This article, Juggle Twice Swallow Once… shares a selection of 16 images of a Great Blue Heron juggling, then swallowing, a fish it caught. This series of images was captured hand-held using the Pro Capture mode of my Olympus OM-D E-M1X.
The E-M1X allows for some customization when using the Pro Capture mode. I had my camera set to 60 frames-per-second, with 20 frames captured pre-shutter release and 30 frames post shutter release. We’ll have a look at the action in the Juggle Twice Swallow Once series beginning at Frame 14. This first portion of the Pro Capture run will take us to Frame 21.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.
When using the E-M1X’s Pro Capture mode in High, i.e. 60 frames-per-second, it is to be expected that some of the images will only show a tiny bit of subject movement. In the case of this Pro Capture run, the Great Blue Heron paused for a moment with the fish in its beak after catching it in mid-air the first time. I left these ‘heron pause’ frames out of this article.
Let’s rejoin the Juggle Twice Swallow Once action sequence at Frame 41.
After this point the fish quickly disappeared down the heron’s gullet.
A couple of other photographers were also capturing this same action sequence. As I heard their camera shutters clacking off frames, I knew that neither one of them had anywhere near the amount of detailed action sequencing that I was able to capture using the E-M1X’s Pro Capture mode.
Being able to capture action like this at 60 frames-per-second (including pre-shutter release frames) gives a photographer a leg up in terms of getting full resolution RAW files that many other folks miss.
If you’re interested in learning why renowned wildlife photographers like Andy Rouse, and Petr Bambousek are now using Olympus gear, you can use the links provided.
Technical Note:
Photographs were captured hand-held using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. All images were produced from RAW files using my standard process, and are displayed as 100% captures without any cropping.
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Hi Tom,
Interesting behavior — like playing with food.
It goes without saying that the capture is a spectacle, as always.
Oggie
http://www.lagalog.com
Hi Oggie,
This behaviour is very common, but happens so fast that we tend not to really notice it. This juggling happens so the birds can swallow a fish head first so it doesn’t get stuck in their throats.
Tom
Tom,
You’re right! The action is usually really quick to follow (thanks to you, the sequence shows the action clearly)…
To quote from Pennington.com:
“Herons also lack the equipment to carry fish back to the nest to feed their young, so they swallow their catch and bring it back to the nest in their own stomach. They regurgitate the food onto the nest floor for their young to eat. Heron nestlings probably figure out that they should swallow fish headfirst when eating the fish their parents regurgitated. ”
Oggie
Thanks for adding the quotation Oggie… sounds yummy! lol
Tom
Remarkable technology, spectacular sequence.
I’m glad you enjoyed the sequence Jim!
Tom