Darter with dinner.....

We posted a pic of a Darter a few weeks ago, so I'll add some of the text from that photo.

 

Darter "Anhinga melanogaster."

Also known as.....Diver, Needle-beak Shag or Snake bird.

The Darter is a fishing bird related to cormorants with a stiletto like bill and snake like neck. They swim underwater and often impale small fish etc with a sudden thrust forward of their neck and open bill.

On the surface, Darters swim with their body submerged and only their neck and head visible, hence the name "snake-bird."

 

A couple of days ago I went for a walk down near the lagoon and mudflats near were we live. Whilst watching some water birds at a distance this Darter came walking out of the water dragging this still struggling fish!

 

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get very close due to the mud and surrounding vegetation. Hence these shots are at the max 200mm and cropped.

Therefore not the best quality......but it was more the effort of this bird and the size of her dinner that we wanted to share with you. :-)

Done