The unlucky lizard became entangled within a bird’s mouth, only to wiggle away, leaving its tail behind. Salah Baazizi, 46, an amateur wildlife photographer residing in Orange County but originating from Algeria, took time away from his work as a software developer to capture the stunning event.
Salah filmed the horrifying scene of an Egret feasting on a lizard while watching from roughly 10 meters away at the Bolsa Chica Wildlife Conservancy in Southern California. He began seriously photographing animals seven years ago and now specializes in birds in action.
“Egrets generally fish in wetlands, but on this particular sunny hot winter day, I witnessed this Egret searching in some strange areas where it eventually stalked and hunted lizards,” Salah said. I suppose the heat had a factor in the lizards congregating in open, sunlit regions to maintain their body temperature.
“Egrets are skilled stalkers who consume mostly fish but also just about any live species they can swallow; their diet includes birds, rodents, fish, insects, worms, dragonflies, and snakes.”