On my last day in Florida with my sister, we went to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Nations Estuarine Research Reserve. (say THAT five times fast...)
What an incredible place. I wish we had known more about it and gotten there sooner because this was somewhere I could easily spend a day. I'll be back, I'm sure. It is the host location of the Florida Birding and Foto Fest. I won't make it there this year, but I'm already planning to get there next year.
We walked through a maritime forest then along a huge beautiful marsh. I took pictures of birds for a while and just marveled at where I was. As we started to walk on, I noticed something across a ditch, about 20 feet away from me. I thought it was a tire. Before I said anything to Busy, I stepped back and looked again. By god....it was an alligator! That's something this Hoosier girl turned New Yorker doesn't see every day.
I felt a short rush of panic, there was nothing between us and the gator but a bit of water and a little incline. Busy was so excited...she's lived there over a year and not seen one yet. So, of course we took pictures. I knew my family wouldn't believe me if I didn't.
9 comments:
Kat
These are wonderful pictures! So, how many times did you ask those pelicans to line up again for take off so that you could get the kayakers perfectly framed in the take off pattern? I remember the first time in Florida that I came across an alligator. My heart went right up in my throat, LOL! Loved the shots of the heron and egrets.
Sam
GREAT Photos!
Guana Tolomato Matanzas Nations Estuarine Research Reserve. (say THAT five times fast... I can't even say it ONE time fast!
As for the alligators - should you ever get chased by one, run in a zig zag pattern. They are fast in a straight line, but can't follow the zig zag pzttern at all. It works, I know from personal experience! :) ~~Kath~~
Fl is great for pics like these...espec. for photographers like YOU! Great job.
xo,
Nancy
Kat, you are an AMAZING photographer... I was just mesmorized by that second shot. What a magnificent creature. He looks almost angelic in your photo.
All great shots!
Chelle
You got some great shots -- I like the gator best!
Martha :-)
Great pic of the alligator!!!
Joann
I love capturing these birds, but I have such a hard time getting good shots of them, just can't get close enough!
Lovely, lovely shots!
Marie
Love these...I have gotten one alligator pic since living here in Florida (5 months) but he was pretty far away. If it was closer I might have pee's myself. :)
Hey Kat! Great photos. I'm going to St. Mary's/Amelia with my brother in two weeks. I'll be posting pix, but probably not as good as these. BTW, my blog is now at http://waterboywriting.blogspot.com
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