Video submitted by Cora Lee.

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Arcata resident Cora Lee sends along this video she recently captured of a great blue heron stalking and killing an unsuspecting little rodent (a mole?)  from a lawn in Arcata. 

We may tend to think of these elegant birds more as fish eaters, but they’re not picky. A great blue heron will eat pretty much any species big enough for a meal, including amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, small mammals and even other birds.

The Cornell Lab’s All About Birds website describes their methods of stealthy hunting:

Hunting Great Blue Herons wade slowly or stand statue-like, stalking fish and other prey in shallow water or open fields. Watch for the lightning-fast thrust of the neck and head as they stab with their strong bills.

Ah, the circle of life.