Friday, March 20, 2009

The Dragon Hunter

Following on Thursday's theme and encounters with critters, it never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times it happens, what animals will do when you're not playing attention to them.

The lizard, he or she, is a California Fence Lizard. The lizard ran across the edge of my foot as I was standing in a parking lot waiting for a reporter and for my photo assignment to begin. I felt something brush by my foot. As I noticed the lizard and brought my camera up to make a photo, the lizard moved to the curb. I stopped moving and so did the lizard.

I know it knew I was there. It was keeping an eye on me. I wasn't going anywhere so we just watched each other for awhile. As long as I was not moving the lizard most likely did not perceive me as a threat. And I suppose in a way I was even giving the lizard some measure of projection. None of it's natural predators (besides humans) were going to mess with it so long as I stood there.

I watched the lizard as the reporter approached and shooed it into the bushes before I walked away. I could imagine a dozen insects hid underneath the canopy of that bush scooting away for safety. It's a bad day when you're on the lunch menu for a dragon.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Rick, I read this post last week and have been wracking my mind ever since to remember where a picture I made of our resident lizard (known as Mr. Lizard or Sunny)when he/she climbed up the screen of our bathroom window while it was open. It stayed very still as I ran for my camera (now you know my secret - I don't take it into the bathroom with me) and came back to shoot it's backlit self. When I find it, I'll send it on to you.