This afternoon I went to Black Bayou (Surprised?) but this time I went with a friend. I took several photos of this cardinal but I had just gotten out of my vehicle and the humidity of the day had my lens fogged. You can see a cloudy pic down below at the end of the post. Anyhow, although I regard the birds as my friends, and this cardinal was singing loudly at the entrance to to the wildlife pier, this was not my friend.
I was so excited to see this lizard on a lily pad, but upon closer examination, it was an abandoned fishing lure. I wonder if the person who left it there sat there for a while and considered if there was some way to get it back (without getting in the water!). That was an interesting sight, but this lizard was not my friend.
I was super excited to see this gator not long after we got on the pier. It actually swam toward us. It looks pretty fat, but not very long - maybe 5 feet. It was hard to tell with most of its body submerged. I wondered if someone had fed it - a terrible mistake for both humans and animals alike (not to mention illegal in the Wildlife Reserve). Or maybe I looked like a good supper to him? Anyway, this was not a shy gator at all. I got several good pictures of him (her?). Click on each one if you want to see it larger.
We also saw a baby alligator who was very shy. It swam away from us under some algae and popped up a little farther away.
As much fun as it is to have gator sightings while up on the pier, these gators were not my friend. My friend who went with me to Black Bayou was Jim McConnell. He brought his camera along. The conversation was as it usually is - wide-ranging and entertaining. Time spent with Jim is time well spent, and it’s true of his wife Sally as well. I asked Jim to pose for a photographer’s profile. I’m glad he agreed.
There are two things I can count on when I go to Black Bayou. I will be refreshed by the outdoors and nature offered there. And, I’ll want to go back soon.
Thanks for reading my post and I hope you’ll hit that heart and share it if you feel it was worth a moment of your time.
Lizard was funny! Still think you ought to make a book or portfolio of your pictures! For family. If not for all.
I have always loved cardinals. I have only seen one, in real life, once. I was living in Warsaw, NY as a Latter-Day Saint missionary. Thank you for your fun pictures! The baby alligator is so cute!