Predators on the River come in all shapes and sizes, but yesterday evening I saw one of the most powerful killer birds in action. The huge Blackback gull, it may well have been the one that killed the cygnet back in May. These are incredibly powerfull birds and will take rabbits and other small animals as well as birds. It was pitiful to see a fully grown duck trying to escape the powerfull beak of the blackback, and was pretty savage to watch. The duck was hauled over the rocks to shallower water and ferociously torn. I have seen them take ducklings before, but not a fully grown female duck. This blackback was obviously used to taking large prey. The light was fading and it was distant moving, but the poor duck can be clearly seen trying to get away.
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