Fresh Trout for Breakfast

The fish was a trout. No sharp fins. I have seen them catch horned pout at the same location and also the same size. Their fins are very sharp. The bird speared it with its bill and the walked to shore with the fish impaled on its bill. Once on shore it repeatedly stabbed the fish with its bill a bunch of times until the fish was good and dead. Then swallowed it down whole.

Oh interesting! That must be (eaten in only 20 seconds?!) some hungry bird! Still, it seems difficult to me that the bird can deal with this large fish! So the bird was actually able to fit (swallowed alive?!) that whole thing down its long/skinny throat completely somehow?? I have never witnessed an event like this before. I feel somewhat perplexed over how it actually happens, wouldn't the fish stand a chance of escaping or even damaging (it’s sharp fins, wriggling, biting, etc.) the bird's throat/stomach if eaten in that condition?! It’s hard for me to imagine that the formidable-looking fish (wouldn't the prey also go into a desperate "survival mode" once it realized that it hit the stomach?) doesn't turn around inside the elastic gullet and how the bird can keep down/digest such an object with no issues? I don't have much knowledge about these events and am mostly curious, I appreciate any feedback/explanation. Sorry for all of the questions, have a good week ;)

The fish was swallowed whole in less than 20 seconds.. What was amazing was the capture of the fish. The heron was standing on a mudflat when he suddenly looked over his shoulder, turned and ran to the waters edge and dove in head first like a swimmer in a race. when he popped back up he had the trout in his beak. Never saw one do that before. Once I was hanging out with another heron that was wading the edge of the same pond when suddenly he flew out towards me and from about 8 feet dropped into the water like an osprey. he came up empty and had to clumsily swim back to shore.

Amazing capture! That looks like a huge fish caught and not too happy to be staring down its captor's throat here! So does the younger/inexperienced heron really manage to win the battle and gulp that whole thing okay? Does the fish put up a good fight, if eaten does the unlucky prey get swallowed wriggling all the way down as well?!