Framed oil painting

24 x 18 (image size) Oil on canvas

Holding On ~ #3 in the Yellow Foot Collection!

It was a hot, June summer’s day and the gators were surfacing like stealth submarines, looking for their next meal. Meanwhile, the egrets and herons were busy nesting and actively fishing in the same dark waters in order to feed their young. Every bird was on high alert!

I stood looking out over the algae covered pond, cautiously moving ever closer to the tall grasses along the edge. I’d seen gators in this pond before and I wanted to be careful not to get too focused on the birds with my camera. With one last step came a sudden thrashing in the water!

I must admit I flinched! ☺ The gator’s large tail churned the water along the edge, revealing his presence. I had been so mesmerized by an unusual bird sighting that even though I was being cautious the big reptile still startled me.

A Snowy Egret kept flying down from his nesting area and appeared to be landing on top of the algae. The algae was so thick in appearance it looked like solid land, almost island-like. As the yellow-feet touched the algae, the egret’s wings flapped, suspending the bird over the algae for a second or two at the most.

I couldn’t tell if the egret was plucking small fish, frogs, or bugs from the surface. What I could tell is that the Snowy didn’t want to be near the water long. A pointed stump right in front of me (and the gator) became the somewhat safe landing perch for the Snowy every time it went through this routine.

The Snowy’s large yellow feet were literally holding on for dear life every time it would land on the stump. In my painting entitled Holding On, the Snowy is looking down into the dark water, keeping a sharp eye on the gator. Its head feathers are flared out, bristling at the danger below.