@marksmithphotos: The anhinga aka snakebird, water turkey, piano bird or as I like to call them “Amazing Aquatic Dino from Jurassic Park 23.” When it comes to eating, these birds always find themselves in a rather curious and bizarre predicament. With the grace of an underwater ballerina and the enthusiasm of a medieval jouster, the Anhinga uses its long, pointy beak to spear fish while gliding through swampy waters. And since they’ve got no arms, no hands, and not a single finger in sight, removing said fish becomes a full-on physics lesson. They must somehow remove the fresh catch without dropping it. How in the world do they manage this? With a skill that is honed sharper than their own beak. They carefully toss the fish into the air. Spin it so it goes down headfirst and at the final millisecond before release they apply a brilliant little twist, a subtle flick that arcs the fish perfectly back down the hatch. One thing’s for certain. Anhingas don’t need chopsticks. Glad I’m not a fish and so happy to have hands.

Mark Smith

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Sunday 01 June 2025 12:40:18 GMT