Still looking for spring birds

On July 26, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I made another trip to Fort Desoto Park in mid-April but not early enough to catch sunrise. I started out on East Beach and found some royal terns looking for love.

It was mating season for the shorebirds and there was a lot of hanky panky going on early that morning. These birds don’t get any privacy. A sandwich tern (on the right) was interrupting the royal terns and got yelled at.

Or maybe they were just playing “leap frog”???

The male terns were bringing in fish to temp the ladies. I think this one was hoping one of these two ladies were going to take the bait.

Not sure what this conversation was about. Was she yelling at him to go get a fish?

This osprey had a big fish for breakfast.

A nanday parakeet sitting pretty.

I was hoping to see something new on the trail but only the usual migrating birds were there this morning: a female Cape May warbler, a black and white warbler, a red eyed vireo and a summer tanager.

I stopped in at the North Beach area and as I walked out on the beach I saw these 2 oystercatchers chasing another one away.

The oystercatcher nest was still there and Mom (she is banded with AE bands) was just coming back to the nest after chasing that interloper away with Dad. I could see that she was sitting on 3 eggs. They should hatch soon.

A red breasted merganser was shaking off the water.

A pelican fly by.

A visit down south.

On July 23, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation10 Comments

In late April Brett and I spent a long weekend down in south Florida visiting family. We had an open morning so we went for a long walk on the broadwalk in Hollywood Beach. We got out early before the broadwalk got crowded but as we made our way back the crowds were moving in. It was beautiful and the extreme heat had not set in yet so everyone was out.

Nothing says “Florida” like a mermaid statue.

Passing by touristy sights.

It was a beautiful weekend.

On Sunday we had dim sum in Fort Lauderdale with Brett’s extended family. The Chinese restaurants are much better here than the Tampa Bay area.

For years we came down here to visit family and I never saw an iguana. Now I see them everywhere when we visit.

Watching the boats go by and relaxing along the intercoastal waterway between walks and meals.

In the backyard in early April

On July 21, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

There’s at least 2 female ruby throated hummingbirds coming to the yard since early April. I see them almost every day, usually in the morning and late afternoon. Most of the time I see only one at a time but several times I’ve seen one on the feeder and then chasing another coming in to feed. I now have another feeder in the front yard just outside the kitchen window as well.

The red shrimp plants were blooming and she was coming to them as well. She also comes to the gardenia bush and the coral honeysuckle but I can’t seem to get shots of her on those.

Squirrels in the backyard being cute.

Northern parulas visit from spring into fall. I was outside when I saw these coming down close to the bird bath and was able to get some shots of them.

A skipper on the salvia. The purple salvia died pretty quick but the red salvia has been blooming. I have yet to see a hummingbird on it though.

Two fly-overs that I was able to catch while I was outside in the backyard was a swallow tailed kite and a short tailed hawk.

I’m assuming this blue jay was working on a nest. I couldn’t see where he went with this beakfull of nesting material.

When Fred’s not feeding on bugs he sleeps the day away just outside our window. I think he was flirting with me here. He is not shy or skittish.

A few days later I realized he was shedding. One morning when I put my phone up to the window he came right up and posed for me.

The full moon in the backyard, taken with my phone.

A little later I went out with my camera and shot the above.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

A morning walk at Chesnut Park

On July 19, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

In mid-April I was out for a walk at Chesnut Park early in the morning. I parked my car and was walking towards the trail and these two ladies came cruising over the bridge and onto the trail I was heading for. I followed them to the boardwalk and they went into the woods.

I saw 2 young barred owls sitting in the same tree. The one on the far left kept his back to me the entire time. The one on the right was leaning over, almost upside down. I think that was how he was sleeping. I’m not sure how comfortable that is.

Mom was sleeping in a nearby tree.

A wintering coot that hadn’t left yet was eating some grass from the lake.

Looking out on one of the docks I caught sight of two baby wood ducks. They were swimming quickly towards the reeds.

Then I realized there was a family of wood ducks up against the reeds. They floated just outside the reeds for a while and then headed back into hiding.

The above was taken with my phone. This is where the baby ducks were hiding.

Tree swallows were flying around overhead.

A grackle was yelling at something, something they do often.

Dragonflies were everywhere.

The lake was calm and quiet.

Saturday's Critters

Seeing manatees on my walk

On July 16, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Florida animals, Uncategorized10 Comments

The view from my morning walk at the Safety Harbor waterfront in early April.

It was a weekend morning and Main Street was mostly deserted except for the other early walkers that were stopping for coffee at the local favorite coffee spot.

Pretty black-eyed Susan flowers in front of the hotel next to the fishing pier.

On my way back to the car I looped around the sidewalk along the marina. I noticed two snouts coming up out of the water. I was so excited to see manatees right in front of the sea wall at the entrance to the marina. Manatees were regularly spotted at the end of the fishing pier all year but the pier got wiped out from Hurricane Helene in September and they hadn’t been seen since until recently in the marina. I was lucky to catch them this morning close by.

There were two and I’m thinking they may have been mating. You can see my shadow in the bottom picture and see how close I was to them. I took all of these with my phone.

Above is a quick video of them splashing the surface with their backsides.

One quick shot of the pier before heading home. The city is just starting to replace the pier and repair the damaged marina. The marina parking lot and boat ramp will be closed for at least a year to fix everything. The mangrove boardwalk on the other side of the waterfront should remain open so I’ll have to start my walk from there going forward.

Sunrise with some fun birds and a boat race

On July 14, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

Another early morning at Fort Desoto Park in mid-April. I had heard there were some fun migrating birds seen in the park the day before so I got there when the park opened.

