Penning Photography Daily

What I thought was a chameleon, turns out to be an anole, closer to an iquana than a chameleon or gecko, which many folk call this tree or shrub loving, sticky-footed, color changing animal.

Not a familiar name for a lizard.

We had just spotted the mama alligator with her three babies, out sunning in the backyards that line the swamp creek in Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Trying to get a closer look, we ventured into the trees that line this side of the creek, and one of us noticed this fellow, who appeared at first to be looking at the gators also.

Each of us had to try their hand at getting a closeup of the critter, as it alternately stayed frozen still and scampered about the tree limbs. This was my best grab, here showing the textured skin and distinctive spots along the tail.

When wandering about a nature preserve that includes a swamp, gators and magnificent and quite ancient tree growth, one never knows what will come up next.

I keep looking and wandering.