Wildlife show nightmares

I finally looked this up: American oystercatcher on Sandy Hook, NJ shore among the bivalves they like to eat. This was hunted to near extinction but it has made a comeback. I hadn't seen one before last month

Although I love wildlife and reading about it, I hate watching shows about it as they usually contain  Circle of Life  material. Yeah I know predators have to eat but I don't have to watch them do it. Even trailers for these shows make me sick: there was one that featured an orca jumping to shore to snack on a baby seal with its mother helplessly looking on.

There have been two though that gave me nightmares. One was this beautifully photographed series on migrations. In order to eat, the wildebeest have to migrate with the seasons to new pasture land. Twice a year, they must cross this crocodile infested river.  The crocodiles know somehow that they are coming and are ready with gaping mouths. This is their twice a year feeding opportunity. The wildebeest know they are there and show some reluctance to plunge ahead but they must get through this. Meanwhile the photographers have mounted their fancy cameras on the banks so they can get close-ups of the ensuing slaughter. This isn't long after they showed the  hyena variety of partial birth  abortions. It sucks to be a wildebeest. It didn't take long to switch the channel but the images stuck with me.  

Then I was at Shanna's watching a special on birds. This can't be too disgusting, can it? They did a bit about why the toucan has such a long bill. To better dip into these hanging nests to eat the fledgings as their parents try to beat them back with their wings helplessly.  The little birds keep building deeper nests. The toucans with the longest beaks survive.

Yesterday my nature encounters were with the end game: road kill. aweasel and a giant bull frog. The other day I came across a newly hatched snapping turtle. Usually it is about now that their moms leave the ponds to lay eggs on land. But this year, every thing is 2-3 weeks early.