The great egret was observed at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, the largest saltwater marsh along the California coast. Yes, I saw other birds but I watched for many minutes as this great egret caught a fish, swiped it through the water a couple of times … was it moistening it for an easy swallow or drowning the fish so it would stop wiggling … I do not know.

A snowy egret happened to walk right past all this action as though to say, right, you caught that fish, now eat it! The great egret continued to reposition the fish and then finally swallow. Here it is all in photos:

Absolutely fascinating watching this great egret move the fish into position for it to be swallowed. I wondered at times when the great egret was repositioning the fish whether it was going to drop right out, but it did not. Watching wildlife is fascinating when we can slow down and spend minutes and not simply walk by.