I was looking right over him, he was below, but not where I expected.
Standing on a trunk (water gate) I didn’t think to look straight down. The grass and reeds hid him from view.
Stepping back to get focus allowed me to get a full image.
Water was flowing in from the other side of the trunk which can move fish between the marshes. He didn’t look to be doing anything but staring into space though.
I sometimes don’t see them either but always diligently even on the side of a highway. Where there’s standing water in Florida, there could be a gator. Even in a foot of water.
Here too. If you see a puddle, there’s probably a gator.