OUR NEW GATOR, 2023 MODEL, HIS NAME IS "LOAFER", WE HOPE HE LEAVES SOON!

WELCOME TO GATOR COUNTRY

Our new alligator visitor showed himself to us yesterday, June 14th, 2023. There is no mistaking that snout-profile gliding across the surface of our pond. Once your eyes know what to look for he is easy to spot. 

Watch Out, we gotta gator!

Spring is almost over, Summer is almost here along with hot days and afternoon rain showers. The drain canals all have water in them from the rain and the gators use these like highways to move between where they mate and where they play-play.  Typically they migrate around after dark, yet another good reason to not be out in the bush at night.

This gator is estimated to be about six feet in length

With our baby ducks getting to be old enough to fly to the pond we hope "Loafer" will get the heck out of here soon.

Our Florida farm has been visited so many times by wild gators that I no longer expend much effort photographing them. 

In the past gators have "moved on" after eating fish here for four or five days. 

We're keeping our eyes extra sharp watching our chicken flocks which are closest to the pond. 

We get asked a lot "are there any alligators in that pond?".

The gators ALWAYS show themselves if there are any in the water. 

SATURDAY JUNE 17TH, 2023

"Loafer" our 2023 Gator of the Year (trying to find some Florida Sunshine)

Cute little lizard, would not hurt a fly or eat your kid

A closer look (from over 400-feet away, 650mm zoom), Look, he's smiling

He is still here. We still wish he'd leave ASAP.

MONDAY JUNE 19, 2023.... Loafer got hungry

Earlier today I saw Loafer eating something over on the West Bank of the pond. I did not investigate too close, it looked like he was eating a slow Sneetch.  Eventually Loafer dragged his lunch into the pond to finish it. 

Later in the afternoon Mary almost broke her leg falling over the fence as she ran to chase the alligator away from our two baby ducks. The alligator was using his hypnotic eyes to entice the ducks towards him, the alligator was out on the beach and the ducks were within a few feet when Mary arrived flapping her arms and yelling, Loafer immediately sought cover in the pond, it was quite terrifying. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023

It has been a little over 30 hours since our last gator siting. I did resort to stinging him on the nose with my CO2 BB pistol. We are praying he has moved on to the gator party place.

Spoke too soon, he is still here, hiding at far end of the pond. Maybe he will leave tonight.