Home»Portola Valley Ranch, Windy Hill, Etc.»5/8/2021 Frog Pond Drama: Great Blue Heron Tries to Swallow a Gopher

Catching a gopher is one thing. Softening it up and then swallowing it -- all the way down that long throat -- is another, as this Great Blue Heron discovers. Herons have no teeth, and only use their beaks to manipulate their food. I watch for twelve long minutes.

There are many photos here, sorry. The process took some effort.

Warning: carnivores can be messy eaters.