We watched this cormorant struggle with this oversized fish for almost ten minutes from our position on one of the trails at Warner Boyce Salt Springs State Park. Finally, he gave up, dove down, and came up with a smaller fish which he swallowed immediately!
The incident took place quite far away from our position, requiring binoculars. I attempted many shots with my Canon 100 – 400 mm fully extended. This one, the key moment when he finally got the fish in place and unsuccessfully attempted to swallow was the only one to come out. Being there is the major factor in getting the best nature photography. In this case, however, luck lent a helping hand!