Fishing birds help each other at Market Lake

As I drove on nan almost barren ponds of Market Lake Management Area, I noticed respective awesome bluish herons flying on nan dike heading south. Then I saw a flock of 8 double-crested cormorants arsenic they appeared to beryllium chasing mini catfish successful nan heavy h2o on nan dike.

The cormorants spaced themselves astir 2 feet from each different arsenic they swam, past dove successful unison. When they surfaced, respective of them usually had a mini catfish aliases chub successful their bill. The chubs were easy for nan birds to quickly position nan repast and swallow them head-first. The catfish were a different story; pinch their spines conscionable down their head, they made it difficult for nan cormorants to swallow.

Part of a statement of double-crested cormorants hunting for food astatine Market Lake. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

When 1 of nan big cormorants captured a catfish, young cormorants followed nan adults, begging to beryllium fixed their brunch. Sometimes nan stunned aliases killed food would beryllium fixed to a young vertebrate to activity connected arsenic nan remainder of nan flock continued hunting nan heavy water.

If nan cormorants came to a spot of h2o weeds, they would get retired of nan picket statement and hunt for hiding food successful nan weeds. The herons would get into nan shallow separator of nan pools adjacent nan patches of weeds and prime disconnected nan food trying to escape. Each clip a heron would effort to seizure a food successful nan shallows, they were usually successful, but if they attempted to harvest 1 successful nan deeper water, they were unsuccessful.

This awesome bluish heron missed this effort astatine harvesting a food because nan h2o was excessively deep. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Once a heron captured a fish, it appeared to beryllium disconnected limits to nan different herons. These birds fought and jockeyed for position astir nan patches of nan weeds. I did not observe immoderate of nan big herons helping nan young ones to seizure their fish. I did watch 1 young heron that captured a mini catfish, and it worked connected it for 20 minutes earlier it was capable to propulsion disconnected nan sharpies and swallow nan fish. Even nan big herons had trouble getting nan catfish to spell down their throat, whereas nan chubs were gone successful a flash.

This young heron harvested a mini catfish and fights to termination it arsenic an big looks on. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

After watching each this successful sportfishing for complete an hour, a awesome egret flew successful to subordinate nan sportfishing party. It captured a catfish, which was difficult to eat, but yet sewage it down. The adjacent 2 food captured by nan egret were chubs and quickly became food. I did announcement that nan egret kept a patient region from nan herons and moved distant erstwhile it was approached by nan larger birds.

A awesome egret strolls done nan shallow h2o looking for a repast astatine Market Lake. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Another photographer came by to chat.

“Boy, nan herons and nan egret really cognize really to use from nan cormorants,” she commented. “They are nosy to watch.”

As I was leaving Market Lake, 4 much awesome egrets pinch a snowy egret showed up, truthful I had to walk different hr watching them seizure their lunch. It appears that nan migration of these ample birds has begun, and Market Lake is simply a awesome spot to drawback food and capable their tummies of wiggling fish.

It besides appears nan h2o has been unopen down to nan ponds of Market Lake, leaving only nan heavy channels pinch water. The mud flats are dry, making astir of nan mini shorebirds extremity astatine different places. I saw a fewer killdeer and greater yellowlegs, but nan show put connected by nan cormorants, egrets and awesome bluish herons made it worthy nan time. It thrilled maine to beryllium capable to watch and study them.

The egret yet catches a mini chub minnow for lunch. | Bill Schiess, East Idaho News