St. Augustine Alligator Farm Rookery

I went to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm the other day to see what was going on in the Rookery. Oh my goodness, was I in for a treat! These are just a few of MANY images I love. I have millions of favorites.

This first shot this one isn't fabulous, except that I love that you can see the egg between momma Egret's feet, and the alligator on the banks behind her. For those of you who don't know, the "Alligator Farm", is actually a zoological garden. There is a huge natural swamp that they've built a boardwalk over. Hundreds of alligators live in the swamp, and every year, various wading birds flock to the area to use it as their breeding grounds. Both animals benefit. The alligators under the trees protect the wading birds from various predators like racoons, foxes, etc. The alligators, in turn, do occasionally get a snack of an mistaken egg, or baby bird who has fallen from the nest. Sad? Yes, but it's nature, and fortunately, it's not a common occurance.


Now, on to some of the better shots...