It was just before noon when I got there - looking down the canal it looked pretty quiet but I spotted the Osprey as he looked over the water - waiting for a fish.
Stopped at the pond by the trees and got a few shots of the juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron as he waited for something to snatch out of the water.
I walked the trees but didn't take a single shot. Headed back south and stopped whenever I saw a Painted Turtle on the other side.
The Swan family was way out in the marsh as I went north so I was surprised to see them Right Next To The Road as I come back south. And I do mean Right Next To The Road!! I just happened to get there in time to catch a shot of one of the parents before they disappeared behind the cat-tails again.
As I head back south I always make the turn - it's "Marsh #1" and takes you over to this display they have and a "cemetery" for the people that used to live there. I turn around there and head back down along the canal and look who's standing in the road!!
I wait and watch to see what he's going to do and he finally heads down into the canal.
I have no hopes of getting close to him - I mean we are Really Close to the water right there!!
But he doesn't fly off!! Big red car, my brakes are noisy - and he stays right there!! I spent 30 minutes just inching along as he waded thru the water.
Lucky for me there were spots where I could get a somewhat clean shot of him!
He caught what looked like a fish.
And then he moved quickly to the other side of the water and made a quick stab and look what he comes up with!!
A Snake!!
He had a heck of a time - you can kind of see it in this next shot - he's actually "speared" the snake with his beak!
He did finally manage to get the snake off but - see those gold spots in all these photos? He was behind those so I didn't get a shot of just "how" that happened but he did raise back up and I got some shots as the snake finally makes it into his mouth.
He moved back over to "my" side of the canal.
And then he finally - after 30 minutes of following along - seems to notice me and flies down the canal and finds a new spot to fish. I leave him to his business.
That was fun!!
Cool! I'd like to get out there but I'll wait until there's no snakes!!
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