Not too cold for a quick walk at the zoo

Posted on March 14, 2022 by dinajohnston

On our last day in Utah in January, we checked out of our rental and headed over to Salt Lake City. We had half a day to kill before our flight so we stopped at the Hogle Zoo. It wasn’t too crowded because you know, who goes to the zoo in Utah in the middle of winter? But, there were a few other people there and it was sunny and mild, around the high 40’s. The animals were all out running around.

The meerkats were staying warm in the sun.

Lots of red pops from the plants. The berries looked interesting and I found out the red bulb was some sort of sumac. I haven’t seen these in Florida.

A few of the wild critters roaming around. Yes, another magpie and a Canadian goose high up on a building.

A cool statue.

Some house sparrows all puffed up trying to stay warm.

The zoo had amazing views of the mountains from every spot. There was an interesting park across the way from the zoo. What is that statue? After walking around we headed over to find out.

Fun morning at the farm.

Posted on February 26, 2022 by dinajohnston

I hadn’t been to Horsepower For Kids (sanctuary/farm) in a long time so I stopped by for a visit at the end of December. All of the baby geese that had grown up in early 2020 were still there making the duck pond a busy place.

They had 2 new canadian geese at the pond. They swam close to the dock and I noticed they both had angel wings. Angel wings is a nutritional deficiency caused by improper diet. It means someone was feeding these geese too much bread when they were young and their wings didn’t grow properly. It can keep them from flying well and that’s probably why they are living here now. At least they have a great home to live in now. That’s why it’s so important not to feed the wildlife bread.

It’s fun seeing all of the different crazy “fowl” running around here.

Some of the other residents.

I was admiring this salad. These guys eat better than I do.

Butterflies are seen all year long here.

Yes, I was attacked by a chicken

Posted on August 21, 2021 by dinajohnston

I was walking around Horsepower for Kids in June minding my own business when this chicken came running up to me. At first I thought he just wanted to be fed but he jumped up on my leg. I was there early and there wasn’t anyone around. At first I thought it was funny until he did it several times. I’m glad I had my longer lens on my camera and put it in front of my legs to shield him. I didn’t want to hit him with it but was starting to panic a little (says this city girl). I kept backing up but he kept following me. Finally a volunteer came around the corner and said he was getting someone to put him up. After a few quick steps back, he left me alone.

Then I realized he must have been protecting his friend (the naked neck chicken). The naked neck chicken was standing near me when the other chicken started to charge. Looking back, it looked like they were a couple. He must have thought I was going to hit on his girlfriend. What an odd couple.

Speaking of naked necks, there was also one in the regular coop. This was the first time I had seen them here (or anywhere for that matter). I wasn’t sure if there was something wrong with them but I looked them and found out that they are a popular chicken to have, especially in hot temperatures like central Florida.

This chicken was checking out the feeding cart.

Free range, strutting around the farm.

A quick stop to see the funny faces

Posted on August 16, 2021 by dinajohnston

Checking out some pretty white pigeons at Horsepower for Kids (rescue/animal sanctuary/petting zoo/farm) in late June. They weren’t in a cage but they were banded. I guess they know they can get a handout here.

Some of the funny faces.

Looks like this is a baby emu. I wonder where they got this from. They take in all kinds of strays or abandoned animals.

It’s always fun seeing the peacocks running around.

“No, I’m not giving you a kiss” I told him. I was there early so once the kids get there he’ll get lots of attention and snacks. He loves a good scratch.

Cute little fluff balls.

Posted on July 31, 2021 by dinajohnston

I recently spent a morning at Horsepower For Kids. Walking around the farm, I found a Mom chicken with several tiny babies. They were hanging out around the horse stables looking for bugs. I had to sit down on the sidewalk and watch Mom teaching them how to look for bugs, scratching around in the dirt.

They were so cute, looking so hard at the ground.

I don’t even think they noticed me there.

Aren’t all animals cute when they are babies? Especially little chicks.

After walking around the farm for a while, I came back by the stables before leaving and they were still there. Staring at the dirt.

Hanging out with some funny faces

Posted on February 15, 2021 by dinajohnston

I found some new friends at Horsepower for Kids Sanctuary in late November. The toucan is a fairly new resident and was very friendly (he was surrendered by his owner).

You don’t often see white turkeys.

The ducks were being their usual cute selves in the big pond.

Roosters have a run of the sanctuary. Some are skittish and stay in the bushes and some will walk right up to you.

The big shells were enjoying their breakfast.

This guy was showing off.

Hot morning at Horsepower for Kids.

Posted on September 12, 2020 by dinajohnston

The ducks were cooling off with a bath at Horsepower for Kids Animal Sanctuary in late June. It made me want to jump in with them and go for a swim.

I decided not to jump in the pond since the geese own the pond and they are aggressive.

Even the tricolored heron was cooling off in the water.

I’m not sure if this white pigeon was a resident or just a visitor. He wasn’t in a cage.

Some of the chickens hanging around.

Jealous of this guy sleeping (maybe not in the dirt though).

Close ups of the faces at the petting zoo.

A Saturday morning walk around the petting zoo.

A fun morning at the petting zoo.

Posted on August 10, 2020 by dinajohnston

The last time I was at Horsepower for Kids petting zoo/animal sanctuary was in early March. At the end of May I stopped by right after they had re-opened up. I figured this was a good place to get out and stretch my legs and it wouldn’t be crowded. Everything is pretty spread out and there were only a few other people there first thing in the morning. These above juvenile geese were growing up in the safety of a pen with a small pond before being released in the big lake. I realized that they were just eggs when I was there in March and now they were almost grown up. It would have been fun to see them as tiny fluff balls but at least they were growing up to be handsome loud annoying big geese.

The best was seeing the baby peacocks although they were pretty shy and stayed under the bushes. I”m sure the neighbors close by wouldn’t think more peacocks were the best though. So cute!

This goose let me know to stay back (taken with my 400mm lens and cropped).

I only saw one baby chicken wondering around with the adults and she was pretty big.

A few of the other smiling faces.

This beautiful bird was a rescue that the sanctuary had recently taken in. It was a former pet and was very friendly.

Funny faces at the farm.

Posted on April 28, 2020 by dinajohnston

Right before everything closed I stopped by Horsepower for Kids, the non-profit rescue farm to walk around and just be outside. The weather was still cool. They strictly rely on donations and admission fees to feed the animals and now that they are closed they are hurting for funds.

The turtles in the pond were coming up on the bank to sun themselves.

Funny faces staring back at me.

A capybara taking a dip. These guys are from South American and this one was a pet that someone realized they didn’t want after all and gave up to the farm.

Nice morning at the zoo

Posted on April 7, 2020 by dinajohnston

Fun animals at Zoo Tampa in late February. The weather was cool so many of the animals were moving around. This was the first time in a long time I’ve seen the bears playing together.

The eagle was stretching and you can see he has part of his wing missing. He was injured out in the wild and lives at the zoo now. The other eagle was sitting high up in the tree looking over the zoo.