After stopping at a few areas known for migrating birds I finally made it out to the area where the birds were being seen. One side of the beach was full of people here for a paddle boat race. Luckily the birds I was looking for would not be on the beach and would be hidden in the bushes nearby.

For once I got lucky and saw the birds I was looking for pretty quickly. There were only a few birders looking around the mangrove bushes and the golden wing warbler was right in front. This is only the 2nd time I’ve heard of one being in the area. I saw it briefly in 2023 and got blurry shots of it.

The worm eating warbler was also there and I got one quick shot of it before it went deep in the bushes. I saw one here last year and had one in my backyard a few years earlier. Both birds were not common migrating birds that we get in the area.

After seeing the worm eating warbler I took a walk farther down the beach and when I got back an hour later a crowd had formed. Everyone was looking for the golden winged warbler. It had gone much deeper in the bushes and I was glad I was able to get some shots when I first got there. It was the weekend and this park gets crowded on the trails during migration. It’s okay because it’s more eyes to see what’s out there.

I could see barn swallows sitting high up on a dead tree farther behind the mangrove bushes. It’s rare to see them sitting.

An osprey flies by with a big stick for his nearby nest.

A little parakeet morning hanky-panky going on.

There wasn’t a large variety of birds this morning. Other than the 2 notable rare birds I first saw I also got shots of a summer tanager and a prairie warbler.

By now the paddle boats were out on the water and were moving fast. I couldn’t tell if it was an official race or a practice for one. It looked like a lot of fun but also a lot of work.

The water was calm when I stopped by the east beach turnaround before leaving looking for more birds (which I didn’t find). What a beautiful morning out.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Babes in the woods

On July 12, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

As soon as I walked up to this tree these 2 heads popped out. I wasn’t the first to see these juvenile pileated woodpeckers. This was a known nest and was easy to find. I didn’t get to the park until the babies were almost grown though. I had heard there were big crowds watching when they were much smaller so I waited until the frenzy wore off.

Mom came in several times to feed them.

Once the parent left to go get more food the babies would quiet down for a while until the parent came flying back in and then the screaming started back up. This was Dad flying in (only the males have a red streak across their cheek).

We were quietly waiting for a parent to fly back when we heard some banging on the ground right in front of us. Dad was banging around looking for bugs.

He was right at our feet and I took the above video with my phone.

One more feeding from Mom and I was ready to go home and eat lunch. These babies fledge a few days later.

An early morning on the beach

On July 9, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights3 Comments

In early April I was out early enough to see the lights still shining on the Sunshine Skyway bridge. I was on my way to Fort Desoto Park. The park opens at 7am and this time of year the sun comes up later so if you get to the park right when it opens you can catch sunrise.

I was out on east beach at 7:05 and zoomed in to see pelicans diving for fish right in front of the bridge.

The gulls were also swarming around.

After some shots at east beach I quickly headed over to the bay pier to get a few more shots before the sun was up too high.

The above osprey was having breakfast.

I’m not sure what this nanday parakeet was eating, or maybe just chewing on the branch.

Over on north beach I could see the oystercatcher sitting on eggs. This area had been roped off and guarded with bird stewards the entire time this couple were sitting on eggs. They are state-designated threatened due to loss of habitat. Their eggs blend into the sand and it would be easy for someone to trample over them if the parent left the nest (due to crows, gulls or other birds bothering them).

Looking out at the gulf.

Watching a grackle harassing the much bigger great blue heron on the pier.

A new owl family

On July 7, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

I was thinking I had missed the baby owl season when I went for a walk at Chesnut Park in early April. There was a 2nd barred owl family and my timing was pretty good. Both babies were right on the boardwalk.

The oldest baby was so cute, looking around at everything with such curiosity.

Mom was nearby watching both babies.

The younger baby was just a little bit fuzzier than it’s older sibling and was sitting lower in another tree. I waited a short while to see if Mom would get some food and feed them but they all stayed in their spots so I headed down the boardwalk to see what else I could find.

A rabbit was chomping on the grass out in the field.

The lake looked good enough to jump in but I knew it was filled with alligators. Yes, people ski on this lake but they say the alligators stay close to the edges in the quiet spots. I wouldn’t risk it.

A few fly overs included a swallow tail kite and a great egret.

This limpkin had a yummy snack. He had pulled the meat out of an apple snail and was gulping it down in pieces.

Before leaving I stopped by the owl area again and the babies had moved farther back into the woods. I saw Mom sitting on a branch right up against the trail. Then I noticed a squirrel was on the same branch farther down and was climbing up near the owl. They were so close I took the above with my phone.

A short video of the squirrel getting closer to the owl. I couldn’t decide if the squirrel was stupid, brave or crazy. He would run up to the owl and then run down again and did this several times. Finally the squirrel jumped off the branch and ran under the boardwalk. Mom owl just sat there. She must have already eaten.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Nesting season was in full swing.

On July 5, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

In early April I made the first trip of the bird nesting season to the north Tampa bird rookery. The small island in the middle of the big pond looked the same as last year. The cypress tree closest to land had fallen down and was laying on it’s side in the pond. The only remaining tree was in the far back and it was full of cormorants nesting.

The great egrets were busy flirting and showing off their breeding feathers. Even though there were a lot of babies many of them were just getting started.

I could easily see two great egret nests. One had chicks a little older than the other.

Some of the other nests had some babies screaming for Mom to feed them.

This nest had some older babies and Mom was busy feeding them. In the last shot you can see some regurgitated fish sliding down Mom’s throat and into the baby’s beak.