A few days ago, while I was photographing Long-tailed Ducks, there were two or three Common Loons swimming around the same area.
Common Loon swimming near Barnegat Lighthouse.
At one point, I heard a big crunching noise. Turning toward the source of the noise, I saw a Common Loon eating part of a crab that it had caught and broken apart.
Common Loon eating crab.
It practically swallowed that part, then dipped into the water and brought up several more parts to eat.
Common Loon eating crab.
Common Loon eating crab.
Common Loon eating crab.
Common Loon eating crab.
Common Loon eating crab.
After finishing the crab, it took a drink of water and tilted its head up to swallow it and perhaps the mashed up crab also.
Common Loon swallowing.
neihtn 
Gosh they must have a great digestive system …
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Perhaps, the earliest humans also had a strong digestive system. Then they learned how to make fire and cook their food …
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What an amazing sequence! Great catch for both you and the crab!
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Thank you very much!
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I have not encounter many Loons and have no photos of them, so I enjoy seeing them on your site and watching them in action, great behavior shots!
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Thank you John! Now you know what they look like.
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Loons!!! What a great name! Not quite as good as the buffleheads!
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A Loon by any name, etc. Thank you Emma!
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Fascinating images, Hien!
I still feel sorry for the bird for its unfortunate name, but maybe if it didn’t stuff its mouth so full and risk choking… 😀
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Thank you Dries! Ha, ha … There are a few books about Loons, of the avian kind, and others as well.
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Wow, never seen a crab-eating loon, great photo ops and series! ❤
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Thanks Donna! This was a first for me too.
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Fascinating!
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Thanks, Robert!
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Amazing! Your blog is probably the only place to see these photos! THANKS!
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Thank you for commenting, Helen!
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Great sequence you captured, Hien – I enjoyed the play by play. Have a great weekend!
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Thank you Eliza! I still can’t get over your super bloom photos.
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🙂 Glad you liked them. Warmer temps are triggering the bloom northward. And there is a huge Painted Lady butterfly migration going on, which I saw the start of and is still going on weeks later – millions of them! I lucked out timing this trip, for sure.
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Imagine being able to swallow that hard shell! These are wonderful photos, thank you.
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Thank you! Loons must have a strong digestive system to eat crabs with shells. It also looked to be enjoying it tremendously.
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