Florida Wildlife - Part I

Having spent time in Southern Florida recently, I was thrilled to come across unfamiliar wildlife along with opportunities to see old favorites, like Great Blue Herons, in a different region than I'm used to seeing them. 




                                                                  Purple Gallinule

Anhingas

Glossy Ibis

Tricolored Heron

Cattle Egret

Florida Softshell Turtle

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck

Great Blue Heron

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Limpkin

Green Heron

Wood Stork

Great Egret

Wild Alligators from the Swamps of Southern Florida

I recently traveled to the southern part of Florida.  Besides spending time with dear family, we spent time in the wetlands and coastal waters and I came away with hundreds of images of the flora, fauna, and picturesque beauty this part of Florida can certainly boast about!  Among them, wild alligators.




                                       You never know when or where one will rise to the surface.
                        Sometimes they're already there--Sometimes you just don't see them.  At first.

                                                                Others bask in the sun.

                                             ...and I could take my sweet time observing them.

The look in this alligator's eyes is kind of scary to me!

With my imagination running wild, I can almost hear it growl: "I want a piece of you!"

This was a little eerie, with just it's face exposed in the sunlight.

Lurking in murky waters.....

One of these youngsters perfected stillness in mucky water...

The other prefered clear water.

A little whimsy.......