Snails meet sticky end

Look innocent, don't they?




Make no mistake, these Song Thrushes became vicious snail-killing machines within seconds.

The extreme violence took place on one of the footpaths in Bluebell Wood, Ferry Meadows, this lunchtime. The birds went foraging for snails in the vegetation but returned each time to the path, where there were obviously some nice, hard stones. Then the birds went into a frenzy of snail-bashing, whacking the hapless molluscs repeatedly until the shell came off and the tasty snack within was revealed.

And eaten.

I can't stop thinking of that poor snail from Creature Comforts...

Thanks to Weedon the Unready for kindly putting me onto these birds, even though he came out without his digiscoping kit...

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 62 with 16x eyepiece