An early morning bike ride

On June 30, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography8 Comments

I was out on my bike in early April watching the sun come up on the Pinellas County bike trail. It was a little too early to see any migrating birds but I might see something else fun.

I had just started out and up ahead I saw an alligator crossing the trail. This is the first time I’ve seen one on the trail here but since there are ponds on both sides I wasn’t too surprised to see him crossing. I was afraid I wouldn’t have time to take my camera out of the backpack so I took the above with my phone.

A quick video of him strutting across. After this I pedaled over to where he went in on the other side.

I was able to catch him down in the ditch as he crawled under a hole in the fence and went into the pond.

Farther down the sun was coming up over the horse pasture.

Evening primrose was blooming along the fence.

The sun far up across the field. The lake in the back is Lake Dan.

The pattern on this juvenile bald eagle is striking. I saw him across the cow pasture and at first I thought it was a red-tailed hawk but when he turned around I could see his eagle beak. I was hoping he would fly off but after 15 minutes he looked like he wasn’t going to move so I continued on the trail.

A red headed woodpecker was in the same big dead tree.

This not-quite adult eagle was sitting high up in the tower right on the trail. Based on the coloring in his head he must be around 3 years old. See chart below for age identification.

Bald eagles don’t get their all white head until they are 5 years old.

He started yelling at the crows that were bothering him and took off.

More flowers along the trail.

I love seeing the horses out in the pasture. It makes me feel like I’m farther out in the country (or really just suburbs here).

Cattle egrets taking a break from feeding on bugs around the cattle. Many had their pretty bright orange breeding feathers and beaks.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast

On June 28, 2025June 13, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

The birds were enjoying the peace at the damaged pier in Safety Harbor in early April. I started my walk out here and then looped around by Main Street and back past the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.

I couldn’t decide if it was going to be sunny or cloudy. It looked clear but looking towards Tampa I could see a haze hanging low near the skyline.

When I was almost back to my car I saw the above. A baby house sparrow sticking his head out of the front of the hotel overhang. I hurried back to my car to get my camera.

When I got back I noticed several adults had some yellow stuff in their beaks. I realized it was eggs. The outdoor breakfast restaurant was just off to the side and someone had left some eggs on a plate and the server had not come back to get the plates.

They were feeding the babies scrambled eggs. There were two families underneath the overhang and this one was more visible.

There were two on the left side and they were waiting for Dad to bring back more eggs.

Both parents were busy hauling eggs to the babies before the plate was taken away. What an easy meal.

One last shot before heading home.

Flashes of orange and blue on the waterfront

On June 25, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights8 Comments

At the end of April Brett and I were out on the bay waterfront in St Pete for a long walk. We started out near North Shore Park and walked towards the pier.

We passed all of the sailboats at the marina and noticed a lot of boats for sale.

It was too early for the restaurant and bar on the top floor to have customers so we climbed up the back stairs and was able to walk around on the top.

The view from the top looking straight, looking north towards the small airport and then looking right from where we had started.

The back view at the top looking out on the bay.

On the way back I noticed some flashes of orange and blue flying across the park. I was wondering if they were escaped pets but then I saw the girl with the bird stand calling out to them. She brings them out to the park to get flight time in and they are trained to come back to her.

Videos of them flying free around the park.

They came back when she called them. I guess she’s pretty confident they won’t go flying off and not come back. I guess it’s the treats that will always bring them back. She’s had them for many years. You just never know what you’ll see out here.

Around the yard in late March

On June 23, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Things blooming in the front yard in late March. The bottom one is a fire star orchid that was gifted to my neighbor from a friend who was moving. It’s a huge potted plant that is full of blooms. When she brought it home in the winter it was a pile of dead sticks. She said her friend said to trust her and wait until spring.

We had another dove couple (or it might have been the same couple from the other tree) nesting on a palm tree on the other side of our driveway. They nested much higher up and I could only get a shot of one baby when it was getting big although there were two. They grew up so fast and were gone before I could get another shot of them.

Fred spends the afternoon sleeping on the old small trellis in front of our window. He’s got distinctive ridges on his back and he never runs away when I get close to the window.

We finally got a new bird bath. The old plastic one covered in metal lasted 20 years but was falling apart in the Florida weather. The squirrels love the new one.

