Fun things at Sand Key Park

On September 2, 2026August 25, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photographyLeave a comment

I was out at Sand Key Park in April right as the sun was coming up over the trees. I was hoping spring migration was getting better and I’d see a few more birds than I saw on my last trip here a few weeks earlier.

A nice surprise was seeing a black throated green warbler in the mangroves. I hadn’t seen one since 2017.

A few usual migraters were there including the blackpoll warbler and the American redstart. But, it was still a slow morning with only the few birds above. This year was a really slow migration so far.

Of course there are always tons of palm warblers and they always pose nicely.

A flock of brown pelicans fly high up in the beautiful sky.

A typical Florida shot, a great blue heron posing on a pine tree.

A Cooper’s hawk had a nest nearby with babies but it was well hidden so all I got was the Dad hanging out.

Blooming along the sandy trail included beach sunflowers, bitter gourd (or bitter melon) and morning glory.

I saw lots of rabbits this morning.

“Run bunny run!” I yelled as one took off into the bushes.

A small park with a big heart.

On August 31, 2026September 1, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

Beautiful canopy at Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater. I stopped in for a quick walk in April. This is a great park packed in a small space near very busy streets in Clearwater. If I’m going for a long walk I usually don’t come here but I had heard they had feeders up and painted buntings were sighted so I had to stop in.

This park also sits next to the neighborhoods where the wild peacocks roam so there are usually some hanging around the park.

A tiny bit of purple on brown on the trail.

Permanently injured birds live here and the volunteers here work with rescue birds as well. Both bald eagles were outside this morning. I think one is missing an eye and one is missing a wing.

The hawk was looking right at me and I could see his eye missing.

A screech owl popped his head out.

They have a cute little turtle pond.

A few bird feeders were behind the nature center. I sat on a bench for a while and only saw the one female painted bunting. No multi-colored males this morning.

A peacock was feeding along the road as I was leaving the park.

Hoping for a face only a Mother could love

On August 29, 2026August 14, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

In the middle of April we thought the great horned owls at a nearby park had a baby. Mom was looking down at something. We were hoping a baby was still too small to see yet. This couple has had a rough year and it was late for baby owls. They usually hatch in January or February here. The couple sat on eggs back in the winter twice and lost both clutches so we thought they were done. Last year their baby didn’t survive so this couple has had a tough time. Then we realized they were sitting on eggs again in a different tree (just across the parking lot of from the old nest tree).

Dad was sticking close to the nest which also made us think a baby had hatched.

There are so many squirrels in this park.

I came back a few days later after hearing someone had seen the small baby. We were all standing far back and this was the view when you turned around. Not a bad view to sit and wait for the owls to wake up from their morning nap.

That squirrel in the bottom right above is either stupid or brave, getting so close to the owl and the nest. He got even closer but panicked and ran away quickly.

Dad was still sticking close to the nest tree.

Finally I got a peek at the baby (see the yellow arrow). It really blended it to Mom’s feathers. There was only one baby and the locals called her (or him) Hope.

The baby was finally waking up and it definitely has a face only a Mother could love.

At first glance it looked like Mom was giving the baby some kisses and baby was kissing back but I think that’s the baby’s way of saying “Mom, feed me!”

Since this park is so close to my house I stopped in several times. This park is a great place to walk along the water and the owls are a bonus. More to come on this little one.

Blooms and birds in the yard

On August 26, 2026August 25, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

It was late March and this was the first time the philodendrons have bloomed in the backyard in the almost 5 years we have lived here.

So many other plants were also blooming.

Little critters in the yard. We only had a few of those tussock moth caterpillars this year. A few years back the backyard was covered in them and I was hosing off our patio every day. Those tiny things pack a big sting or rash.

Great crested flycatchers were showing up. They nest in the area during the summer months.

I found a yellow-rumped warbler in his breeding colors. We usually only see them in their drab cream during the winter months.

A titmouse and a catbird were eating caterpillars.

A young pine warbler.

At the end of March a ruby throated hummingbird showed up. I had just put out the feeders a few days before and didn’t expect to see one so fast.

A brown thrasher was singing for his mate.

The black bellied whistling ducks were still hanging out across the street in large numbers.

The sky late in the day after some storms passed through.

