Blue skies at the pier – Skywatch Friday

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Brown pelicans can always be found around fishing piers.

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Common loons are a little more rare here in central Florida. Although, this is the 3rd one I’ve seen this winter.

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He was preening around the city pier in Anna Maria Island when I went looking for the rare razorbills.

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By the time I saw him with a fish, he was pretty far away from the pier. Extremely cropped.

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It was weird seeing downtown St. Petersburg across the bay. It’s almost an hour drive from where I standing to get back to St. Pete.

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Snowy egrets were hitching a ride.

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Rod and Reel fishing pier. There’s a restaurant on that top floor. There was a long wait the morning I was there. I did not eat there that morning but would like to go back with Hubby and hang out and get some breakfast.

The first few days after Christmas were beautiful which was nice coming home from rainy Atlanta. It was a bit chilly. Everyone had on jackets.  But, the sun was out and it was going to warm up that afternoon. I went down there looking for the rare razerbills and found a few other fun things too. Pelicans were everywhere and it was a nice surprise seeing the loon feeding even though he kept drifting farther away.  The tourists were out in full force, walking around and riding bikes. I’m sure they were glad to be out of the blizzards going on up north at the time.

Check out more sky pictures at Skywatch Friday

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16 Responses to Blue skies at the pier – Skywatch Friday

  1. The snowy egrets must’ve felt pretty comfortable on that boat. I’ve never seen one so close to a human. Lovely shots all around!

  2. Yes, the egrets look quite happy on that boat.
    Pelicans are my husband’s favorite reason for visiting Florida. He loves photographing them diving and fooling around. I like them, too, because they remind me of visiting my parents at their winter home in Mexico’s Baja.
    Loons, however, make me homesick for the interior lakes of British Columbia, and for a friend of mine who left BC twelve years ago to move to Florida, about the same time as I moved here to Alberta. There’s a pond near their condo in Oldsmar. I wonder if she ever hears loons there. I hope she does.
    K

  3. DrillerAA says:

    Very nice photo set. It is cloudy, cold and uncomfortable here right now. Those clear blue skies look awfully inviting.

  4. HansHB says:

    So many different things to see in your blog!
    Well done!

  5. Eileen says:

    Great birds, love the pelicans in flight and the loon shots. The restaurant looks like they have a wonderful view. Happy Skywatching!

  6. Such radiant blue skies round the pier! And adore the brown pelicans in flight! Great wing detail!

  7. LaVoice says:

    Loved seeing your water and sky sights.

  8. Karen says:

    Beautiful blue shies, love the pelican shot!

  9. pearlmaple says:

    Great collection of photos celebrating the local flavour

  10. SRQ says:

    Nice captures. Love your shots of that loon, especially the one with the fish.

  11. Pat says:

    Wonderful captures!

  12. Margy says:

    Your pelicans look like puzzle pieces that fit together. I bet walking and fishing from that pier would be fun. – Margy

  13. Phil Lanoue says:

    Really funny to see those snowys on the boat! :lol:

  14. Carletta says:

    Beautiful shot of the pelicans!
    The egrets on the boat is an amazing shot. They don’t seem to mind that guy at all. Wonderful capture!

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