Can anyone on the list address this question?:
Yesterday I saw a GREAT BLUE HERON under a willow tree about 50 yards from a
neighbor's pond. It had a largemouth bass speared in its bill. The bass was
around 14-15" long and fat - a catch any fisherman would be satisfied with.
After a while the bird let the fish to the ground (still flopping) and then
turn it so it could swallow it headfirst. Then it began swallowing it, it's
throat area ballooned out a bit like a pelican. It had the first 3-6" of the
fish in its mouth when I had to leave the area.
My question: Can a heron actually swallow a fish of this size? (being unable
to tear it into pieces and having to swallow it whole)
BTW: The kettles of BROADWING HAWKS continue to move over western Nelson County
as I write this. 3 more moving over the house right now.
