The Perils of Life on the Bayou

Life on the Bayou is usually a pretty laid back existence...except if you are one of the critters that inhabit the area. Then daily trials begin and end with the ability to eat but not be eaten. It is a constant struggle for most of the animals. The food chain can be dangerous! This morning early, the Bottlenose Dolphins were busy hunting mullet. These mammals work together to corral the fish. They made huge loping circles around the mullet schooling them in tight wads. Once they had a good many in one area, the feeding would begin. The dolphins would dive deep and come up under the mullet. Their huge swells would send mullet jumping every which way. The dolphins would even toss mullet high above the water. Again and again, they would chase the mullet into a tight mass only to devour them. This large, marine mammal is near (if not at) the top of the food chain in the Bay. I love watching the teamwork of the dolphins.

I could not get a clear picture of the Bald Eagle that was fishing for mullet. The eagle was following along after the dolphin pod. It was in hopes of catching a fish for its breakfast but these hopes were dashed when another raptor intervened. The Osprey decided that there were not enough fish in the Bay for the Bald Eagle to have any so it started darting at the larger bird. Again and again, it swooped at the eagle. Eventually, the Bald Eagle gave up on the fish and headed inland. The Osprey had won the fishing rights to the Bay and soon took up the Bald Eagle's game. The mullet were in constant danger from both below the water and the sky above.

A bit later near the marsh edge, another bit of the food chain was at work. Crabs usually eat whatever they can find that is already dead. Occasionally, they will catch small minnows and fish but more likely than not, they are the prey. When the crabs are small, most everything eats them. Most fish love dining on small crabs, shore birds will eat every one they can catch and even other crabs will make a meal of their neighbor. When the Blue Crab is in its soft-shell stage (when it is shedding its old shell), it is easy prey for anything that wishes to have a meal. The crab at this point is powerless to escape much less defend itself. For hours on end, the crab depends purely on luck to survive. It is helpless...but it is a different story when it is in its hard-shell stage. Then the prey can become the predator as was the case this morning.

A crab was easily seen in the about four inches of water near the marsh. This crab had hunted down and caught its meal for the day. It had actually caught another predator. The crab was scooting itself out into deeper water where it immediately buried itself and its dinner in the soft mud. At first glance, I was not sure just what in the world the crab had in its claws. The glint of the sun on the water made it difficult to see but once the crab was in the shade of the marsh grass, things were different. This Blue Crab had a death hold on my little Garter Snake! It was heading to deeper water to drown the snake! My poor little snake friend had succumbed to the food chain of the Bayou! Never once had it occurred to me that crabs would eat snakes! Good bye, Little Snake!

~Today was Hubby's birthday! We celebrated by having a perfectly lazy day! As much as the hallway needed finishing, we decided that fishing was much more important! I wish I could say that he caught this large red fish today but sorry, this is one from a fishing trip this past winter. (I just liked this picture!) Everyone needs a day like this! Happy Birthday, Mark! ~