It is a juvenile Double Crested Cormorant

I never really trust my bird identification abilities and I was wrong. I thought this was a Great Cormorant not a Double Crested. However, Todd guided me to the right one.
We walked the Anhinga Trail while we were in the Everglades. These birds, Anhingas, an American Bittern, lots of herons, and some alligators could be seen around this trail. This is were we first met our English friends. Todd was trying to identify a Eastern Phoebe and they came up to us. We quickly saw a Great Egret (if I remember correctly) and a Common Yellowthroat while we were standing with them. I tell you birdwatching makes fast friends.


I zoomed in. My ISO was too high and that is why I have over-exposed areas on him. I forget how to use my camera between each trip and then I have about a two day learning curve. All my pictures from the first day are over exposed.

Is it real?

Todd and I traveled to Miami for the Orange Bowl last week. (Yes, Kansas beat Virginia Tech and I was colder there than when I was sitting in the pouring rain for the loss to Boston College). Anyway, we flew down on Tuesday so that we could do some sightseeing. Wednesday, we went to the Everglades for some bird watching but I found this guy (or girl) the most interesting. Other individuals had spread the word that there was a large american crocodile behind the marina (I believe this was the Flamingo Visitor Center). I never thought I would get this close to one. We arrived to a crowd of people and they were waving us over. As you looked down off the dock, you see this crocodile taking a shower. A young girl informed us that he had been on the opposite shore but had heard the water running when someone turned the spigot on. Supposedly he made a beeline here and then sat for the longest time just letting the water drip onto his face.


Picture from a small floating platform looking back towards the dock.



Taken off to the side from him.

Look straight down from the dock.