a very interesting sight.

[Harryb]

Great shots! I've seen common mergansers swallow fish bigger than their heads. They spend a lot of time maneuvering the fish so it goes down head first.

Thanks Bjorn. :wwave

[Harryb]

Hmmm. Makes me think of the Watergate ratter's nickname. LL had the same monicker. :scratch:D

Very cool series, Harry. :thumb

Love the way you think and make connections no one else would come up with.

Thanks Ric.

[BBiggs]

These are great Harry! :clap :thumb

[MooreDriven]

As I'm scrolling down I keep thinking, is he actually going to be able to get that fish down? Then half way through he spits it out. That's what I thought. Then, in the last shot, the eye's and expression look as if he regrets swallowing such a big fish. It's as if he's saying, "oh damn, why did I do that!".

Very nice series Harry.

Dale

[Harryb]

Those are amazing photos Harry. It is amazing to see how small his head looks after he's downed the fish.

Thank you Angela. Someone informe dthat the fish he was chowing on was a Brown Hoplo (http://myfwc.com/fishing/fishes/non-native.html#armored)(armored catfish). It an exotic species, first introduced (some dumbell let it loose) to our waters in 1995.

[Harryb]

:huh Wow! Great set
Harry :clap Awesome captures. I love the red eye!

Thanks Mike, the red eye does make the shot for me.

[Dee]

You were in the right place at the right time. No wonder you like going and studying these birds so much! How much time passed from first to last in the series?

And -- What? No sea gulls to take the catch away? LOL

[Awais Yaqub]

You always pop in at dinner time :scratch

[Harryb]

You were in the right place at the right time. No wonder you like going and studying these birds so much! How much time passed from first to last in the series?

And -- What? No sea gulls to take the catch away? LOL

Hey Dee,

The first shot was at 10:33:54:1 AM and the last shot in the sequence was at 10:36:06:3 AM. The total time was about 2 minutes 12 seconds.

Sea gulls can get much easier pickings at the beach.

[raptorcaptor]

Great set Harry!

[Harryb]

Very nice Harry :thumb

Looks like you were pretty close!

Thanks Al, when the bird is as busy as that anhinga was you can get pretty close to them ( a few yards in this case).

[atomicjade]

Nice shots! I've never seen a bird eat something so large in comparison to itself, interesting thing is I have a picture of the same kind of fish that my nephew caught... it doesn't look very appetizing, I remember most of it's body was covered in hard scalelike armour!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/atomicjade6/Picture1191.jpg

Well duh.. if I actually READ the entire post I'd see that you already knew about the fish!

[dbaker1221]

excellent series Harry:ivar

I've seen a few teenagers eat the same way:rofl

[Harryb]

:yikes :yikes

Do you think his mates know the heimlich maneuver?

Great stuff, Harry.

ann

Thanks Ann and anhingas somehow manage to down their meals w/o assistance. :D

[Harryb]

always suprised at how they get them down Only once with a peli .it was the only one that did not get it down :huh great set Harry look like you folks had a great time againn :thumb

Thanks Jeff and I think thiis was the best MI shoot so far.

[Harryb]

Unbelievable. I'm feeling a little choked up just looking at those. :huh

Great set, Harry. :bow

-joel

Thanks Joel :wave

[Harryb]

friggin awesome Harry:clap

Thanks you very much Jeff, glad you enjoyed the set.

[Harryb]

I wouldn't want to see this guys bill at the sushi bar!! Wow, a hog with wings.

Nice set of captures.

Shane

Thanks Shane, anhingas have never been known for their table manners. :D

[Harryb]

I was watching all trip for something like this Harry and never saw it. I guess I'll have to come back down next year and try again. Great series.

Thanks Nick and its mandatory that you return next year. I intend to top your frigging wildcat shot and it wouldn't be half as much fun if you weren't here. :poke

[Harryb]

These are great Harry! :clap :thumb

Thanks you very much, glad you liked the shots.

[Harryb]

As I'm scrolling down I keep thinking, is he actually going to be able to get that fish down? Then half way through he spits it out. That's what I thought. Then, in the last shot, the eye's and expression look as if he regrets swallowing such a big fish. It's as if he's saying, "oh damn, why did I do that!".

Very nice series Harry.

Dale

Thanks Dale and in the end if they can get it down they are one happy camper.

[Harryb]

You always pop in at dinner time :scratch

For anhingas it always dinner time. :D

[Harryb]

Great set Harry!

Thanks Glenn :wave

[Harryb]

Nice shots! I've never seen a bird eat something so large in comparison to itself, interesting thing is I have a picture of the same kind of fish that my nephew caught... it doesn't look very appetizing, I remember most of it's body was covered in hard scalelike armour!



Well duh.. if I actually READ the entire post I'd see that you already knew about the fish!

:lol4

Actually when I posted the pics I didn't know what kind of fish it was until someone in another forum supplied the ID. Its nice to see the fish when its not partially swallowed. :D

[Harryb]

excellent series Harry:ivar

I've seen a few teenagers eat the same way:rofl

Thanks Dave and I've seen a few adults eat that same way also. It was kind of like Andy with a plate of babybacks in his meat eating phase.

http://www.pbase.com/hpb/image/25586257.jpg



:lol4