[BITList] For the Fisherman - Cormorant who bit off more than he could chew

[John Feltham]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096399/A-real-choker-Peckish-cormorant-attempts-gobble-5lb-PIKE.html
Cormorant who bit off more than he could chew: Peckish bird tries (and fails) to gobble down 5lb PIKE

By David Baker

Last updated at 1:10 PM on 4th February 2012


A ravenous cormorant found its lunch a bit too hard to swallow after diving to snare a 5lb pike.

The greedy seabird had come inland for a meal at the Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve in Kent before trying desperately to gulp down the huge pike.

Having thrashed around on the surface of the water for around five minutes it appeared to have won the battle, swallowing most of the pike's body.


Lunchtime: The greedy cormorant manages to get the 5lb pike and tries desperately to swallow it whole

But just when it seemed like it was ready to move on to dessert it suddenly regurgitated the freshwater pike having decided it was simply too big to go down.

Adamant that he could finish the fish in one it made one more token attempt, seizing the pike again, before finally giving up. 

The pike floated away and photographer, 68-year-old Fred O'Hare, who took the amazing pictures was unsure whether it survived.


Fish supper: The seabird looks to have won the battle with the 5lb pike


Struggle: The cormorant's eyes are clearly to big for its belly as it gives up on the large fish

Mr O'Hare, a retired fireman from West Wickham, Kent, had turned up hoping to photograph another bird, a bittern, but his lens was attracted to the life or death battle between the cormorant and the pike.

He said: 'I saw the cormorant surfacing with something and couldn't make out what it was to start with. It became apparent it was a pike and it was clearly too big for the cormorant.

'It tried really hard to swallow it but got fed up in the end and the pike drifted off. I've never seen anything quite like that before.'
There are thought to be around 24,000 wintering cormorants in the UK. 

Some species of cormorant can dive to a depth of 45 metres in the hunt for fish.


Determined: After one final bid to eat the pike the cormorant finally admitted defeat and let the fish go


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