This American Alligator was one of 15 or 20 that I spotted lounging along the banks of the waterways of Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive the other day. “American alligators are large crocodilians found only in the United States. They can grow to be more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) in length and weigh as much […]
Tag Archives: American Alligator
The ‘gator didn’t move a muscle – he just sat there, smack in the middle of the path. Should I just turn around and go the other way?! (This trail happens to be bordered on both sides by swampy waterways that are frequented by American Alligators.) But the guy above who was walking toward me […]
One of our favorite places to bird is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in southwest Florida. It was the last place we visited just before the pandemic – Who knew~!?!?!The Red-Shouldered Hawks were making a lot of noise overhead near the entrance, and the baby American Alligators were as quiet as can be back in the […]
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck (BBWD) above was the designated sentinel of the day, keeping a close watch over the 15 or more fluffy, black and yellow ducklings swimming about nearby with their ‘guardians’.It had been raining all day, and the worst of a severe thunderstorm had just passed. We surmised later that it may have been […]
There is something very exciting about watching a mama American Alligator guarding her nest for weeks all summer long, and then finally seeing these tiny creatures emerge in the fall! These 2 week old baby gators are no more than about 8-10 inches long. What a treat to watch the babies clamber all over one another and the […]
I guess this should go without saying (!) . . . .But sometimes humans really need to be reminded about the importance of being VERY cautious in areas where American Alligators are present.American Alligators are truly a relic from the past (National Geographic). These prehistoric-looking creatures, who are common in the wetlands of the southern […]
I was wandering along, hoping to spot some of the elusive baby ducks, when all of sudden, I noticed this odd, striped, curved shape object (featured above) in the pond on my left. Somehow, it just didn’t look like a plant….! The pond on my right was open and deep, with lots of Lilypads floating […]
My husband and I were recently inspired to take a long drive to Central Florida, several hours north of us, to hear two wonderful experts from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) speak about ‘birding and habitat restoration along Israel’s Rift Valley, a major flyway of the world.’ Dan Alon, Director of […]
Every morning there is something new and beautiful to see on my walk. This view of the sunrise above was the first sight to greet me as I stepped on to the boardwalk this morning at 7:30 am. What a glorious way to begin the day!! A few steps along the boardwalk, this big ol’ […]
Just paying a little tribute to some OTHER, delightful friends I see every day in the Wetland preserves ~!Red-bellied Turtle baby trying to keep up with Mama! This Raccoon forgot to go back to bed! Scurrying off for one last taste of breakfast this morning. “Even though I admit to looking quite intimidating, I swear, […]
Birder's Journey 