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Great Blue Heron with Greater Siren

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3 replies
Posted by Bill Stice on April 14, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Great Blue Heron with Greater Siren
I was in Charleston, SC this past week at the Magnolia Plantation Swamp Walk. Got this shot of the Great Blue Heron attempting to eat this Siren. He wrestled with it for about twenty minutes and finally lost it. I shot it with a Nikon D300 and a 600 F4 lens. I had asked a park ranger in Frances Marion National Forest the identity of the amphibian and was told an Amphiuma. I did some additonal research and have determined that this is actually a Greater Siren.
Posted by SAILFREE on April 14, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Great shot. I thought it was a snake (they freak me out) but looked up "greater siren" and found it was an eel. Color and sharpness are excellent! :toast:
Posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 15, 2009 at 9:03 PM
The Greater Siren Siren lacertina is only eel-like. It is actually a primitive type of salamander.

http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/salamanders/sirlac.htm

I ran into exactly the same battle at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. I did not stay for the entire battle, but the "eel" was giving as good as it got when I left. Your shot was at least in the open, Robert. Mine stayed partially hidden in the reeds, and I never got a clear shot.
Posted by Richard Bernabe on April 19, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Great drama! Must have been exciting to watch.