Storms over the Wetlands
I love to take advantage of cloudy weather — one quickly learns to appreciate the clouds of South Florida, especially on longer hikes. But a sublime dark afternoon can quickly turn, forcing one to skedaddle for safety. But NOT before visiting with some perfectly wonderful critters. Here, in the protected wetlands I spied a momma gator and her 2-week old babies, and some lovely preening waders, preparing for their evenings. Images forthcoming; I was happy to contend with the rain for them!
Approaching storm over the Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Cloud cover isn’t dissipating. Hm. But I’m still with momma gator…
Florida’s clouds are fantastical and fabulous
Sigh. Guess it’s time to leave… Lightning over the Everglades, approaching the wetlands
Always a show
FeyGirl
Serenity Spell 
Beautiful!
Thanks so much!! I love our wetlands. 🙂
Love Love Love your photos ~ especially of the lightning!
You’re so kind — many thanks! I really didn’t want to leave. But lightning every other second? Holding a camera in the open land? Probably not the smartest idea… 🙂
Love the lightning photo!
Thanks so much! I REALLY didn’t want to leave. But lightning every other second? Holding a camera in the open land? Hmmmm…..
Wow – that lightning looks close. Glad you got out of there before being hit! Very brave of you to stay as long as you did.
I adore our lightning (as it’s hitting right now, heh)…. I was on my way out when it started, of course. Too many deaths with these storms! I play it close, but one has to be smart in the face of this power.
Fabulous and dramatic!
I LOVE our storms! These shots don’t do ’em justice, that’s for sure. 🙂
Thank you so much for visiting my nature blog so that I could come and find your AMAZING photos. I have been going back and reading the posts and enjoying the photos. Your photos are what I would like to be able to take…wow….Michelle..
I lost my comment..thank you so much for visiting my nature blog which I’ve had for the past 5 years so that I could come and find you blog and your AMAZING photos. I have been reading past post and enjoying the photos and all I can say is “wow’….Michelle from ramblingwoods.com
Sorry about that, your comments were spammed for some reason! Thanks SO much for your kind words… It’s a lot a practice in hiking and luck, hee!
I adore what you’re doing with your site; there’s so much valuable information. If you’d ever like to use / share any of the images for your conservation work, just holler! 🙂
Oh yes, me too. The worse the weather the better, and only duck at the last moment! I miss the extremes of weather….
Definitely!! I love our storms… But I definitely respect their power. Too many deaths have occurred by lightning — I had skedaddled far ahead of it, admiring from a safe spot. 🙂
safe spot is the key–some folks miss that concept! (you know, they may be the People to whom we refer at times…. the “wilderness” experience folks…!!)
What awesome digital pictures of storms. We could use some here in San Diego!
Thanks so very much! There was definitely a good degree of luck during this nice little show. I used to live in CA — I know our clouds are far different than yours (or as my aunt says, “what clouds?”). 🙂
Love the lightning pictures… whats the technique? long shutter with some luck? When I was in Toronto over the summer I attempted it for almost 3 hrs and I got NOTHING!!! 🙂
Unfortunately I couldn’t do a long shutter, since there was no tripod / release involved! So it was just me holding the camera, playing with the ISO + settings… and LUCK! 🙂
Wow ! Love how you were able to capture those lightening bolts on film. Super job !
Very lucky really… Thanks! Had to play with the ISO and whatnot, since I had no tripod / release handy. Very tired arms, lol!
I can only imagine ! BTW, looked around for your email to chat about next week,but couldn’t find it. Are you available Thu afternoon?
Oh drats, sorry about that! Here it is: kiliki70@gmail.com… Thursday should be fine, anyways! Each day’s a new experience… 🙂
Ok, email sent to ya!
You captured the lightning beautifully!
Thanks so much! I was lucky to have quite the show… Although a tripod would definitely have been handy, to save my arms, hahah! 🙂
Thanks for following me back; I grew up in NW FL and know quite a few of these critters, and the bluejay gave me an unexpected pang of what might be homesickness, even though FL never really felt like home to me. My mother grew up in a citrus grove in Lutz, FL, and had baby alligators as pets…for a little while. Your photographs are beautiful, your knowledge is extensive, and I believe we have some blogging friends in common so I am very happy to have made your acquaintance!
How wonderful!! I’m glad that my images can revive some memories… Florida can be an odd place, for sure. But the land and its critters are totally unique, and need our protection.
I would LOVE to live where you are, though… Especially being a Scotch-Irish girl! Hiking in South Florida is tough, with my pale skin (and from a family of all redheads). Hah!
These are some awesome lightning shots! You should submit some for Canon’s Project Imaginat10n: https://www.longliveimagination.com
You’re so kind! Thanks VERY much. You know, I saw that ad awhile back — thanks for the link!! 🙂
That was a lot of weather. Very nice photos, Fey Girl. 🙂
Thanks so much — I love our weather, when I can manage to not get too drenched in it, heh! 🙂
Wow, incredible photographs! especially that of the lightning. Wonder how you clicked it just at the right time. Sigh; amazing is all I can say.
Thanks so much! Very lucky… Well, there was a ton of lightning — I had to get it at some point, hahah! I wish I had a tripod / release, though. It would have saved my arm. 🙂
HAHAHA oh my god, I thought you got it on a tripod! Wow then hats off to you to getting it spot on.
Heee! Thanks. 🙂 Yeh, my arms were KILLING me. Many missed shots during this lightning show as I was messing with the ISO. 🙂
I have always wanted to capture lightning in a photo! How did you do that?
Heh, thanks!! It was quite a show… I didn’t have a tripod / release, unfortunately — which would have really helped (saved) my arms. But I was just playing with the ISO, and trying to catch it with timing… Luck? 🙂
Wonderful photos. I am a follower now. cheers Judy judysp.wordpress.com 🙂
Thanks so very much! Ditto on the following… 🙂 I adore your blog!
Thank you that is a lovely thing for you to say. 🙂
AS ALWAYS GORGEOUS PICTURES! A GOOD STORM IS ALWAYS SUCH A HYMBLING EXPERIENCE!!!
Thanks so much!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE our storms…. I’ve always been a huge fan of rain, thunder, lightning. Such power!
You got lightning! I have never managed to catch lightning. Very cool.
Heh, it was interesting… Very wet, no tripod / release, and it’s definitely mediocre… But I got it! Hah! I gave up after a few shots, for safety sake. 🙂
I think they’re awesome. How cool for us that you braved the weather, though I’m glad you got out of the storm. I lived in Florida for a couple of years when I was in my early twenties and I remember how wild those storms can be. It seemed like it stormed almost every afternoon in the summer and then it would clear off in time to make way for a brilliant sunset. At least that’s the way I remember it.
You’re exactly right! I’m surprised (as are we all) that they’ve continued their intensity, now… But I love it. 😉 And the sunsets (I overlook the Everglades) — just amazing. A stunnah.
I love “skedaddle” weather! Magnificent photos, FeyGirl! ❤
Thanks so much! Heh heh…. You know well the “skedaddle” weather, eh? As it’s coming down the street — Run! 🙂
I love seeing lightning, but it would be a whole new perspective in a flat swamp! I would find that interesting!
And verrrrryyyyy intimidating, if you’re the tallest thing around, haha! That’s why there’s many deaths by lightning in our area. (Well, people doing silly things during storms, too.) I made sure I was in a safe area when I snapped away. 🙂
Wow! These are my wetlands…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset_Levels
🙂 xxx
Ooooh! I’ve driven through there, YEARS ago!!
It’s GORGEOUS!