OK, I Get The Point!
This past week I spotted an alligator floating quietly in a back corner of the marsh all by himself. I looked at him for a bit, he looked at me for a bit. He slowly raised his head and face up just out of the water, then quickly bashed it back down making a huge splash!
I took that as a potential ‘leave me alone’ message and his point was well taken. I didn’t bother him any further…
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Nice sequence, Phil. I like looking at him right in the eye, just not in person. BTW. I have been coming for all your posts but you may not have recognized me. I am that little red cardinal gravatar. I started a new nature blog because it is “garden” season and the readers need their “gardens”.
I guess he told you!
Great captures.
Great reflection. Who knew they were familiar with sign language? You needed a gesture to respond.
It’s his way of audibly marking his territory. It’s even more fun if he makes the water dance on his back before the slap. It must be mating time on your marsh. The other fun behavior involves the gator sticking his head up and bellowing. We can hear a bit of the signalling but most is infrasound that we can’t hear because it is below our hearing range. Gators have sensory organs on their jaws and can pick up the infrasound over a great distance.
Splendide foto. In effetti sembra un pochettino arrabbiato 🙂
Ciao, Pat
These photos are just so amazingly clear and the color is phenomenal Phil ! I thought about you this morning, I had no idea they really had predators. I hope you can access the link.
http://digg.com/video/you-wont-see-this-coming-and-neither-will-this-alligator?utm_source=digg&utm_medium=email
A great series of photos. I wouldn’t be close by that crock when it starts to move like that. Great colours in that late sun.
Yikes! He looks plenty annoyed.
Very cool series, Phil! 🙂
Phil, how fast can these guys move on land. I seem to recall they are quite slow and ungainly, but do they have a turn of speed if chasing prey. Or you? RH
No smile, either!
Unbelievable shots, Phil. Everything about them is WOW! I also would have left him in peace, but at least you got what you wanted out of the encounter. 🙂
Gorgeous light in these shots Phil!
Gee Phil, maybe that was his “come hither” move. It is mating season, after all.
What a wonderful day in the in life of the marsh; loved the alligator photos.