Visitors in in late January

On June 3, 2026July 6, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

There was another chance of seeing northern lights in late January in central Florida and of course I was out in the backyard. I didn’t see any northern lights but could see the stars.

One afternoon I was across the street at the pond looking for ducks and this anhinga popped up in front of me with a fish. She seemed proud of her catch and showed it off for a few minutes before throwing it in the air and swallowing it.

Across the pond, another anhinga was drying off in front of the blooming bottle brush tree.

A hawk flew over my head.

One morning I was on my way to the grocery store and down our street was a flock of Canadian geese. They migrate through the area but I don’t see them often. Luckily I had my camera in the car and pulled over to get the above. They were gone when I got back.

A few days later I went for a walk and when I got down to the other end of our street I saw sandhill cranes. I ran back and got my camera. One of them was trying to get a leaf off his beak.

As they passed by me I noticed one of them had a big scratch on his neck.

I was across the street and there wasn’t any car traffic but people are always walking their dogs here. I saw a couple coming with their dog and motioned for them to please go around me but no, they just walked along that side of the street and let the leash out so the dog could chase after the cranes. Off the cranes went. Up and over the trees and out of the neighborhood. Ugh!

In the backyard, a house finch was waiting for the bluebird to finish before he jumped in.

I don’t know what this squirrel was eating as he sat right in front of the window.

Birds at the “Bar”

On February 19, 2019February 19, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

Anhingas are like clowns. They have the funniest personalities, that is when they are not half asleep drying their wings out. They sway their head back and forth and honk when you walk by. The males have a black neck and the females have a brown or beige neck. I think that last one was yawning.

Egrets along the trail. A snowy, cattle and a great egret in the last one above.

Other birds along the trail at Circle B Bar Reserve in early January were a limpkin looking for food, a grebe doing his yoga stretch, a glossy ibis glowing in the sun and a hawk looking out over his domain.

And one of the hundreds of blue-gray gnatcatchers.

This little moorhen was walking along the trail with someone.

Linking to My Corner of the World.

More from my drive along Lake Apopka.

On November 12, 2018February 12, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

I rarely see baby purple gallinules. They are very skittish. I caught this little one running in between the reeds. Look at those big yellow feet!

The parents were close by.

Two juvenile common gallinules (or moorhens) hanging out.

The only birds I saw along the drive were common ones.

Turkey vultures are also common along the drive but it’s not often you get to see one up close and with a snack.

Purple martins perching on the utility wire.

Another common site along the drive, an anhinga with a fish.

A beautiful morning to be out.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

Birds that eat fish

On May 19, 2018May 1, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

Anhingas are pretty common along any body of water in central Florida. They swim under water and spear fish with their beaks. They flip the fish into their mouths and swallow them whole.

I caught this one struggling a few minutes before getting it down.

There was an osprey flying right above me looking for fish. They swoop down and grab fish with their talons.

Snacking and nesting at Circle B Bar Reserve

On April 26, 2018March 19, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

Sandhill cranes were just starting to nest out in the marsh.

A new meaning to the term “Big Gulp”.

A wood stork trying not to drop the little fish.

Everyone was snacking including the limpkins.

It’s weird to see vultures flirting.

A cormorant flies by.

Lost of activity at Circle B Bar Reserve in mid March.

SkyWatch Friday

Critters at the Botanical Gardens

On February 5, 2018February 6, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

The usual gang at the Florida Botanical Gardens and the Largo Nature Preserve.

I caught this anhinga eating breakfast.

Other critters at the gardens.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

In the backyard

On January 8, 2018January 9, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography10 Comments

A house sparrow on our dock. They nest in the hole on the side of the dock.

A hawk sitting on our fence.

An anhinga getting a snack on our neighbor’s dock.

A woodpecker getting a snack on our palm tree.

A blue jay giving me a funny look while sitting on our neighbor’s boat.

Things on our muhly grass.

The moon in the backyard in the morning.

Just a few things in our backyard in the past couple of weeks.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

In the backyard

On December 15, 2016December 15, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I caught this anhinga about to take gulp of fish down at the other end of the channel.

The above were taken back in late October. The wintering belted kingfisher made an appearance in our channel and was hanging out on my neighbor’s dock. These were all taken over the course of the weekend. and all were through the bedroom window.

Then a few weeks later, I saw a different kingfisher on our dock. The female kingfishers have a rust colored band across their chest so I knew it wasn’t the same one from late October. So, now we have both a male and female hanging around our channel this winter. The female showed up on our dock late one day and was still there right before the sun went down. All taken through the bedroom window.

Some of the plants and crittes in our yard.

A great egret cruising through the backyard.

Taken from our driveway back in November.

A few things from our yard in November.

SkyWatch Friday

Cool morning at Circle B Bar Reserve

On November 17, 2014November 18, 2014 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography11 Comments

The very common palm warbler. They were falling from the sky. I’ll try not to take too many pictures of them this winter, even though they are the most accommodating birds.

Even though you can’t see his legs in this shot, this is a yellowlegs. He’s a shorebird that should be at the beach. He was all alone in a small marsh.

Another missed baby black bellied whistling duck opportunity. They were far out in the marsh and getting ready for a nap. They were probably going to stay in that spot for hours.

I counted six but I think there were more hiding in the reeds.

Phoebes where everywhere and you could hear that distinct call all over the reserve.

This common yellowthroat sat still for 20 seconds. Long enough for me to get the above. Then he took off.

A barred owl was sleeping close to the trail and everyone was stopping to watch him. He would not wake up and he was hidden behind a lot of branches. We kept going down trail and an hour later when we came back, he was still sleeping.

“This is how I eat my dinner. Bang the fish on the branch so he won’t wiggle when he goes down my throat.”

Yes, I have a ton of blue-gray gnatcatcher shots. But they are so cute and there were so many of them.

The great blue heron doesn’t bang his fish before swallowing. He flips it over a few times and swallows it wiggling.

More of the usual stuff from Circle B Bar Reserve. The first weekend in November was perfect. Although we were a little cold starting out. 50 degrees at 8am. I didn’t even take my jacket off until we got in the car at noon.

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