This series is kinda hard to look at if you are squeamish or have a soft spot for turtles. I know I found myself feeling for the poor turtles plight!
Have to remind ourselves it's just nature doing it's thing...
When I took this first shot, I didn't see the turtles snout poking above the duckweed until I got home and was doing post processing, so I didn't realize the drama had already begun before my 1st shot.
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso320
Still ignorant of what was going on, I took another shot of this young gator passing me by, I'd guess between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 ft long.
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso1250
I'm still blissfully ignorant at this point, but do realize he is surfacing with "something" in his mouth. You can just make out our little friend/victim in his jaws, too bad the tree leaf is somewhat blurring the shot.
(or maybe that's a good thing?)
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso2500
Ok, now I know stuff just got real
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso3200
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso3200
And this is when I fully realized what was happening and how his fate was sealed.
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso3200
I think the gator is looking rather smug with himself and his meal here, and see's me snapping away.
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/1250 iso3200
This is the last shot I got before he submerged back to his meat locker or where ever he went.
HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW ƒ/7.1 450.0 mm 1/500 iso1250