An unhappy face

Fish never look very happy when they’re about to be eaten. This Norwegian Topknot for instance, isn’t terribly amused at being caught by a Black Guillemot:

Black Guillemot - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And this Butterfish looks equally unamused:

Black Guillemot - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s with that look in mind that I invite you to see my latest unamused fish portrait. Here’s what may be a Roach, please correct me if I’m wrong, being held neatly behind the gills by a Great Crested Grebe at the weekend.

Great Crested Grebe - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Birds are fabulous fisherfolk.

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2 Responses to "An unhappy face"

Pat Nelson says:

6 April, 2022 at 12:52 am

That first photo of the Black Guillemot is remarkable. You can see the tiny, backward facing “hooks” (I can’t find the official name for them) along the beak, which help secure the prey. In my search, I came across this tidbit:”After diving into the water of the sea, when they catch their prey which mainly consists of fish, they are known to catch hold of them within their bills for a long period of time, even hours, before finally feeding.” That’s a plus for the photographer!

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1. David @ the HALL of EINAR says:
  
  12 April, 2022 at 10:12 pm
  
  Thanks very much Pat. Yes, it’s rare to see a photograph taken close enough and in enough detail to be able to see the sawbill effect. Fascinating, isn’t it?
  I do worry about Black Guillemots hanging around for a long time with fish. They are very reluctant to give away their nest site to observers and will wait until anyone close has gone before going in to feed their chicks. I don’t think that it’s ‘a plus for the photographer’, I think it’s *because* of the photographer that they hang around. I’m rarely there when they have a fish for more than a few minutes. A photograph isn’t worth a stressed bird or a starving chick denied dinner!
  
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