Birds coming to the backyard in late March included a great crested flycatcher (the first 2 shots). I think he was going to get a drink but wasn’t sure with the fountain going. Northern parulas were plentiful in the yard and I don’t know what that crow had in his beak. He might have gotten a mouthful of leaves with a caterpillar or maybe he was building a nest?

Right before dark I was going out to get the mail and I kept hearing black bellied whistling ducks calling from the pond. One day I took my camera and walked across the street and saw them sitting on the bank on the other side. For at least 2 weeks they would come in late in the day. I wondered if they were nesting nearby but I couldn’t start walking through people’s backyards looking, could I?

This is when I would hear them whistling. Right before the sun went down behind the trees across the pond.

The sun was coming up through the fog one morning as I was heading to the grocery store.

I knew the eagles in my neighborhood were sitting on eggs in the nest for a while and eventually I saw them sitting up on the edge of the tower and had been bringing in food. I was thinking maybe the babies had hatched but it would be a while before they were big enough for me to see them.

Finally, weeks later I could get a decent shot of the baby. I had seen glimpses of gray fuzz for a few weeks but now I could see the face. It looked like there was only one baby.

A week later the baby was much bigger and I could see one of the parents feeding it on the nest. I’m glad they have a baby. The Dad is a first time dad since he was only a 4th year juvenile last year when he started “dating” the Mom who had lost her mate earlier that year. You can read my post about the loss of the eagle family last March here.

Dad flies off to get more food.

One day another juvenile eagle went flying over the nest. The parent chased him away. It might have been a baby from the nest on the other side of the neighborhood. Those babies were born much earlier but it’s too far away to get pictures of that nest.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Sandhill cranes everywhere

On June 21, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

In early April I was out biking on the northern part of the Pinellas County bike trail (the part that runs through cow pastures and a horse farm). Sandhill cranes are common here and I usually see several pairs. The first pair I saw was far out in a horse pasture right at the beginning of the trail. I stopped for a few minutes and noticed they had 2 tiny babies. They looked to be under a week old. Unfortunately they were on the sunny side of the trail.

A horse started walking towards them (really heading to the pond) and the parents started yelling. The horse stayed on the far side of the pond and then wandered back towards the stables. The little babies stayed close to the parent, right under his legs.

Turkeys were far across the cow pasture.

Farther down the trail I passed by another sandhill crane couple. They did not have any little ones.

While I was taking pictures of the cranes I noticed the bushes around the area were covered with these small snails. There were tons of them all over the bushes and sticks. I don’t remember seeing these here before.

Towards the end of the trail I found another crane couple. They were standing in the shade right along the trail. I stopped my bike and started taking shots of them.

They started flirting and dancing around. I stood there for about 10 minutes hoping they would mate but then some people walked up behind me with dogs and got too close so the cranes so they took off flying across the pasture and over the trees. I was crushed but not surprised. There’s a lot of foot traffic here as well.

Cattle egrets along the fence.

As I was leaving I saw the crane family again and they were a little closer to the trail but I figured they wouldn’t leave that pasture and get on the trail until those babies were bigger.

A sunken boat and the heron ballet

On June 18, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

I was on the Dunedin causeway for a walk in mid-March. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect for early spring. I walked both bridges this morning. I first walked the one farthest away from land and then stopped and walked the one closer to land on the way off the causeway. I usually only walk the back half of the causeway because there is less foot traffic but this morning was quiet and not a lot of people out walking.

I had not walked on the south side of this bridge in a long time, obviously since the 2 hurricanes because I noticed a sailboat sunk right up against the bumper almost under the bridge. Only the top of the mast was sticking out and it looked like it was wedged into the bumper. I could tell it had been there for a while.

A week later I was on the same bridge and the boat had just been pulled up, almost 6 months after it sank. It takes a long time for them to get all of the sunken or stranded boats out of the water. It looks like it would be headed for the junk yard.

The view from the first bridge. I can see Clearwater beach far away.

All ready to hit the water.

I noticed the great blue heron and snowy egret fishing together. The great blue heron was having more success.

All of a sudden the great blue heron started strutting around.

Then I realized there was another one walking up and they started strutting together. I’m not sure if they were flirting or staking their claim to that spot to feed. It looked like they were performing a ballet.

