# Something New On The Menu Today



## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

Lizards!

Thought you may like this one I got this morning. There is one Great Egret that I know that I go back to visit at Bay Area Park in Pasadena/Houston.
It's located next door to Armand Bayou Nature Center. Not only is there a Great Egret that I see there but many other subjects to examine and study.
This egret is the same egret that eats sparrows. How do I know this? It's because this is his territory. That and how many egrets let you get within 10 feet of it? Not many I can assure you. So the story goes on. First when I showed up I didn't see the familiar egret and snowy that I know so well. So I decided to take pictures of the domestic geese preening and sleeping or simply trying to stay warm. Oh, it was ok for a few shots. I have so many of these guys in my album I was starting to get bored. Then behold my guy flew in. Standing at the edge of the pond you can see he was curious to find his next meal.
I knew it was him right away. Then my luck a guy with a cast net was throwing for bait fish to throw in his bucket. The man with the cast net couldn't stay because of a park attendant told him something and so he had to leave. But he did leave a couple fish and so the egret gobbled them up right away. Yeah, he was watching and knew the drill.
After he got those he flew over to another part of the pond...Not far..Just to check out a new division of the pond hoping for some food. So there we were. Him and I. Waiting and lurking. He didn't mind my presence being that I moved so slow. I moved kind of like he did sneaking up on some prey.
Slowly I inched in to get closer shots of his facial features. What a treat it was for me. Then as he was swaying back and forth like a branch in the wind he spotted something. Was it a snake? Was it a frog? I didn't know what he was after...But he did. He knew exactly what he wanted. Then all of a sudden a strike. A big strike it was. It was a hit. He got an Anole Lizard! This is a new one on me. But then again I don't put nothing past the sparrow eater. Well, several minutes went by as the Great Egret played with his meal. A slow death it was. I can assure you. I don't think it was purpose by any means. The egret just didn't squeeze the lizard in the right place for a quick death. Ok by me as I was shooting away all positions of the lizard being attacked by the beak of the bird. Then all of a sudden the lizard gave up the fight when the egret squeezed down on his back hard enough he was done in.
Down the hatch he went with no complications. A few minutes later another one was caught the same way. Then another. Yes three! in 45 minutes or so.
Then work called me in and I had to leave the fun. So now you know about the Great Egret that has an appetite for more than just fish and sparrows.


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## MichaelW (Jun 16, 2010)

Very good photos. I really like that 2nd and 5th shots. Did you take those with your 70-200 lens.


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## Tucsonred (Jun 9, 2007)

Sandy, you just keep out-doing yourself!!


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## Reel Time (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice!


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

MichaelW said:


> Very good photos. I really like that 2nd and 5th shots. Did you take those with your 70-200 lens?


I took these with my 300mm F4 AF-S. I still use my 70-200mm a lot but just not for birding as much.

Thanks for looking!


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## MichaelW (Jun 16, 2010)

Quote "I took these with my 300mm F4 AF-S. I still use my 70-200mm a lot but just not for birding as much."

Thats good news, I bought one for my Nikon 2 week ago. Haven't had much of a chance to use it yet. I hope it takes photos as sharp as yours.

I really like the attitude of the lizard in that 2nd photo.


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## Fisher Lou (May 16, 2005)

Great captures Sandy with a great white in action. Very sharp indeed.


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

Those are really some nice shots Sandy.What kind of critter did he catch?Lizard I know but does it have name?

dick


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Nice shots! I think the egrets and herons will eat anything they can catch and swallow. I had a great blue chase a cat in our yard and down the block. It was quite funny watching the cat stalking the heron until the heron noticed the cat. Stalk was over and the cat was running for it's life..


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

dicklaxt said:


> Those are really some nice shots Sandy.What kind of critter did he catch?Lizard I know but does it have name?
> 
> dick


Green Anole Lizard in brown phase. They change colors depending on their environment.


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

Arlon said:


> Nice shots! I think the egrets and herons will eat anything they can catch and swallow. I had a great blue chase a cat in our yard and down the block. It was quite funny watching the cat stalking the heron until the heron noticed the cat. Stalk was over and the cat was running for it's life..


Love to see a video of that one!


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