Moments from River Patrol on the Silver River (in Silver Springs Florida, next to Ocala) where I am one of many CSO volunteers. This amazing, spring-fed river is now threatened more than during any other time during since it's rebirth more than 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. Let's all work hard to cherish and protect it for our grandchildren!
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| Can you identify this common Silver River waterfowl? (The next picture gives the answer). |
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| A cormorant, of course! (You got it, right?) |
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| Friends? or just random associates? Hard to know what animals feel. |
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| Here's looking at you, Blue! |
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| Volunteer Pam catching a moment in the life of a Great Blue Heron. |
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| Mutual observation. |
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| This alligator is actually a little guy. He and his two siblings still hang out together close to where they hatched out. |
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| Here's weed on your face! |
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| Faded Glory |
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| Volunteer Phylis doing her job in her amazing kayak. |
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| This guy keeps and eye on us as we go by. This new alertness in the alligators might not bode well for a swimmer! |
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| Beautiful Florida Gar, hanging just below the surface. |
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| Classic Anhinga drying out routine. The price he pays for underwater speed and not having oily feathers. |
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| This enormous soft shelled turtle is a rare sight out of the water. The first time I've seen one sunning! |
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| Hi still seems to prefer to remain partially submerged. |
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| Piggy back turtles. Not the difference in the species. Can you identify them both? |
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| Here's a close-up! |
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| Not an old tire! |
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| Medium sized alligator in the greenery. |
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| Ancient cypresses locked together. |
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| Coming back up to the headsprings. |
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| Warm up time. |
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| Remains of what used to be... and hopefully may be again. |
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| Rough terrain. |
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| An original body armor design from 200 million years back! |
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| Stare! What might he be thinking? |
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| Amazing architecture... |
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| Amazing sapphire eyes in a face only a mother could love! |
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| Moore Hen; the original big foot. |
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| Anhinga's snakey head could never be confused with a cormorant (earlier). |
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| Reflections... |
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| Alligator parts evolved to last. Two hundred million years and counting! And how long have humans been around again? |
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| Pupil closed to a fine slit in the bright sun. |
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| Here's looking at you! |
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| Tender monkey moments! |
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| On the lookout. |
