It was really cold in early February. I was headed to Fred Howard Park for a cold walk and didn’t think I would see many birds but I threw my camera in the back anyway. I saw a “gulp” of cormorants out on the rocks along the causeway and after my walk I stopped on the way out to shoot them all resting. The beautiful ring billed gull was a bonus.

Cormorants were flying back and forth and another ring billed gull flew in.

My walk started out on the tiny beach at the park. I walked the little parking lot loop and then started out for the long causeway.

I was on my way back to the beach end when I saw a lone kiteboarder in the water. It was really windy so he had better know what he was doing. I could barely stand up as I walked into the wind back to my car.

He was getting some air.

A short video of him flying through the air right by me (maybe he was showing off?). He makes it look so easy. I took this and the above with my phone.

I made a quick stop at nearby Sunset Beach. I think this is the smallest beach in the Tampa Bay area. This is the entire beach. It was too windy to look for birds so I headed home.