And I thought my baby alligator photo was cute!
"Alli Baby" by Stefano | To see more of his photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here
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Rather melancholy weather today---not what one hopes for at the New Year here in Florida. I tried to think what to post and of course the first thing I thought of was, inevitably, fireworks. But then I found these. Flamingoes! What is more of a Florida icon than a pink- and-coral giant birds photographed among primitive plants? And what is brighter or more warming to the eye?
And---having research Flickr's commons in anticipation---I just happened to have bookmarked three spectacular photographs..
Happy New Year from Florida, land of (usually) beautiful balmy winters!!
This photographer--from Iceland---submitted this particularly beautiful shot of a flock of flamingoes. I loved the variegated pinks here, from that delicate pastel to that brilliant (literal) shrimp-pink (such a 1950's color, which might be why these birds always make me think of old postcards).
'Flamingoes in Florida' by Gunna (G.J.) | To see more of her photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here)
You know, looking at this head I am amazed that paleontologists and zoologists generally took so long to see the connection between birds and dinosaurs!
"Just the final touches" by Kenny P. who has some of the most awesome wildlife photography I've seen anywhere; click that link to see much, much more | To see more photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here)
Speaking of dinosaurs, check out this bird head. "How many people have hand-fed a flamingo?" she inquires. One of her commenters writes, "This is nuts. Are they specialized flamingo pellets? I tend to lose sight of the fact that they're real animals and not some mythical/iconic animal like a dragon. This incredible and freaky-ass angle do nothing to enhance the reality of it. So weird. So good." How many people have hand-fed a dinosaur? You can see what it would be like. I would so love to do this.
"The hand that feeds" by Jessica Reynolds | To see more of her photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here)
This is the quintessential flamingo pose....but I had a really hard time choosing between the photographs he had. For example, here's one of two flamingoes demonstrating that it's not the stork who brings the mother flamingo her eggs. Here's one of two flamingoes having a stand-off. I picked this one because of its artistic qualilty, but these others are fascinating behavioral studies.
"Flamingo" by Andy | To see his other photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here
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I have quite a number of his amazing Florida photographs bookmarked and I've already used one of his CC photos (my favorite photograph ever of the St. Augustine Bridge of Lions). But this one made me laugh out loud. As they'd say at Cute Overload, flamingo 'tocks! I bet this flamingo would be mortified if he knew. It's not his best angle. But you've got to love the little bunch of a body on top of that long, long thin pink leg. It's like he's a yoga master.
"Relaxed flamingo" by Bill Frazzetto | To see his other photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here
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The following are some outstanding wildlife photographs---all of ospreys---which the photographers have generously made available through Flickr's Creative Commons. I've tried for years to get a decent photograph of an osprey. All these are gorgeous.
This gorgeous photograph really resonates for me. I tried so hard to get a photograph of one of these when we were hanging around Fort Island Gulf Beach, but had absolutely no luck. This photograph was taken in St. Petersburg, a good bit further down the coast, but even so brings back that day so clearly. It's that amazing blueness of the sky that does it. Well, that and the glorious light.
"Young Florida Osprey" by Steve Webel | click here to see his other photos | website: Steve Webel.com | Click here to go to Flickr for the full-sized version
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don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
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The photographer suggests that these two cuties might be immature ospreys because of the white banding on the feathers. They certainly have the open beaks one associates with babies----though maybe they were just having an argument.
'Two Ospreys Nesting on a Signpost in Water' by Donna S (Donna62) | To see her other photos, click here | To see a full-sized version of this photo, click here |
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According to the photographer, this haughty bird was photographed in Hospital Creek (near St. Augustine). You can see that he---or she---knows how to pose for the cameras.
"Osprey Pandion Haliaetus" by Tsiya/Bob | To see his other photos, click here | To see a full-sized version of this photo, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am
using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license (here).
"Osprey Pandion Haliaetus" by Tsiya/Bob | To see his other photos, click here | To see a full-sized version of this photo, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).
This osprey is apparently posing in the hope that his picture will appear on a stamp. "Got to make sure she gets my good side," he---or she--is clearly thinking. Even so, what gravitas!
"Osprey" by Julie Bernstein/Funcrunch | Funcrunch.org | To see her other photos, click here | To see a full-sized version of this photo, click here |
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am
using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license (here).
One thing about Florida, the wildlife is quite likely to walk up and bang on your door. Is this guy not beautiful, though? I expect the owner of this restaurant---which I BELIEVE was closed that day---was in the habit of feeding him.
When I was living down in the Orlando area, there were some enormous blue herons that walked around our apartment complex with absolutely no fear of man or beast. One fateful day, my stepdaughter gave them a bit of her sandwich.
After that they used to bang on the front door with their beaks and squawk till we came out and gave them bread. They seemed to know when we were home. Their squawking sounded like 20 giant metal platters clattering down onto a stone floor.
If anyone doesn't believe that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs, they need to spend some time around Florida's big birds.
Again, though, is this not a majestic creature? Don't you wish you could reach right through the photograph and give him some food? I know I do.
