I've been coming to work down here on the Gulf Coast fairly regularly since last November. On one of my regular walking routes down here, there is a small bit of wooden causeway that elevated about 2 or 3 feet above a creek that is famous for hosting easy to view alligators. Starting in November and lasting all through the winter until the middle of April, I was constantly on the lookout and eagerly anticipating seeing my first "alligator in the wild." I even went so far as to conduct a bit of internet research on the cool season habits of the American Alligator.
What I learned indicated that it was not unheard of completely, but pretty rare to sight an alligator out of its den until the water temperature had a chance to come up a bit from the high 40 degree Fahrenheit range this area experienced in the winter. I would probably just have to wait till spring to see my first alligator.
Those facts did not keep me from looking, and they certainly did not tamp down my anticipation very much. I'd walk, and I'd look.
Eventually, warmer weather rolled in, and I was gifted my first alligator sighting in the middle of April. Since then, I've become familiar enough with the two that generally hang out in the vicinity of the catwalk to recognize them by sight. There's a short thin one and a short girthy one with a big head. I have had only one walk since mid-April where I did not sight one or the other or both. Today, the short thin one was there lurking around at the base of the bridge.
If I keep coming down here, I know that one day this fall both of these guys will crawl back into their holes burrowed out in a bank, and once again I'll be left in the cool of the season without the little burst of adrenaline that sighting an alligator gives me even to this day. I'll be left with the warnings and the memories until next season when I may get a chance to see them for another round of heat and humidity.
Those are my thoughts today on alligators.
What I learned indicated that it was not unheard of completely, but pretty rare to sight an alligator out of its den until the water temperature had a chance to come up a bit from the high 40 degree Fahrenheit range this area experienced in the winter. I would probably just have to wait till spring to see my first alligator.
Those facts did not keep me from looking, and they certainly did not tamp down my anticipation very much. I'd walk, and I'd look.
Eventually, warmer weather rolled in, and I was gifted my first alligator sighting in the middle of April. Since then, I've become familiar enough with the two that generally hang out in the vicinity of the catwalk to recognize them by sight. There's a short thin one and a short girthy one with a big head. I have had only one walk since mid-April where I did not sight one or the other or both. Today, the short thin one was there lurking around at the base of the bridge.
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| You can just see his head between the second gap in the closes bridge pilings from the right...not very impressive, I know, but he wasn't cooperating for a close-up photo today, and I like to keep imagery contemporary. |
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| The Warnings |
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