I was photographing birds at the Sally Jones West Causeway in Oklahoma’s Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge when I captured this rare moment. A Great Egret swallowed a Crappie whole in front of me. This stretch of the refuge consistently produces strong opportunities for bird photography, especially for large wading birds that hunt along shallow water edges.
How a Great Egret Hunts and Swallows a Crappie
Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons work this area regularly. The narrow causeway concentrates fish and creates an ideal feeding zone. As a result, birds often face brief but intense moments when a strike turns into a struggle with oversized prey.
I have seen similar behavior here from Great Blue Herons as well, including this moment when a Great Blue Heron swam with a Crappie after a successful catch at the same location: Witnessing a Great Blue Heron’s Daring Fishing Feat
To get the shot of the Great Egret, I used the same vehicle-based setup I rely on for photographing Great Blue Herons in similar situations. I parked along the auto tour road and rested my camera and lens on a bean bag across the open window. This approach gives me stability without leaving the truck, which helps keep birds calm and allows me to stay ready for fast action.
Moments like this are why I return to places like the Sally Jones West Causeway. The behavior is unpredictable, and no two encounters feel the same. This image shows both the strength of a Great Egret as a hunter and the challenge of handling large prey.
If you enjoy bird photography or wildlife observation, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge is worth spending time in. Slow down, watch the water, and be ready. You never know when a split-second moment will unfold right in front of you.
Technical Details:
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date Taken: June 24, 2020
- Aperture: f5.6
- Shutter speed: 1/1600 sec.
- ISO: 800
- Focal Length: 500 mm
- Lens: Canon EF 500 mm f/4L IS USM
- Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II