When I first spotted the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on Tuesday, it was standing in the shallow water of a small pond at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I could not tell if the heron was actively fishing, but it did seem to be alert and attentive, so I decided to watch and wait. It moved slowly toward a patch of vegetation and bent over slightly, its head disappearing from view.
Suddenly the heron thrust its body forward, striking without warning. When the heron turned its head, I could see a squirming creature in its beak, but I could not tell what it was. At first I assumed that it was a fish, but when the prey started to coil itself around the beak, I began to wonder if it was a snake. When I examined the images on my computer screen, I began to wonder if it could be some kind of eel.
I am presenting the images in reverse chronological order, because I think the shot of the heron struggling with its prey is the most compelling—I usually try to lead with my best shot, because it is the one that shows up as the thumbnail image for those using the WordPress Reader feed. A few seconds after I took that shot, the heron flew a short distance away, out of range of my camera, and I watched heron subdue and swallow what I am assuming was an eel. The second image provides the best view of the eel, and the final shot shot shows the heron before the action began.
UPDATE: A Facebook viewer has indicated that the catch is probably a juvenile American Eel (Anguilla rostrata).
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wow. Fabulous shots, Mike. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Tricia. I had my macro lens on my camera when I encountered the heron, but it was at relatively close range, so I managed to get some decent shots. Normally this lens does not have enough reach for bird photos–as the weather gets cooler, I will be gradually shifting to walking around with my longer telephoto zoom lens on my camera.
Mike, your photography is always lovely, inspirational, educational and entertaining! I have a question about the heron—what is the seeming “bald” spot along the herons upper wing on its right side? Is this a wound of some sort?
Thanks. What you might be seeing could be part of a chestnut and blue shoulder patch that Great Blue Herons sport during breeding season and sometimes throughout the year.
Great set👍
Thanks, Michael.
Welcome.
Very nice series of images Mike! Enjoyed seeing them!
Thanks, Reed. I am amazed sometimes at the things that I manage to see when I am out in nature.
Love the drama in how you presented the order of your images in this set. Lovely!
Thanks, Suzette. I try to guide my viewers though my images sometimes to help them see the photos as I do–it is a kind of gentle manipulation of perceptions. Of course, that process began when I chose what to shoot and framed the shot in a particular way. There are a lot of creative choices to make, which is why photography is so much more than merely documenting “reality.”
An excellent point, that photography is “much more than documenting reality.” Thank you, that makes a great deal of sense. Have a great day. Cheers.
Great action sequence! That “thing” sure looks like an eel to me, too. A little different than the common GBH catching a fish! Cool!
Thanks. I have captured quite a few shots of a heron with a fish. Once in past I captured shots of a Great Blue Heron and a snake (https://michaelqpowell.com/2015/10/07/heron-and-snake/). This prey was sort of halfway between a snake and a fish.
Nice series and beautiful crisp images of the heron, Mike. It’s always fun to see what they catch, and then swallow!
Well done 😃😃. Good clean action shots. And it looks like an eel to me too. Now sure if you have Sirens up north near you. They are a form of salamander. Huge down here, up to 3 feet long. When fighting with a Heron you can spot small front feet.
This post is a wonderful insight into some real-life action from the GBH!
If that eel was anything like the ones in the brook by our store then it slid down nice and easy. They are slippery slimy critters. Nice capture of the heron’s hunt.
Great action shots, Mike. Eels are creepy to me, but I hear they are good eating!
Thanks, Eliza. I don’t have much experience with eels, but I have to say that I have no desire to taste one, no matter how much others may find them to be delicious.
Excellent photos, Mike! What a unique find!
Thanks. I am quite often amazed at the things that I manage to see.