Birds and Flowers

Do you remember Billy "White Shoes" Johnson? The kickoff return specialist for the Houston Oilers in the 1970s? He was known for his white shoes and his fancy end zone dances. I thought about him when I saw this Neotropic Cormorant in Cameron Parish a few days ago. The bird not only had white shoes, but flew a little awkwardly due to its heavy feet. Perhaps his feet are covered in bird poop. Anyway, it really stood out in a crowd of thousands of cormorants, egrets, spoonbills and herons nesting here. I plan on bringing a photo workshop here next spring when the birds are nesting.

 Neotropic Cormorant
Image #130613-0028

One of his brethren did not fare so well. I was focused in on a roseate spoonbill's nest with my 600mm lens when I heard a big splash and turned to see a small alligator grab a swimming cormorant. As I moved the lens to the left, the alligator submerged with its prey to drown it. After waiting patiently, the reptile resurfaced with the now dead bird locked in his jaws. I got the shot below. 

Alligator eats a cormorant
Image #130613-0399 

Later we went to Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge to find the fragrant water lilies and American lotus in full bloom. Acres and acres of this important wetland were covered in creamy colors. I'll be showing images from this shoot at my lecture at the Manship Theatre on Friday. My intention is to help budding photographers learn the tricks to get the best shots.

American lotus in bloom
Image #130614-0264 

Alligator

An American Alligator sunning on a log in Bayou Black.

Yesterday I saw my first wild alligator of 2013 in the Bayou Black area of the Terrebonne Parish marsh.  It was a medium size reptile sunning on a log in the late afternoon sun.  After a string of cold days it was about 72 degrees warm and I am sure it did not want to jump back in the cold water until the sun went down.

It certainly is not spring yet and I am glad, for we need a good winter to knock back the multitude of exotic aquatic plants that are terrorizing our wetlands.  The signs are there though, with days getting longer, the yellow top is blooming on some of the spoil banks.  In Baton Rouge the Japanese magnolias bloom and many restaurants are serving up crawfish. Hold off, let us have a little more winter.