This Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) was having pretty good success in catching some small fish one morning last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I personally do not like to have fish for breakfast, but am aware that some people like lox, mackerels, or other kinds of fish with their morning meals. As the old Latin saying goes, “De gustibus non est disputandum” (“There is no accounting for taste.”)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great capture! The action I imagine was very fast. Love how there’s still a splash on the surface of the water below the fish!
Thanks, Liz. It is always a challenge to capture a heron in motion, because they stand still for long periods of time and then, often without warning, there is a burst of motion and the heron thrusts its head into the water. It’s hard to keep the focus on the heron when its head is underwater, as I wait to see if it has caught anything.
It’s great to learn about the lead-up to such a shot – and the time, patience and experience that’s invested in a great capture. Well done, Mike.. so deserved!
Turns out, it’s not just Great Blue Herons that enjoy fish for breakfast! In the Caribbean islands where I grew up, fish was a breakfast staple. On Bequia, where my mum and grandparents are from, we’d start the day with fried fish and fried <a href=”https://www.thespruceeats.com/cornmeal-cou-cou-2138197″ target=”_blank”>cou-cou</a> (a dish similar to polenta but with a silky texture), or fried breadfruit—sometimes paired with fried plantains.
Other mornings, it was a delicate fish broth with <a href=”https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-farine-2137937″ target=”_blank”>cassava farine</a> (finely grated and toasted cassava).
My dad, though, was into smoked herring or <a href=”https://www.thespruceeats.com/fried-sauteed-salt-fish-recipe-2138033″ target=”_blank”>saltfish buljol</a>—a savoury mix of salted cod, hot peppers, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and oil.
And now, thanks to your post, I’m suddenly starving!
Turns out, it’s not just Great Blue Herons that enjoy fish for breakfast! In the Caribbean islands where I grew up, fish was a breakfast staple. On Bequia, where my mum and grandparents are from, we’d start the day with fried fish and fried cou-cou (a dish similar to polenta but with a silky texture), or fried breadfruit—sometimes paired with fried plantains.
Other mornings, it was a delicate fish broth with cassava farine (finely grated and toasted cassava). My dad, though, was all about smoked herring or saltfish buljol—a savoury mix of salted cod, hot peppers, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and oil.
And now, thanks to your post, I’m suddenly starving!
Wow. Those meals sound delicious. Now that I think of it, the whole idea of different foods just for breakfast is a bit arbitrary. After all, I’ve been known to eat things like leftover pizza for breakfast. Bon appétit!