This cute little baby alligator was the perfect subject with my 800mm PF. It was perched on Mom's back at water's edge - and I was about 20-25 feet away and being very cautious. No need to crowd Mom. That's the really nice thing about the 800mm PF - it allows photos without crowding the subject.

This was at Harris Neck NWR on the Georgia coast a couple of weeks ago. She had a group of at least 15 baby alligators. Alligators are plentiful in this area in spite of the mortality rate for the young alligators. Out of an average of 35 eggs, 24 hatch and only 10 make it through the first year. Only 2-3 survive to adulthood. EVERYTHING eats baby alligators - tastes like chicken wings.




And here's Mom - sorry but at 800mm she was a little too close.

Love that top image Eric!

Love the details and colors in that first one! I wouldn't be able to resist removing that bit of distraction in the foreground - in post!

Very nice capture Eric. They are kinda cute when they are babies.

Nice work, Eric! Those little ones are so fun to see up close without being up close.

The first photo is a dandy. Most people don't consider alligators to be cute, but that little one is.

Eric, Great catch and eye

Chris S.

EricBowles said:

That's the really nice thing about the 800mm PF - it allows photos without crowding the subject

Click to expand...

This is what I most looking forward to (if I ever receive mine ).

Beautiful shots Eric.

Thanks, everyone. If anyone is in the area, Harris Neck NWR has a great rookery with more than 150 nesting wood storks and a similar number of great egrets, snowy egrets, and ibis - plus night herons, anhingas, and a wide range of songbirds. It's a good area for birds in flight and environmental photos. The location was a military air field in World War II when a German submarine was sighted off the Georgia coast. You can still see remnants of the old runways and structures. The area has recorded more than 350 species of birds and is a great stop during migration.

I became very aware of the 16.4 minimum focus distance of the 800mm PF with small subjects. I find myself using the Nikon 100-400mm lens with its 2.5 ft focal distance, even with teleconverters, much more in situations such as this.

The Z9 eye detect feature does greatly increase the speed for working with the 800mm lens on small fast moving subjects and I capture images that would not be otherwise possible.

Love the image of the baby! Amazing detail.

Calson said:

I became very aware of the 16.4 minimum focus distance of the 800mm PF with small subjects. I find myself using the Nikon 100-400mm lens with its 2.5 ft focal distance, even with teleconverters, much more in situations such as this.

The Z9 eye detect feature does greatly increase the speed for working with the 800mm lens on small fast moving subjects and I capture images that would not be otherwise possible.

Click to expand...

You don't want a small minimum focus distance for alligators. In fact - I was probably borderline at 20-25 feet away but I knew her "retreat area" was away from me. I was very careful.

This was taken in the same area a couple of years ago. Alligators can move very quickly and this one was trying to grab a great blue heron as it flew by.

Have you ever tasted one so you know the taste is likely chicken wings?!
Lol.. I love the close up