This is another small detail from a much larger photo. I almost missed it when I was flipping through my old snapshots. There's something Rococo about the massiveness of the pier and the tiny little person---this adorable little boy with short little legs---off to the side among the birds. The original picture is much larger even than this. I think Don must have taken it; it shows the whole length of the pier, similar to some of the photographs I posted earlier. I think it is probably the pier at Flagler, but it might be Crescent Beach. We visited them both on the same weekend.
This is another view of Fort Island Gulf Beach. This bird obviously isn't a gull---I don't know what he is---but he obviously hasn't read the sign. He was the only non-gull I saw that day, but doesn't he look very triumphant with that sunbeam shining down on him overhead? Hundreds of gulls were whirling around, snatching french fries from people's hands. He was just standing on this sign flapping his wings and squawking. It's so easy for me to believe when I look at this photo that birds are descended from the dinosaurs.
Nick took this photograph in December 2005, during his parents' historic visit from England. He wasn't that happy with it. We had stopped in the town of Palatka---a town with a magnificent view of the St. Johns River and a truly beautiful bridge---to take a walk in the Park. Unfortunately, the weather was unseasonably grey and dreary. It did clear up later, just around sunset when we arrived in St. Augustine, but you can see that it was pretty cloudy and misty when he photographed these gulls. There were a lot of them whirling around overhead. These were a pretty small detail in a pretty large photo, so the resolution isn't all I hoped for. Nevertheless, I think it captures very nicely the action of birds in flight.
I realize that gulls are about as popular as pigeons with some people, but I can't help it; I love pigeons and gulls.
There are some beautiful photographs and some interesting information about the St. Johns River here.
One of my favorite places to take visitors is Silver Springs, one of Florida's oldest attractions. My parents took me there when I was 14. In those days, the Mouse was still (relatively) just a cute pink little baby and Silver Springs was the place my dad had always wanted to go. People have been going there since the 1870's for glass-bottom boat rides.
Silver Springs is in Marion County, Florida, not too far from Orlando and very near Ocala. The wildlife park is a great place for small children and anyone who is interested in nature (but I'd leave the teen-agers at Wild Waters, the affiliated water park that's next door to Silver Springs). It would definitely be worth the separate admission price not to have to deal with bored teenagers.
The park has never been at all crowded when I've been there, which of course in one way is a shame, but also makes it an attractive place for a relaxing afternoon. On a really beautiful day in December, we took my in-laws there. They were visiting from England and my mother-in-law really wanted to see an alligator before she left. As you can see, she saw plenty of them.
I love alligators. The recent gator attacks have upset and horrified me, but they haven't made me love alligators any less. In the town where I live there is a pond with a small island on it just a few yards from shore where the gators normally bask. A couple of them have grown quite large and I have seen some of them lying around on the shore. One alligator was put down after devouring a dog and then a fellow alligator; it had grown huge---at least 12 feet long.
A few years ago when there was an unusual amount of rain all of the dried up ponds filled up and you could drive down the highway and see alligators floating along the side of the road. Until recently, alligator attacks have been rare. Then within the space of one week there were three fatal attacks.
No one is really sure why the alligators are being so aggressive toward humans, but of course years and years of increasing alligator populations and close proximity is doubtless causing them to lose their fear of humans. Paging Steve Erwin! . What's happening here, Steve? (He is totally one of my heroes.)
In the meantime, "Peb's Garden," this beautiful and fascinating Florida-related site* has a useful guide for avoiding attacks by alligators. A lot of them are simple common sense, but are the sort of common sense that is easy to forget. There are ponds and lakes all over the peninsula, so remembering not to run or walk with your pet near a pond or a lake can be tricky. But "Marsh Bunny's notes" offer good advice. While walking with a friend, I once almost stepped on a five foot long alligator that was basking in the sun on a grassy bank at a pond that's right in the middle of the University of Florida campus (Gainesville, Florida).
At Silver Springs you can view alligators at a safe distance and from behind a glass shield. Alligators that are not interested in attacking or eating you don't really do a lot. They just lie there looking strangely flattened out. These didn't even seem to be breathing, they were so still. Nevertheless, I am fond of them. I think everyone secretly feels that it is an honor and a distinction to share their own patch of turf with these ancient and---I can't help feeling---venerable (if pea-brained) creatures.
Here is an article explaining exactly how one resourceful young man fended off an alligator attack, using information learned from the Discovery Channel.*If you're a gardener yourself, spend a little time exploring this Florida garden!
This little guy looks cute and harmless, like an extra-large lizard. His size in relation to the leaves shows how small he is.
He was hanging out in the woods near "Lake Alice" in the center of the University of Florida campus, a place which seems to be particularly appealing to alligators.
We didn't disturb him; the last time someone I knew messed with a baby alligator (it was on Captiva or Sanibel, I think), the mother suddenly rose up out of nowhere (and they are surprisingly tall when they stand). Thankfully, she was on the other side of the riverbank---because she was hauling ass.
The other reason I didn't mess with him is that I like having a full set of fingers.
