A Great Blue Hereon Flies Off with a Pocket Gopher in its Beak.

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cr_wildlife

cr_wildlife

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I have been trying for a long time to get a photo of a Great Blue Heron that has successfully captured a pocket gopher. That these large wading birds actively hunt gophers seems a bit weird to me, but, at least around the San Francisco Bay Area, numerous locations where they do so have been reported. I did see a GBH doing this a Point Reyes National Seashore and did get some photos, but the heron was always facing just a bit away from me, which, to my mind, made the images good but not great. Having seen GBH hunting for the tiniest fish, I estimate that they would have to catch perhaps 100 fish to get as many calories as they might get from a pocket gopher, I guess I can understand why they hunt for the gophers. I must say, however, that I wonder how the behavior ever got started!
I recently when to Crissy Field in the Presidio in San Francisco, where GBH have been reported to hunt for gophers, to see if I could document the behavior again. I was fortunate to find a juvenile heron hunting and catching a gopher successfully soon after I arrived. The other time I saw this behavior, the heron caught two gophers and, after doing so, spent some time lining the gopher up and then swallowed it in one gulp. I kept my camera on the heron this time, expecting the same behavior, when, to my surprise, the heron took off and flew off with the gopher in its beak. Crissy Field is a popular place for walkers, bicycle riders, and dog walkers, so I assume something must have gotten too close to the bird. Nonetheless, I had my camera set for flight and, probably due to the new 4.1 firmware update, the camera locked on immediately. I was quite pleased with the resultant image and hope that you enjoy it. As an aside, I have watched this heron hunt for gophers on two ocaissions for a total or more than 4 hours, and this is the only time I saw it catch a gopher, despite watching more than 10 attempts.
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As a raptor rehabber I would occasionally get a GBH in and since I seldom got Osprey in, did not have anything but quail and rats in the way of food. The herons loved the rats, ate without hesitation. Have frequently seen them hunting gophers in alfalfa fields as well. Cool photo!
 
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Icarus said:
As a raptor rehabber I would occasionally get a GBH in and since I seldom got Osprey in, did not have anything but quail and rats in the way of food. The herons loved the rats, ate without hesitation. Have frequently seen them hunting gophers in alfalfa fields as well. Cool photo!
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Lovely catch (in more ways than one!). I was at Crissy Field a few weeks ago and wouldn't have thought it would be a site for this action given all the human activity.
 
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cr_wildlife said:
I have been trying for a long time to get a photo of a Great Blue Heron that has successfully captured a pocket gopher. That these large wading birds actively hunt gophers seems a bit weird to me, but, at least around the San Francisco Bay Area, numerous locations where they do so have been reported. I did see a GBH doing this a Point Reyes National Seashore and did get some photos, but the heron was always facing just a bit away from me, which, to my mind, made the images good but not great. Having seen GBH hunting for the tiniest fish, I estimate that they would have to catch perhaps 100 fish to get as many calories as they might get from a pocket gopher, I guess I can understand why they hunt for the gophers. I must say, however, that I wonder how the behavior ever got started!
I recently when to Crissy Field in the Presidio in San Francisco, where GBH have been reported to hunt for gophers, to see if I could document the behavior again. I was fortunate to find a juvenile heron hunting and catching a gopher successfully soon after I arrived. The other time I saw this behavior, the heron caught two gophers and, after doing so, spent some time lining the gopher up and then swallowed it in one gulp. I kept my camera on the heron this time, expecting the same behavior, when , to my surprise, the heron took off and flew off with the gopher in its beak. Crissy Field is a popular place for walkers, bicycle riders, and dog walkers, so I assume something must have gotten too close to the bird. Nonetheless, I had my camera set for flight and, probably do to the new 4.1 firmware update, the camera locked on immediately. I was quite pleased with the resultant image and hope that you enjoy it. As an aside, I have watched this heron hunt for gophers on two ocaissions for a total or more than 4 hours, and this is the only time I saw it catch a gopher, despite watching more than 10 attempts.View attachment 74351
Click to expand...
Excellent shot! Well done👍👍👍
 
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Seh said:
Lovely catch (in more ways than one!). I was at Crissy Field a few weeks ago and wouldn't have thought it would be a site for this action given all the human activity.
Click to expand...
I think weekdays are better there, but it is never quiet! Thanks!
 
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