Morning Meeting
Early this morning we saw some wood storks, a great egret, and a great blue heron all standing next to a tiny island in the marsh pond. They looked like they were all ready to start a meeting but needed to wait until everyone had arrived. We weren’t sure if this was the arrival they were expecting or not, but an alligator decided to join the group and settle in comfortably on the island.
The birds stood around and actually appeared a little confused about their new “member”…had he actually been invited?…if so, by who? Deciding that since he was already there, and seemed ok, the meeting continued. Well, after about 10 minutes the meeting concluded and all the birds departed the area leaving the new guy alone. With all business now completed, the alligator also left the island and floated off to his next assignment. We’re hoping that all issues were successfully discussed and a mutual agreement was reached!
Ist das Krokodil satt oder mag es keine Vögel 😀
Tolle Fotos!!
Der Alligator gerne die Vögel! 😀
Ich bin froh, dass du wie auf den Fotos!
Incredible photos, Phil. It really does look like they were having a good old amicable confab. That alligator looks very friendly. 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Well…he looks sorta friendly. 🙂
Thanks for checking out these pics and enjoy your weekend!!
such a crisp gator picture i would think the gator to at least try to eat one of those birds
No the gator was more interested in waiting for the sun to come out so that he could take a nice nap.
Of course that same alligator did end up chasing two or three smaller ones around the pond. Must have been in a cranky mood after the birds left. 🙂
Thanks for looking!
Wonderful pictures as ever Phil. As you say, they certainly look as though they’re having a meeting. The ‘gator decided he’d join in and that seemed perfectly reasonable to him. The housemartins, of which there are a number that visit here each summer, regularly get together on the electric wires first thing in the morning and chat, very excitedly for half an hour or so before they all fly off and get on with their day. In fact, you can just see them on the wire in my weekly photo challenge post, mine. Not sure what the housemartins would make of an alligator. Cause quite a stir I’d imagine.
Thanks very much for viewing these photos, glad you enjoyed them!
I guess those housemartins would not appreciate an alligator visit but they are fairly fast flyers so probably no worries. 🙂
Great pics again – I’m guessing the alligator had already fed – lucky birds!
Thanks I’m glad you liked these pics!
That alligator did not seem to be hunting for food at all this morning which was a bit surprising.
He seemed to be more interested in being a pain in the neck to some other alligators that had the nerve to be swimming in his pond. 😯 😀
Amazing, Phil. 🙂
Thanks a bunch Robin!
Wonderful pictures with a great story!
Well I really appreciate that Chris!
Reminds me of some of the meetings I have attended!! Love stopping by…I always leave with a smile and a story!
Heh heh, yeah I know what you mean. I have been in a few meetings where reptiles were present. 😀
Thanks for checking out these photos!
🙂
I think you should have stepped in and organized this chaotic meeting! Nicely played.
Thanks much!
I suppose I could have offered to moderate the meeting, but this looked like kind of a rough crowd. They may not have appreciated my efforts.
Cool pics. Looks like the birds were waiting forthe boss to receive orders.
Thanks and yeah I think he was in charge of this meeting for sure!
Well, isn’t there a lot to learn from animal behaviour… Oh yes, watch out for the friendly looking one, one fine day…
We really enjoy watching the various situations the wildlife will get themselves into. That’s probably 90% of the fun right there! 🙂
I wonder what was on the agenda! Great shots!
I’m sure they had important business to discuss. Pond maintanence, territorial disputes, fish allocations, flying and swimming patterns need to be established etc. These are some serious matters! 😀
Thanks for looking Conor!
OK so stupid question….how come the gator doesn’t mess with the birds? Is foul not on his diet? I know they feed them chicken from the boats here in Louisiana on the Swamp Tour. At any rate…that last shot? Well…WOW!!! awesome!
Well you are right, the alligators certainly are not vegetarians, they can ideed eat a bird.
But we have seen this type of scenario many times where the birds seem to know that the gator is not in feeding mood, and the birds apparently do not feel threatened.
If an alligator was hunting for birds it would not normally attack on land. It would go into stealth mode and approach silently from under the water.
Also, even though the gator is quite fast, so are the birds. One wing flap and they can be away in an instant, even birds like these large waders.
Thanks for checking out the pics Mitzi!
amazing!
Thanks much!
😉 Poor alligator – isn´t winged, has no friends … but looks quiet content.
I know, he is left out of all the bird fun. I think sometimes they get depressed with no friends.
Oh well…such is life 🙂
It was probably a secret meeting and now you’ve gone and outed them to the humans 😉
Love the pics, Phil.
Thanks a bunch for checking these out!
It’s true, they should have held this meeting behind closed doors, now we are aware of their secret plans for pond domination. Scary stuff 😯 😀
very special pictures, you would expect that the alligator was gonna attack the birds…!!!Agnès
Thanks very much for looking and for your kind comments!
The gang’s all here!
What wonderful images… So indicative of a swamp scene. Love them!
Oh it was quite a gang too! 😀
Even though the alligator was the one who showed up late I don’t think anyone was going to call him on it.
He kind of gets to do whatever he wants mostly… 🙂
Glad you like these pics!
Really cool. It’s not too often you see the gators up on their legs walking around. Nice catch!
Thanks! Yes it is cool to see one walking. Probably the closest thing we have to a living dinosaur.
What a great looking gator! And what an entourage around him.
I’m sure he thinks very highly of himself and his attractive appearance!
Looks like it did help him to gather an entourage. 😀
Thanks for looking!
Wonderful critter shots. We share some of the same winged variety, but certainly no alligators – I think I’m quite happy to do without them.
Thanks, I’m happy you enjoyed viewing these photos!
I’m sure you would love to have some alligators around, they are such fun! 😛 😉
Nah… I think I’ll pass on the reptiles. 😉
Cool shots! Good thing none of the birds became lunch for the alligator.
Thanks for checking out these pics! Lucky for the birds that Mr. Gator did not seem to be in feeding mood. 😯 😀
That’s crazy! It’s amazing to be that they could all be comfortable in the same area! :+)
I still find situations like this quite interesting even though I have seen this type of behavior several times.
I see it, I have to photograph it. 😀
This is such an awesome series Phil ! I love the stories you share with these natural days. Just realized that I really am behind, so am just now catching up on my reading.
I am really happy you liked the photos and story that went along with them! 😀
Thanks as always for you visit and kind words!
Are you kidding? Your photos and stories ROCK ! Thanks Phil and always such a pleasure to visit. Now about that champagne….
This is great shots… What a moment… As you expressed, Morning meeting… 🙂 Thank you dear Phil, love, nia
I am so happy you liked seeing this “Morning Meeting” as it happened! 🙂