“Look Ma! No Hands”/Anhinga Fishing



On our recent daybreak excursion we saw some beautiful creatures.  Watching their rituals is one of the highlights of photography for me.  Although I wish the light had been better, I snapped a dozen photos of this anhinga fishing and managed to get a few that I thought were pretty good.




The anhinga catches its prey any way it can, then proceeds to maneuver it into a position that will be manageable for it to swallow.

Sometimes just a shift of the beak will do it.



But at other times a little more ‘finesse’ is required…..




As well as some pure talent!  How about that flip, folks?




And ‘breakfast is served’!


Now where can I dry my wings……




Ahhhh…..salutations, Morning!

CKP copyright photos

33 thoughts on ““Look Ma! No Hands”/Anhinga Fishing

      1. Hahaha. Nice. Animals in the wild have pure knowledge. Untainted. I was watching those beautiful, flamboyant, colourful birds of paradise do their seductive dance. There is talent there, my dear friend. Pure talent. Everyone has their unique style, and it is superamazing. They really do know how to please their females. Animals are Number 1.


      2. Indeed, there is plenty to learn from the animals. How they care for their young, how they work together, their patience, their understanding of the earth and the environment, their endurance, etc. On the other hand, I don’t what they can learn from us. They have everything they need to survive without us. As you say, they were here first. They are better.


      3. Anthillls have air-conditioning. So do the complex nests by certain birds. And beavers are practically hydroengineers. Crocodiles, with all their teeth and ravenous appetite, can fill their mouths with their newly hatched babies without scratching even one. And I have video where, after tragic deaths of hundreds of wildebeests during their annual crossing of River Mara, the hippos cleaned the river by pushing the carcasses to the banks. The mole, although living underground, has a toilet place separate from its dwelling. I could go on and on my friend. I have watched too many animal videos. I love them. One thing I know, animals don’t just follow instincts. They are very smart and they are capable of complex decisions. But we, humans, because we struggle to make sense of the world, we imagine animals are stupid. As the saying goes, a fool only sees fools.


      4. I agree. They are industrious, tenacious, cunning and creative. By criticsl thinking I mean worry and trying to avoid difficult tasks. They have no problem with labor and know their survival depends on symbiosis, whereas humans are under the delusion that they don’t need to blend or work with others or nature.

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      5. Thank you! I have enjoyed it as well. I miss talking with you. I just watched a video of sea otters. Talk anout talented. Swimming and eating at the same time. I could watch ocean creatures all day long.

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    1. Thanks Dan. They are so quick it is easy to miss this ritual unless you watch carefully. The first time I saw one in the water I thought it was a snake! Heron’s are so stealthy when they hunt and fish. An still graceful!

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    1. This is an anhinga. They do seem similar when the anhinga’s wings are not visible. The cormorant has a shorter wingspan and are dark gray to black looking. When the anhinga spreads its wings to dry you can see the blue and white contrast. When it stretches its neck it appears to br fluffy like fur. My last post had mor colorful shots of them. What is a Shag? I have never heard of it.

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