Yellow Crested Night Heron Catches Fiddler Crab

This handsome Yellow-Crested Night Heron was hiding in the grasses of a shallow marsh along the service road in Eagle Point Park, New Port Richey, Florida. Located not too far inland from the Gulf of Mexico, Eagle Point Park is located on fingers of land that jut out into brackish waters that are influenced by the tides. These brackish waters create salt barrens that are havens for the Fiddler Crab. A fiddler crab is a little crab that has one GIANT claw that is useful in attracting a mate and another claw that is in proportion to its body.

Just before dusk, all of the Fiddler Crabs seem have come out at once and were crawling all over the service road. We could not walk without stepping on a few. This Yellow-Crested Night Heron, also could not resist. He took advantage of this easy hunt and came out in plain sight to catch a few. We were able to get fairly close as he was more engrossed with the Fiddler Crabs and less concerned about the presence of my son and I. A moment of a life time that will always be remembered by my son and I.