I was about 3 feet from this 5 foot gator in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge driving along Black Point Drive. He was more interested in the Common Moorhen babies than me. The parents were able to get their three chicks safely into the mangroves.
If there is standing water anywhere in Florida, fresh, salt or brackish (mix of fresh & salt), an American alligator could be lurking. Just like any wild animal, you don’t feed them and in most cases they will not bother you.
Happy Monday Everyone!
Our Eyes Open 
26 responses to “Macro Monday – Gator”
Wow, three-foot isn’t enough! You are brave! 😎
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He wasn’t interested in me. Those baby gallinules had his undivided attention. 😊
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You have an “eye” for this.
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Thanks for the pun. 🥰
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I always loved the chance encounters as long as I was not close enough to be considered dinner. I did a whole series once on the signs posted warning humans about gators. Great shot.
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That would have been a great post. They have to be posted because tourist are fascinated with them and have tried to lure them. Then you have the idiot residents who try to feed them. That’s an absolute NO-NO! 🙂
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Oh my! Scary 🐊 nice captures!
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Thanks! He looks bigger in the photo than he was. LOL! 🙂
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great capture but three feet is a little too close for me. you are brave!
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Thanks! If it was bigger, I wouldn’t be that close. 😊
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Great close up photo, Lisa. 👏🏻
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Thank you so much! It’s common around here when we go birding. 🙂
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We have one or two in the ‘lake’ right in our backyard. 😯
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I can relate. Not now, but I used to have a house on a pond and we had a couple as well. Where I live now, we have armadillos burrowed in our backyard. 🙂
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Thank you very much! He looks much larger in the photo than he was. LOL!
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Find a puddle, find an Alligator LOL
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That is exactly right! I explained that to my niece & nephew a few weeks ago when they came to Florida from Texas. Eyes got big! They are 13 & 20.
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I’m glad I am not reading this post right before bed… 🙂
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I was wondering about that! It was a lot smaller than it appears in the photo. 🙂
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it’s still an alligator… 🙂
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😂🤣😂
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Yep, that’s too close. Get a bigger lens 🙂 Nice shot!
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LOL! I have a 200mm lens but I was close enough to take this with my IPhone. 🙂 and Thank you!
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Too close!
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I’ll protect you! No worries! LOL! 🙂
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😉
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