Heron eating Salmon!

My niece Rosamund and her two children arrived safely today for a wee visit. We've eaten lots of food, done lots of chatting and even managed a walk out on the islands on the river Ness despite the rain.

We were amazed to find a heron fishing in a tiny tributary that was in full spate only metres away from us. As I whipped out my camera and we held our breath he caught a salmon and then spent some time crunching it in it's mouth (to kill it?) before swallowing it whole! We watched in fascination as we could see the fish slowly go down it's long neck - the bulging shape was outlined until it must have gone into it's stomach.

Makes you wonder how he managed to digest it!