{"id":9412,"date":"2013-09-08T03:45:28","date_gmt":"2013-09-08T09:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=9412"},"modified":"2026-02-08T11:22:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T17:22:06","slug":"an-american-alligator-at-ding-darling-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/09\/08\/an-american-alligator-at-ding-darling-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"An American Alligator at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AlligatorAn American Alligator at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Nikon D70, handheld, f5, 1\/60,\u00a0Nikkor 70-300mm\u00a0without VR at 220mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

While going through some old files I came across this image of an American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis<\/em>) that I took in 2007 at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> and realized that I have never posted any of my Alligator images on my blog or in my photo galleries so I am rectifying that situation.<\/p>\n

I laid down on a small boardwalk to get this image and I am glad the gator didn’t start swimming towards me or I might have had wet pants without going into the water. I am not afraid of many animals but I do have a very healthy respect for Alligators.<\/p>\n

Despite my being nervous around Alligators I do find them fascinating because they are walking, eating living fossils and \u00a0first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. I also like their cat-like eyes. <\/sup><\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American Alligator photos plus facts and information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While going through some old files I came across this image of an American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) that I took in 2007 at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":168794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2345,25,2346],"tags":[4004,2347,2448,2348,2349,519,4035,343,4449,102,4032],"class_list":["post-9412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-alligators","category-florida","category-j-n-ding-darling-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-alligator-mississippiensis","tag-american-alligator","tag-gator","tag-lee-county","tag-nature","tag-nature-photography","tag-photography","tag-reptile","tag-wildlife","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/alligator-ding-darling-mia-mcpherson-5663.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-2rO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":146891,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/05\/25\/mississippi-kite-at-wichita-mountains-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":9412,"position":0},"title":"Mississippi Kite At Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This Mississippi Kite was one of many I saw and photographed earlier this month at Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Perched Mississippi Kite at Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Comanche County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mississippi-kite-wichita-mountains-nwr-mia-mcpherson-3488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mississippi-kite-wichita-mountains-nwr-mia-mcpherson-3488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mississippi-kite-wichita-mountains-nwr-mia-mcpherson-3488.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mississippi-kite-wichita-mountains-nwr-mia-mcpherson-3488.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129501,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/15\/mississippi-kite-photos-from-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":9412,"position":1},"title":"Mississippi Kite Photos From Tishomingo NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, I finally took some Mississippi Kite photos that I'm happy with during a trip to Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. They are such striking raptors.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mississippi Kite in a willow tree, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mississippi-kite-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-4836.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mississippi-kite-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-4836.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mississippi-kite-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-4836.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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