Another Walk in the Swamp

I just had to post this one from another walk I had in the swamp. It's interesting. With all of the habitat in there, I've noticed snakes on certain trees and taking certain paths from one area to another. They don't just blindly select a spot. There must be a territorial element there somewhere.

I got up in a tree out there, too. I just realized though that I left out some beautiful footage from that vanatge point, but some exists. It is so peaceful up amongst the cypress.

And regarding what someone said about getting 'too close', I agree, especially when I am deep in their element and unable to adjust myself in the swamp if they come right at me. So I rigged up my camera on a stick and shot some of this video. I felt a little safer. 'A little' ;)

I sincerely hope someone gets enjoyment out of these videos. It is sometimes taken for granted what a special environment we live in.

You know, we almost killed off the American Alligator at one time. During reintroduction there was an instance where alligators were in a particular area where they had not been in some time. In short fashion the caretakers began noticing that birds were nesting in the trees above the gators. They could not make sense of this. They noticed when young birds would fall they'd be eaten and wondered why the birds would nest there. It seemed counter-intuitive.

But alas, it came to them. Without the gator there, raccoon would readily go up and feast on the eggs. The bird population there was non-existent for some time and people did not know why. It was because the alligator population had been devestated.

People travel great distances to see alligator in the wild, Grizzly in Yellowstone, me in a bathing suit... we need to preserve these things. I count moccasin and rattlesnakes among these great predators. I have been disappointed at the lack of a healthy Diamondback population here, one that I expected when I moved here.

And its interesting how many people who have lived here all of there lives and have not seen a single snake, or just a few. That's great. They don't necessarily want to see a snake and it demonstrates that basically, there is not much to fear. Unless of course, I ask you on a date and say, "Let's take a walk."

And into the swamp we go

Here is my newest video