This is not the best capture of an alligator that I have ever done but this is THE LARGEST alligator within the bayou system! Just look at the way that massive head has swallowed up those eyes that usually look like pool balls set on top of the head! All you have to do is look at the width of the head and that lets you know that he is extremely large and VERY well fed!!! A bit of a confusing reflection with his tail lying on top of the water and continuing on to the right while the reflection makes it appear that it's also going to the left! Could get him to stick around and he was gone in an instant never to be seen again...not even today when I went searching for him! Next time I find him I'll try to put a tape measure on him and see just how long he really is!!! NOT NOT NOT! Photo was taken on Horsepen Bayou!!
A bit of a clarification!
Will just say that his bulbous nose is lying on the bank of the bayou and we are actually looking over his left shoulder (sort of)! The ridges run up his spine and then you see the two bulges right this side of his nose and those are his eyes! You mainly see his width in this scene and will just say that we think this is the one we affectionately refer to as Big Boy!!! All 13 feet of him!! I think his tail running off toward the bottom right and the reflection of his back is what is confusing to most people as it was confusing to me as well!
DSL_5626uls
Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horespen Bayou bayou water reflection reptile predator apex predator nature wildlife canoeing paddling gator alligator Alligator Mississippiensis
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This was just some of the activity in the stretch of Horsepen Bayou that my kayaking buddy refers to as Alligator Alley!! Although there were a number of them there they were reluctant to crawl out onto the bank and stay there for any type of photo opportunities!! The is roughly a nine footer being harassed by that pesky canoe!! At one time within a stretch of about 200 feet I counted seven alligators in the water at the same time!! Who knows how many were lurking about!! I left with all limbs intact after paddling in the area of at least an hour!!!
DSL_2333ula
Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City nature wildlife canoeing paddling water lizard reptile predator gator alligator Alligator Mississippiensis
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The one nearest to me is roughly nine feet while the distant lizard is about ten feet!! I wanted the larger one to crawl out and do a bit of sunning but it was no dice canoe boy!
DSL_2273uls
Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City nature wildlife canoeing paddling water lizard reptile predator gator alligator Alligator Mississippiensis outdoors animal
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I know that they youngsters crawling around everywhere in this scene belong to Dolly but have absolutely no idea what the larger gator (let's call is a sub adult) is doing in the middle of the pod!! On a warm day when it could be digesting it food those little ones would be fair game in the open water!! I was puzzled as to why Dolly was willing to allow the larger one to stick around!! She was about 10' from the bank at this point! I might also add that Dolly is one of the most tolerant females on the bayou!! Let's hope she stays that way because she is just about the largest female as well!!! Photos were taken on Horsepen Bayou!
DSL_2255uls
Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou nature wildlife canoeing paddling reptile lizard gator alligator alligator pod Alligator Mississippiensis NGC
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Okay!!! So Dolly wasn't menacing and truth be told I could have paddled right up to the pod and had a closer look as she didn't seem to care at all!!!
DSL_2227ula
Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou nature wildlife canoeing paddling reptile lizard gator alligator alligator pod Alligator Mississippiensis momma gator
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