Happy Birthday ...

To me!  And what could have been better than spending the day with hubs down at Myakka River State Park and seeing my first ever baby alligators on board Mama's back!  Not a great photo, and I haven't done a thing to it - but it shows the two little gators pretty well.  Mama was being uncooperative by lying with her head in the grass - no clear angle and no way I was going to risk getting any closer.  When we walked back by this stretch of trail 20 minutes later, the young 'uns were nowhere to be seen, so they must have slipped into the grass to hide.  One of the park rangers told us later that there are three female alligators with babies along this particular trail and they have was is essentially a gator nursery where they mutually look after each other's babies.  I thought that was a fascinating bit of information.  

I will come back later to post a link to some other pics.   And if you've got nothing else to do and want to look at 13 other shots from today, just click HERE.  I got what may well have been my best ever photos of palm warblers and Savannah sparrows AND sandhill cranes.  Were it not for the fact that I doubt I'll ever see a mother gator with her babies, I would have blipped the sandhills .... but babies trump cranes.

I'm 59 today - wow, how did THAT happen???  Well, I don't feel a day over ...40.  A few aches and pains that I didn't have 10 years ago, but otherwise, I'm feeling pretty spry.  

Can't wait for the Blip-meet tomorrow - Sefferdog, Gaia's Child, Creative Carol, Pepper G, and hopefully Outdoor Guy!  Woohoo - nothing will be safe from our lenses...

Again, many thanks for the continued comments, stars and hearts on my Mono Egret and Flying Osprey - I am truly humbled.

Toodles,
Debbi