Happy Appearance

  In spite of all of the negative things happening in the Coastal waters, it seems that critters are pretty resilient.  Oil spills, flesh-eating bacteria (which may or may not be directly related to the spills), sewage spills and runoff of lawn chemicals all create dire problems for the waters. The most evident effect of any of these is the oil-laden birds that make the news.  Media is all about stirring up things when it can boost ratings.  Granted the water fowl coated in globs of oil tug at the heartstrings but how about those unseen problems that seem to stay just under the media's fine radar?  Without startling photos, a story just does not create mass hysteria so why bother?  

  The Bayou, alone, has seen its share of problems as of late.  With houses being built right on the water's edge, runoff is one of the biggest things to overcome.  Everyone wants their green lawns even at the cost of pure water.  It seems to me that polluting the water is about as stupid as stupid can get.  Eventually, that same water will be what quenches our thirst but, in the meantime, it is of the utmost importance to the health of many critters.  

  In the past few years, the duck population here has diminished greatly. Whereas just a few years ago, the Mottled Duck was reproducing quite nicely and we were seeing rather large families, now, there are just a handful.  This makes me sad.  The ducks nest in the Bayou and if the marshes and waters are not clean, the little ones cannot survive.  The same with many other critters.  Fiddler Crabs are not as abundant this year.  Their numbers have decreased steadily as well. Although I must admit that it is still a bit early for them to be scurrying about in great numbers, it does seem that they are not as thick as of late.

  On a happier note, the baby alligator so comically dubbed as "Fluffy" (Darling Daughter's doing...or undoing) is still hanging around the pier. I was worried about the health of the tiny gator since it had not been seen for several weeks but then yesterday, I found tracks.  These led me to think the critter is fine and just being a bit elusive. Elusive it the perfect word for something that blends so well with the marsh and mud. It is sort of like a game of "Hide and Seek" with this tiny critter!  I am not sure just how I will feel about this critter calling the pier home if it grows to be some twelve footer but, for now, it is welcome to stay. Perhaps since the critter was born during a time when the waters were a bit tainted, it has built up a resistance to whatever is there.  Stay safe, Fluffy!  Stay safe.

Fluffy, the Bayou Baby!

  My sweet daughter and son-in-law took me to lunch today at the neatest cafe.  After a delightful, vegan meal we came back to the Little Bayou House.  We wandered about the yard for a bit and then wound up on the pier.  There is just something about that water that draws everyone towards it.  Pop used to always say that we had "salt water in our veins".  I guess he may have been right since that is where I seem to be my happiest.  The Bayou calls and it is hard to resist.  

   As we were heading back up the pier, I called their attention to the newest resident of the Bayou.  Right at the base of the pier was a baby alligator.  This was the cutest thing I could ever imagine!  The little guy was only about 15 inches in length so I am estimating that he was last year's hatchling.  At first, we were not even sure the little fellow was alive.  He sat so very still that I had to look real close to make sure he was even breathing.  The kids (young adults, I should say) were mesmerized by this little alligator.  Elizabeth, especially, was excited. She was so excited that she decided to name our little friend.  "Fluffy!  I shall name him Fluffy!" she proclaimed.  So Fluffy, the alligator, came into existence.  (Unusual?  True, but all is well.)  She, also, wanted to hold the gator but since he was sitting on top of that mushy mudflat, that would have proved to be her undoing.  One step in that mess would have been quite distasteful.  Speaking from experience, you DO NOT walk on the mudflats around here.  You SINK!  The stuff is not unlike quicksand in the fact that it literally sucks you under and does not let go.  

  The little gator on the other hand was quite adept at skittering across the mudflats.  We watched for a while until we had to bright idea to feed the gator some sausages.  Up to the house we trotted and when we returned the little gator had made his escape..almost. He had gotten as far as the little tidepool where he was trying to catch bull minnows for dinner.  The tiny tot was not having much luck, though, and our attempts at feeding him were just as in vain.  He sat and stared at us and did not take one bite!  After a bit, the bull minnows started feasting on the sausage and grew oblivious of the danger that was lurking nearby.  SNATCH!  The gator was using the sausage as bait to draw his natural prey to him.  For being such a tiny tot, this little gator was smart!

  So, meet the newest Bayou Baby, the little alligator named Fluffy! There is never a dull day here on the Bayou.  Something interesting always pops up (or slithers, skitters, flies, scoots, runs or hops in) at the most unexpected times.

A New Face!

