“How about a GATOR!”

Cool mornings mean Red Slough adventures - well, until hunters flood the area. As our eyes adjusted to the pre-dawn, cloudy morning light, we saw many small creatures swimming about. I tried to photograph them, but with the lighting, their speed, and their size, I was quite unsuccessful. We knew they weren’t baby gators, but that’s what we wanted to believe. We later found out the truth!

Lilly pads are transitioning to the next stage of their cycle, and many of our summertime bird friends have begun their migration. Fall is coming! As we peered over the hill, not knowing if we would see a Nutria, a gator, or Wood Ducks, we were quite happy to come upon a siege of Green Herons! They looked so small standing on Lilly pads!

Walking along the shoreline, in places with grasses taller than us, we chatted about the excitement of the herons. Jokingly, I said, “How about a GATOR!” and stomped the ground. At this very moment, a Mufasa of a gator jumped in the water, making the loudest splash we have ever heard, so close to us! I ran from behind the grass to try and capture his greatness, but he was quick to get away to the open water. We have seen gators here before, but never this big. What a treat!

Dragonflies were all around, fluttering about between the changing cattails. This specific dragonfly, the Halloween Pennant, caught my eye. There is a spiritual meaning to this friend, and I feel like she came to bring a message (see photo for description). Water Lilies and Lotuses were showing off their inspirational beauty as well, so we paused to breathe it in ever so deeply.

Though my opinions on hunting are varied and my attitude has changed over the years, I don’t think any part of me would have ever understood why you would want to hunt Gallinules. These chicken birds are so pretty and have the cutest calls! Luckily, we saw WAY more Green Herons than Gallinules, but I was happy to see the ones we did! They looked so tiny as they stood amongst the towering Lily pads! A couple of months ago, I took a photo of a daddy Common Gallinule with his two chicks, and I’d like to think these are the same ones .. how fun!

Storms were all around as the sun would gently peak through the shifting clouds. Taking shelter under a tree, soft rains began to fall from the sky, gifting us another moment to pause and breathe in the wildness around us. Venturing on, we saw three Nutria, a cute little doe, a Viceroy (though at the time I thought it was a Monarch), and we learned that our “baby gator” buddies were actually Broad-banded Water Snakes!

A lot of our summertime birds have gone, and a few winter birds have arrived - I just love it when the seasons collide in such a way! We saw an American Bittern, flocks of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a few Double-crested Cormorants, an Anhinga, Red-winged Blackbirds, Pied-billed Grebes, Egrets and Herons of all sorts, and up close Turkey Vultures. I even got a new bird, the Northern Rough-winged Swallow! These little things were so fast as they darted around catching insects in the early morning light.

What an incredibly beautiful morning with the love of my life. How grateful I am that he loves nature and longs to be in her silence. I am the luckiest. 🦋