Yesterday the husband and I drove to Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge, LA to kayak. The day was overcast with just enough light for decent photography. A slight, cool breeze caressed the water and made for a relaxing, pleasant experience. Despite the numerous kayakers and canoers on the lake, there was plenty of wildlife to observe, including an active Osprey nest with nestlings.
Many nearly-adult and juvenile alligators were observed swimming in the water or sunning on logs. I was told by a tour guide that the big gators do not come out when it's really hot. I was really hoping to see Big Daddy--maybe next time. This guy (or gal) let me get about 15-20' away. He looked to be about 6-7' in length. His open mouth signifies he is trying to regulate his body temperature. The image has been minimally cropped, straightened and processed.
400mm | f/7.1 | ISO 640 | 1/1000 sec