Gators Galore!
One thing we can count on in the swamp and marshes of lower Terrebonne Parish in the spring are hungry gators just waking up from a long winter’s nap.
Friday, I had the great privilege of riding along with Capt. Black Guidry on his world-famous Cajun Man’s Swamp Cruise. I was hoping to sit back, relax, and get some good photos along the way, and my efforts were rewarded in a grand way.
Instead of pumping you full of interesting facts and trivia about the American Alligator and how important they are to the economics of the wetlands down here, I’ll just keep it short, sweet, and share with you the photos of some of the gators we watched.
The most amazing thing to me was how docile these alligators appeared, totally undisturbed by our presence.
And by the way, I hope she’s reading this post, because the winner of the photo giveaway is Donnakay Church! Donna, please contact me via this blog and we’ll go from there on what photo you would like to have.
Now, enjoy!
I call the above gator Wade. He’s just a little different from all the other gators. I feel a story coming on!
And then there were a couple other sights I’d like to share with you.
This Cherokee Rose, which has an interesting Native American folk legend behind it.
The Anhinga (or snake bird) drying its wings.
And what might possibly be my photo of the year . . . . “Gator Love”
Finally, watching over us all was this “Regal Eagle”.
I’m in a mad dash to help finish preparations for Pyrate Day this Saturday, so be watching for a post and photos about that grand event next week!
Just in case you’re interested, this hit the newsstands yesterday!
BW
nice pix. Winter coming back here I am having Loozy fantasies again. My tumors are still shrinking and I am feeling a bit better every week.
Well, that is great news. Watched MD pass in the pre-dawn this morning, pulling his boat, headed south on a trout hunt, no doubt!
oh yeah? I’ll call and see if he answers….
Did he post his fishing trip on the DU site?
Wow… great selection of photos. You have plethora of gators!
Good catch on that eagle. Such majestic birds. I’ve been watching a couple of eagle cams this past few weeks.
Wonderful news, Blu! I’m praying that those nasty cells disappear and that you’ll be back to your old, ornery self soon. (Smile)
Love the pic of the Eagle! Did y’all see the nest? I’ve seen a nest, but I’ve never seen the occupant!
The next was nearby, but Capt. Black took us on the “more gator” route and not past the next. There is a nest very hear my house, visible from the highway, and I can see both parents and the juvenile either on the nest or on the tree branches! By May, they will all be gone again!
I’ve heard the legend about the Cherokee Rose but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the plant. If they’re around here, I’ve just never been in the right place at the right time to see one.
I finally have figured out how to tell the difference between the cormorant and the ahinga. We have more cormorants here. That photo of Wade is great – really attractive. And I’m assuming that’s a mama and baby you’ve got up there. If it isn’t, it’s a May/December relationship! 😉
So good to see these pics – now I’m going to go read about the Cherokee Rose.
And you figured this out by A)the shape of the beak/bill 2)their coloring? It’s a “feel-good” idea that the gators are mother and baby, but Capt. Black seemed to think the small gator was oblivous that he was lying on another gator, instead, he thinks it thought it was lying on a log!!! While the Cherokee Rose is hard to find and beautiful and has a couple interesting folklore behind it, it is a non-native plant 🙁
There is an alligator who is best friends with a turtle on Bayou Dularge on the left heading up the Bayou–just before you get to Evergreen (Crozier.) First time I saw them the turtle was hugging the gator. I wish I could have gotten a photo because it sounds unbelievable and is hard to describe. Yesterday gator was asleep with his/her head resting on the turtle’s back. Look for them-they are an amazing pair.
Monica, thanks for letting me know about this. I will keep an eye out for them with camera in tow.
Way to go, girl! I somehow missed the link to the newspaper article the first time around.
Hope ya’ll are having fun with Pyrate Day and getting the word out to not be a litter bug.
BTW, we have the same problem here. Our beaches and marshes are full of junk. It should be everyone’s credo that, if you take it in with you, you take it out.
With a few exceptions: A good 30 years ago, Hubby and I went up to visit Dad one weekend after Mom passed and before he remarried. Dad offered to take the two of us out into Sparkleberry Swamp. I’d been with him before but Hubby hadn’t.
As usual, we packed a small cooler with ice, sodas, a few beers, sandwiches, fresh local peaches and last, but not least, a big zip lock bag of home-boiled peanuts.
When we popped open the bag of peanuts, Dad and I happily slurped and ate and tossed the hulls over the side. Hubby freaked because we were ‘littering.’ This is the man that will pick up trash on the street and carry it until he reaches a trash can, bless his heart.
Dad and I laughed and reminded him that peanut hulls were vegetable matter and, thus …. biodegradable.
“Oh. Oh, yeah, they are. Ok.” LOL
Just found your blog. Love it. Love the photos of the alligators. Recently wrote a couple of children’s books about the white Leucistic alligators and the Mandalay Swamp. They are available at the Southdown Plantation Museum Gift Shop and the Waterlife Museum. I also do acrylic canvas paintings of alligators.