Excuse me -- I'm talking to you . . .
"Ever have one of those days when no matter what, you just can't get anybody to pay attention to you?"
I went to Myakka River State Park recently and one of the first things I came upon was an alligator ~~ and his many visitors. I stood and watched them for about half an hour.
I spotted the gator first and thought it was just a log in the water until I got a little closer and saw that eye sticking up! All of a sudden a Tri-color Heron (in beautiful breeding plumage) flew in and started tempting fate. My heart was pounding when a Roseate Spoonbill landed and then they both tried to get that gator’s attention, but no success, he just wasn’t interested ~~or hungry. I kept thinking, should I make a fuss so the birds will fly away, or do they know what they are doing and are just used to this kind of behavior from the gators that live there. And believe me, there are lots and lots of them there. I must have seen a good half dozen just in that area.
Soon a crow . . .
. . . and then some little sandpipers joined them.
Finally the gator just lost interest and shoved off into deeper waters.
Those crazy birds and their body language ~~ you could make up a caption for just about every picture.
I had the 500mm lens on and was pretty far away from them. I knew better than to get too close.