OK, this is an article with a large number of photographs. Don’t let that put you off, it’s a funny and interesting story. He really was a ‘pushy bugger’.

The following images are in order of our ‘encounter’. And really it started like any other, nothing special.

Below is PB (pushy bugger) and he was floating close to the bank in the corner of this swamp. He was pushing around in the weeds catching whatever his nose bumped into. Typically young gator feeding and he looked to be a couple of years old.

I took a few shots and stepped to the edge.

So, PB turned and look, a surprise. His tail had been hidden and based on that curve my age guess was a little off, by at least 2 years. Still at around 4 feet (1.3 meters) I knew by standing above him on the bank I looked huge to him.

Above he turned some more, looked at me, and moved his head around fishing. You can see the water he has pushed around.

Oh my…

He put on a little speed and slipped right in front of me, the shot above looking straight down. I did notice he really wasn’t swimming either. His legs were long enough to touch bottom. Perhaps another miscalculation?

About now PB was facing me, almost on the swamp bank, doing what Alligators will do. Stare up at you and float around. However, his foot was not supposed to be reaching out… toward me and the bank.

The moment of truth. I’m not new at this. Apparently neither is he.

At this point my camera can only get the top of his head in focus, and I’m staring down through the view finder…not really looking. No good perspective.

He is staring (as you can see) up into the viewfinder. I want the shot, he wants my space. For the shot… he’s coming and I’m staying.

We both shifted at about the same time. He brushed past, I turned to keep him in focus.

As you can clearly see, he was completely intimidated by me.

So concerned he turned his back on me as he almost stepped on my toes. LOL

My new friend PB took perhaps 3 or 4 steps and found the sunny spot he wanted in the first place. He dropped right down to warm up. Alligators do love their sun.

We were both winners. He found a great sun spot, no one to bother him. I got a a nice series, and kept my toes.

All in all a good afternoon.