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Alex Nelson

@alxnelson.bsky.social

2.8K followers 280 following 1.8K posts

Formerly a baseball writer and editor, now an amateur wildlife photographer.

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Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 6d

Roseate spoonbills will splash their wings through the water as part of their beauty routine. Here's one doing so mid-splash, facing straight ahead towards the camera. I really love this shot. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 26m

A male wood duck swimming through a pond, a blurry reflection below. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 19h

A young wood stork preens while standing in some shallow water at the edge of a marsh. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 1d

Nice footage!

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 1d

No, it seemed to be pretty used to people.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

I wouldn't worry too much about that--warblers tend to travel in mixed flocks and eventually she would've latched on with somebody.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

On average, they're bigger than leasts, but only by 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in length and there is overlap in their size ranges.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

Fresh off his victory in battle, this alligator went to a different corner and began a bellowing exchange with a different gator. When alligators bellow their bodies vibrate through the water to alert any gators below the surface that they're present. This causes surface water to dance.

An alligator in the foreground bellows, causing water over his back to dance along the surface. In the background, a second gator waits his turn to bellow back.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah, I went to Krone Pass right after this and spotted that.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

Another image of a young roseate spoonbill splashing in the marsh. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

I also spent the whole morning in a cypress swamp trying to photograph some Acadians that would not shut up. Never saw a feather.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

Could be an Acadian, but the muddiness of the breast coloration and the bold eyering looks more least to me. Also, I usually see Acadians (which are everywhere over here right now) in thick forests adjacent to water. Leasts are more versatile. But this is why I ID flycatchers solely on sound.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

So a dry, deciduous forest?

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 2d

What was the habitat like?

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 3d

This river otter popped out of the water so close to me that it was a struggle just getting it inside my minimum focus distance.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 3d

A female yellow warbler stretches her neck to look through the foliage of the small tree whose branch she's perched on to look at the guy with the camera. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 3d

An eastern bluebird sits on a fencepost on a windy day. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 3d

These guys were pretty tiny by bullfrog standards.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 4d

A quartet of American bullfrogs arrayed along the edge of a small pond, two pointing to the right and another two in the background pointed away from the camera. I love their bright green faces.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks, Chuck!

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 5d

A brown thrasher clings to a branch of a young tree and squawks noisily at another thrasher across the trail. #birds

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks!

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks, Matthew!

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 5d

After winning his battle against another male, this male American alligator marked his victory by rising up out of the water, puffing out his throat and slapping his chin down into the water, a show of dominance.

A male American alligator with his head rising out of the water, his throat puffed out slightly.

A large splash as the alligator smashes his chin down into the water.

More splashing as the alligator's head rises back above the waterline, his eyes mostly shut.

Droplets continue to descend as the alligator finally opens its eyes after completing his victory dance.

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 6d

Cool light!

Alex Nelson @alxnelson.bsky.social · 6d

I'm rich in roseate spoonbill photos at the moment, so here's another: a spoonbill faces the camera with its wings outstretched while two other spoonbills preen in the upper right corner of the background. #birds