Zooming in on the full moon on April Fool’s Day.

Blooming in the butterfly garden

On August 24, 2026August 11, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

The butterfly garden at Wall Springs Park was in full bloom in late April.

I only saw one butterfly though.

A squirrel was posing for me (he was probably checking to see if I had snacks).

I walked past the natural spring (you can no longer swim in it).

Many of the trees were still bare from the hurricanes in late 2024. I’m not sure if these will grow back.

A climb up to the top of the tower is always fun. I take the stairs up and the ramp down.

The view from the top looking west and then east.

A mangrove tunnel out to the lagoon.

The only bird I saw this morning was a Cooper’s Hawk high up in the pine tree. I was wishing I had my camera. He preened for a few minutes and then took off.

The masked birds and a gator

On August 22, 2026August 20, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Florida animals6 Comments

This guy greeted me when I started to walk down the trail at Possum Branch Preserve in mid-April. He was in the middle of the pond and looked like he was trying to take a nap in the water.

Blooming along the trail.

As he hovered over the pond, an osprey was doing his angel pose while he looked for something to eat

I made it to the big mulberry tree and I got lucky this trip. The tree was already full of cedar waxwings feasting on the berries. Sometimes I get here and there isn’t anything on the tree and it can be a long wait before they fly in. They fed for about 10 minutes before flying across the trail to the cypress trees.

They rest for 20-30 minutes and then fly back to the mulberry tree to continue eating. The waxwings are migrating birds and are here anywhere from January through April. Some years I will see them several times and some years I won’t see them at all. This year they hung out at this preserve for several weeks.

More berry eating.

As I was leaving the alligator had come up to the bank of the pond to take a nap. I walked on the far edge of the trail and kept an eye on him as I walked by. If they see anyone on the trail here they usually slip back into the water but you just never know.

Critters and color on the causeway

On August 19, 2026August 19, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights6 Comments

I was out early in the morning for a walk on the Dunedin causeway in April. It looked like work was still being done on the causeway from all of the damage due to the hurricanes in late 2024.

Looking right into the sun I could see a dolphin that had come close to the shore and the light was so bad but I still had to take some shots of it.

Even a bad dolphin video is a good dolphin video.

The willets and dowitchers were feeding along the washed up sea grass.

Two laughing gulls were walking along with me.

I found the footless snowy egret again.

Just me and my shadow.

Color on the causeway.

A walk along the St. Pete waterfront

On August 17, 2026August 7, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn flowers and plants, Tampa bay sightsLeave a comment

In mid-April Brett and I headed to the waterfront near downtown St. Pete for a long walk and than an early lunch. As we pulled into the parking lot we could see the orchid trees were still blooming (peak bloom is in the winter here).

When I got up close to get some shots I noticed a lot of the blooms around the bottom of the tree were full of bugs.

The hibiscus along the sidewalk were also blooming.

It was a great morning for volleyball.

The view as we rounded the sea wall and could see the pier.

We always take a detour to walk along the marina before getting to the pier.

We walked out on the pier and hiked up the back stairs to take a break before the long walk back to the car. It’s too nice of a view to not stop and take it all in.

Across the yacht basin you can see the Dali Museum.

The splash pad was just starting to get busy.

The view from our bench as we took a short break on the way back.

Sushi for breakfast

On August 15, 2026August 1, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Less than a week after I had seen the tiny osprey babies at the Dunedin marina I came back with my camera and long lens early in the morning. I stood across the marina and was hoping to get better views of the babies. Mom sat up and started flapping.

She pulled up a fish that looks like it had been on the nest for a while. That woke the babies up. Both of their heads popped up.

She started pulling off pieces of fish and fed both babies for a while.

After a while she took off and flew around the marina and then landed back on the nest.

Meanwhile I was keeping an eye on the nearby purple martin nest boxes. More to come on them.

A sunny walk in April

On August 12, 2026July 28, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights5 Comments

The sun was bright on an early morning walk at one of my usual spots, Philippe Park. I was hoping to see dolphins up close but the tide was out too far for them to come to the sea wall. I did see pelicans far out though.

Pelicans were diving for the fish.

“Wait, come back!” They were in close for a while and then took off.

Another beautiful morning in central Florida, before it got too hot to be outside.