Love Bite Gator Style
One of my goals while taking photos of the baby alligators at Brazos Bend State Park this year was to get a shot of a baby sitting on momma’s head. Ended up having to settle for one on her nose instead. This youngster was showing momma some affection with a little love bite to her eye. Momma didn’t seem to mind and only collapsed her eye lid on the last photo. The baby then looked like he was going to crawl up her head when someone walking up the trail stopped too close to them and she dove to her left into the water. I’m sure that the baby went flying. Wish that I had gotten that shot.
Taken with Canon 7D and Canon 500mm F4 IS II lens with 1.4x III teleconverter mounted on tripod with Wimberley II head
1/640 sec @ F9, ISO 800, evaluative metering, +1/3 exposure compensation, 700mm
1/500 sec @ F11, ISO 800, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation, 700mm
1/400 sec @ F11, ISO 800, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation, 700mm
1/500 sec @ F11, ISO 800, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation, 700mm
Tim Timmis Photography 
That’s a fun sequence.
June 29, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Sweet series Tim. I think I have a few of them gnawing on her eye. I have some with them chewing on her knobby armor. Turns out they are eating leeches or similar critters off their mom. Don’t know that as the reason for trying to take a bite out of her eye socket though. 🙂
June 29, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Nice interaction between mom and baby. Like the bond in #1.
June 30, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Thanks Lyle. It was cool to see but just wish that I could have gotten pearched on the head shot. Maybe next time.
July 2, 2013 at 7:47 pm
Thanks Doug. Just a little love bite I guess. Good thing their teeth are small at this age.
July 2, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Thanks David. Went again last weekend but the babies were very spread out so not many photo op’s.
July 2, 2013 at 7:49 pm