I stood there for about 10 minutes taking several videos of them. I kept hoping they would start mating. Eventually one of them flew off so I guess that one lost the spot (or mate? ).

More from hanging out at the “Bar”

On June 16, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

More sunrise shots (taken farther down Heron Hideout Trail) from my visit to Circle B Bar Reserve in March after a 3 year hiatus.

The twin tree was still there.

I saw several male painted buntings feeding along the trail right as the sun was coming up. They were right on the trail and were not shy.

A female northern harrier made a pass overhead.

Trail views on Marsh Rabbit Run trail.

The usual birds were there including many glossy ibis and green herons.

The common club-rush plant was everywhere in the marsh. There used to be water here and now it’s all choked up.

Down at the end of the trail sits the end of Lake Hancock.

More alligators along the trail.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Looking for a distinguished gentleman

On June 14, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

All of the usual winter ducks were still at Lake Belleview in Clearwater when I got to the lake in late March. It’s a small lake in the middle of a busy section of Clearwater. I don’t get here often and I’m always amazed at the variety of birds and ducks that hang out here in the winter. Out in the middle of the lake I could see redheads and coots swimming together. I was looking for the rare northern pintail duck that has been spotted here for a few weeks now.

As I walked around the lake I found a few redheads sleeping along the bank and on the water all under a big shade tree (the female is all brown, only the male has the red head).

I was watching the redhead floating around when I noticed the pintail swimming by so I found him pretty quickly.

I’ve only seen a pintail once, in late 2014, in St. Pete. He’s a beautiful duck and looks very distinguished. They breed in the most northern part of the US and mostly in Canada. They do migrate south for the winter into Florida but this is only the 2nd time I’ve heard of one being in our area. He stayed under the shade of the big tree the entire time I was there.

The usual moorhens were also there.

A few flybys included a great blue heron and a great egret.

One last snap before heading home. He was still hanging around at the end of May so I’m hoping he is okay.

Artwork on Main Street

On June 11, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

I usually start my walk at the Dunedin marina. I keep hoping to see that they have started fixing the damaged pier and boat docks but so far 8 months later it all looks the same. I’ve heard the city is waiting on insurance money or FEMA or both. They will also need to wait to get the right people to do it. I’m sure with all of the dock and pier damage up and down the western coast of the state those guys who fix that are busy.

It was blasting wind so after walking near the marina I headed up to Main Street to get out of the cold and wind until the sun came out . I thought the fish lock was the best.

The side of the wall on one of the buildings always has a cute seasonal painting. It was late March when I saw this.

Some of the fun artwork along Main Street.

I have still not been in the history museum. It opens at 11am and I’m usually home from my walk by then.

Flowers outside a restaurant.

I love the tile work on the fountain and stairs.

A few of the painted dolphins around the city.

I took this picture of the Dunedin boat club house several years ago. It sits on the front part of the marina and I recently read that it had been torn down due to extensive hurricane damage. It was built in 1931 and had survived 93 years here until Hurricane Helene flooded it last September. There were several benches in front of it that looked over the water and was shaded in the mornings and I would take a break on my long walks sitting on them. The whole area has been fenced off and I’m sure the benches are gone. I sure miss that spot. I’ve read that they will rebuild the club house (on concrete stilts this time) some time next year.

Back on the trail after 3 years.

On June 9, 2025July 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

I missed this sunrise. I hadn’t been out to Circle B Bar Reserve in 3 years. It was time to go back. Not much had changed. The trails looked the same in general. One of the main trails, Alligator Alley, was closed due to damage from the hurricanes last year but there is still a lot to see out here and many other trails. The sun was just coming up when I walked out on Heron Hideout trail in mid-March.

Looking out over the marsh at the intersection of Marsh Rabbit Run and Heron Hideout. Those cypress trees in the middle are still there.

Bur marigolds were still out in some spots along the trail. Their peak bloom is in November when the marsh is covered with them.

You have to look down below when getting close to edge on the raised trail. You never know what’s lurking in the marsh below.

A great blue heron showing off his breeding wispy feathers. He had his eye on something moving in the water and wasn’t paying any attention to me.

It was a quiet morning and very few people as I made my way down Marsh Rabbit Run trail. The ponds along this trail have gotten choked up with vegetation.