Something to carp about! Heron missed out on a fishy banquet that might have lasted it all week

 

Gotcha! The Cleethorpes heron pounces

 

IT was like a scene from a David Attenborough TV documentary when this heron at the boating lake in Cleethorpes, near Grimsby,  snatched a carp from the water.

A struggle ensued in which the fish appeared to have perished.

If it had been an eel or a slimmer fish, it would quickly have been swallowed in one gulp.

But the dimensions of the carp were too great, and the bird was unable to figure out how to convert its prey into a meal. 

After a futile and frustrating five minutes, the heron had to admit it defeat and released the fish back into the water.

Had the carp been mortally wounded? Apparently not.

It swam off doubtless heavily bruised and severely shocked - but otherwise not conspicuously in any worse condition for its ordeal. 

                                                          

Above and below: Just too big! No way could the heron swallow its oversized prey