  Mark and I headed to the pier late yesterday evening.  It had been a hot, tiring day of shed-building and we needed a little rest and relaxation.  A bit of fishing would suit the bill just fine.  Earlier in the day, he had emptied the crab traps of their dozen or so fat crabs and noticed that there was still plenty of bait but we would soon have to refill them if we wanted to continue to get crabs.  We were in hopes of catching a few catfish to use as bait and perhaps a redfish or flounder for the next day's lunch.  When we pulled up the crab traps once again, they were all torn open.  Hmmm? Something was definitely amiss here!  The trap doors were closed once again and we started our fishing.  Mark caught a huge flounder but that was the only bite we got the whole evening.  Still it was interesting.

  Just about dark, I noticed a small blob out on the water.  It seemed to be getting closer and closer as the sun started to set.  I knew that "blob"! That was a gator!  I had been missing Big Mama and the youngster from last year but this one seemed a lot smaller.  This was surely not Big Mama and not even the eight footer that had been hanging about the pier.  This was a new face..one I did not recognize!  We watched for a bit as the little rascal drew near the pier.  We knew all to well what that little fellow wanted!  He was the culprit that had left the crab traps in such a mangled condition!  The bait was too much of a temptation for the gator.  

  Mark came to the conclusion that he was going to have to find stronger wire to make new traps.  The standard coated wire was just not gator-proof.  It seems that every summer we spend a good deal of time and effort to outwit the critters of the Bayou.  Our efforts seem to be in vain, though, as the critters always manage to feed upon our bait.  They are just a bit too wily or perhaps a bit too strong.  It is a battle of the wits with the critters winning at this point.  Given time,  I am quite sure that Mark will come up with a sturdy trap that can withstand the otters' cleverness and the gators' strength.  Until then, I will just sit back and enjoy the company of the gators, otters and any other critters that wish to pay me a visit!

A New Denizen of the Bayou!

Just a month ago, I was lamenting the fact that I had not seen our local Bayou Gator. I was afraid that it had met some terrible fate. Then one evening of late, there she was! She kept her distance as usual but had made her presence known. Needless to say, I was elated! Gator had returned and she was still healthy.

This evening, Hubby and I went to the pier to cool off after a long, hot day. A nice afternoon thundershower had just passed through and the slight west wind made the pier a pleasant place to linger for a bit. I was busy taking pictures of a paddling of Mottled Ducks and a lone egret when I first noticed something swimming toward the pier. It was in about eighteen inches of water and was barely noticeable above the ripples. At first, I had a hard time figuring out just what was approaching..could it be a nutria rat?...maybe a very large moccasin?..or perhaps just a tree branch that was caught up in the current? I asked Hubby..he gave me the same three answers that I was pondering. So, knowing that my camera would pick up things that were obscured by the sun's glare, I started snapping pictures of the "unknown". After a bit, when it eased closer still, I came to realize that this was an alligator. What threw me off was the fact that this was so small! Gator was quite large..maybe about eight feet in length. When this gator was maybe thirty feet from the pier, I could see that it was only about two and a half to three feet in length. A baby gator! Now I know where Gator has been every Spring! Gator..aka..Mama Gator..has been nesting in the Bayou! This little fellow has to be from last Spring but I am quite sure Mama Gator has been busy guarding the current nest!

An alligator nest is usually a mound built in the marsh or on the edge of the shore quite near the water. Here Mama Gator will lay anywhere from twenty to fifty white eggs. Each egg is about the size of a goose egg. She will cover these eggs with a thick layer of vegetation that will incubate the eggs. Mama Gator will hang around the nest for the full sixty-five day incubation period protecting the eggs from any intruders. Raccoons, otters, skunks and foxes would love to eat the alligator eggs. Even the herons and egrets will make a meal of the eggs if Mama Gator is away hunting. After sixty-five days are up, the eggs start to hatch and the little ones "chirp" to let Mama Gator know it is time to dig them out. She will gingerly pick the babies up and bring them to the water. She knows that the sooner they are in the water, they will be safer from marauding predators. For a while, she will continue to protect them, but does not feed them. They can hunt on their own from the start..feeding on minnows, insects and small crabs. They will stay near Mama Gator for about a year before venturing off on their own.

This young gator has not learned to be wary of humans as much as it should and that could cause problems eventually. I have a feeling that this little varmint is what has been raiding my crab traps of bait each night. If so, it has found an easy meal and that will not be good. Hopefully, it will learn from Mama Gator that it should keep its distance.