Cormorant wrestling with dinner

dunlin · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 10:59 PM

Hi all,
I took these shots today of a cormorant wrestling with a rather large eel

url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=53957]

[/url]url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=53956]

[/url]This is the final shot just before it eventually swallowed it. I watched the struggle for ten minutes i was surprised when the cormorant managed to swallow it , i was convinced it would have to let it go

......cheers mark n..........

Bub-les · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 12:03 AM

Nice action shots especially the first one.

Should imagine that cormorant wouldn't be hungry for quite some time after a meal like that!

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 04:30 AM

We watched a very similar epidode at Kew Gardens 3 weeks ago + my partner was concerned it would choke! It was a struggle but he was able to fly off after 10 minutes.

JeffH · #4 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 05:21 AM

Well spotted and captured Mark - great behavioural shots

Jeff

The Black Rabbit · #5 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

We watched a very similar epidode at Kew Gardens 3 weeks ago + my partner was concerned it would choke! It was a struggle but he was able to fly off after 10 minutes.

Who?
Your partner?!

Doug

Seriously though Aeshna - I've never tried distinguishing between sexes in Cormorants. Is it easier than I think?
Cheers.

dunlin · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 09:25 AM

Thanks for the comments. The only time ive seen something like this before was a great crested grebe on a local reservoir. The grebe surfaced with a large bream and struggled for ages to swallow it, when it finally managed it the grebes neck took on the shape of the fish.

For those who dont know a bream is shaped like a disc or a dinner plate

Ukwildlifeo · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:09 AM

I once watched a cormorant try swallow an eel and it wriggling back out again many many times over half an hour at stodmarsh once. Was rather entertaining. Ive also seen a heron with similar problems at Oare. Those eels are slimy things!

aeshna5 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

Who?
Your partner?!

Doug

Seriously though Aeshna - I've never tried distinguishing between sexes in Cormorants. Is it easier than I think?
Cheers.

I said he, but perhaps I should have said "it", as I didn't know the sex- not easy in field.

Perhaps I'd make some money if I could get my partner to fly- trouble is she won't even go in a plane, unlike me!

Geoff F · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 06:23 PM

It is amazing what they can swallow. Recently I saw one struggling with a flounder. That was impossible to swallow so the cormorant took the fish ashore where it was stolen by a Great Blackbacked Gull.