From Out Of The Swamp

Yesterday afternoon I saw this very large alligator lumbering up from out of the swamp…he was so long that I couldn’t fit all of him into the frame! There is a paved path along one side and he marched himself right across it and into the brush that borders a marsh pond. This gator moved in a very slow and purposeful way and I suspect from looking at it’s size that he was likely a fairly old guy. Also, if you look closely you can see that he is still covered with duckweed and other muck he picked up in the swamp.

65 thoughts on “From Out Of The Swamp”

  3. Phil, I have to tell you that my Grandad who’s well into his eighties and a true Yorkshireman through & through has just completed a computer course. He’s a long way for being proficient but is a big fan of your “amazing” pictures!

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    • Well tell your Grandad for me that I truly appreciate his interest and I’m very happy that he enjoys my photos!
      I’m guessing he may particularly like the alligators?! For some reason they seem to have almost universal appeal which I continue to be happy about. 😀

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      • As he’s never left this country apart from during the war (and then all he saw was the ship) he is fascinated by them but like me he is awed by the birds in flight and particularly birds of prey. For every picture he just says “that’s amazing that”.

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        • That is truly great for me to hear! So glad he enjoys the BIF! (birds in flight) The raptors are among my favorites, only wish I had more frequent photo ops on those. Just missed two bald eagles chasing one another around this morning. All I ended up with was more wood ducks. 😕

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  5. Another great picture of these amazing creatures Phil. I guess you have to keep your wits about you shooting in the swamp as you do. How close have you come to encounter you would rather not have had?

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    • Thanks I’m glad you like this gator pic!
      Last year in this exact same area both my wife and I were standing at the edge of the swamp looking out toward it when suddenly I had an odd feeling I should look behind me. An alligator much as you see here, had come up from out of the marsh pond and was walking right at our backs only feet away. Despite the fact that it had to bust through some rather dense brush, it never made a sound. Naturally, I shouted an expletive, and we jumped away. Had I not turned around I don’t know what would have happened. I can only imagine feeling something on my lower legs shoving me aside and looking down and seeing that animal! 😯 To this day I don’t know if the gator would have merely pushed past us and moved along, or if it would have percieved a threat and grabbed one of us by the ankle. Yikes!

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  13. You have the nicest neighbors!! They seem to drop by at the oddest times. Be careful…they have sharp teeth. But I heard they have loving hearts…not sure who told me that, but I always think the best of those who have long tails…

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    • He’s good size for sure!
      We were trying to figure out this guy’s age but it’s tough. So we are going with really old. heh heh
      In captivity I believe they can live 60 or more years. But this boy is wild so his life is much harder and it’s likely he will not get to that age.

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  21. WOW…what a beaut! or should I say brute? wonderful capture as always…he’s been in the marsh too long…look at all that green algea on top of him…

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