The yard and neighborhood in late January

On April 21, 2025May 11, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

There hadn’t been a lot of different birds coming to the feeder in the backyard in late January. The usual tufted titmouse were always there.

It had been drizzling all day when I looked out the window late in the afternoon. I saw tons of robins on the golf course. They were too far away to try and take pictures through the window so I grabbed my big umbrella and camera and went out the back door. Yes, I was that neighbor standing on the edge of the golf course taking pictures of birds in the rain.

The robins had the entire fairway to themselves and they were taking baths (even while it was raining) in the puddles that had formed.

Looking around I realized they were all over the fairway. They stayed all afternoon and were gone by dark.

I noticed the little soaked pine warbler in the backyard as I headed back in.

Squirrels being cute. I think these are both young ones born this past late fall. They were half the size of the adult Mom that was also hanging around.

We had a bunny in the backyard for 13 days. It came late in the afternoon or right before dark. We had some dirt spots in the back near the patio so Brett threw some rye seed out so it would be green through the winter and not get muddy if it rained. Once the seed sprouted this bunny showed up and ate through most of the rye grass. He was having a feast so Brett through some more seed out to replace what he ate. These were taken through the window. He was very skittish.

Taken through the window, this great egret was hunting around the bushes and came up with a lizard.

My Christmas cactus didn’t start blooming until late in January.

Sunset down the street at the utility field.

The turkeys were heading out on the field right before sunset.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

In the yard in early January

On April 12, 2025May 11, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

Even though it’s winter we still have butterflies coming to the hanging baskets in the backyard. We didn’t get any really cold days until later in the month.

I had seen a few wintering robins at the end of December and they came back a week later. One morning I saw one in my neighbor’s maple tree.

Later that afternoon I had 2 on the bird bath in the backyard.

The next day more showed up.

They were not shy and didn’t leave the trees when I went outside to shoot the 2 above.

Later a few more friends showed up.

A blue jay had a berry on the bath. Later I saw him with a clump on the ground. I’m not sure what was in that clump of dirt. Maybe a bug?

Getting a drink.

A common grackle looking at the bird bath.

I snuck outside to get the above when I saw the pileated woodpecker fly into the oak tree out back. She was too high up to get a good shot from the window and they usually don’t fly off right away when I’m in the back.

Things blooming in the front yard.

Red skies in the backyard.

Around the yard and neighborhood in December

On March 24, 2025April 10, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

It was early December and I was seeing the eagle couple in my neighborhood pretty regularly.

My first robins showed up in mid-December. I was putting the garbage can out one morning and heard them in the trees in the yard so I ran inside and grabbed my camera. There were only 3 of them and they stayed high up in the trees. They didn’t stay long. This was the first of several visits from them this winter.

We had 2 turkeys cruising through the yard one morning.

This red bellied woodpecker was taking sunflower seeds from the feeder and sticking them in the palm tree outside the window. Was he storing them up for the winter? I wanted to tell him the squirrels would find them and eat them.

All of the usual winter birds were visiting including black and white warblers, yellow throated warblers and house finches. The downy woodpeckers are here all year round.

The hermit thrush is a special visitor. He only stopped by once this winter. There was one that came by for a month last winter. I wonder if it’s the same one. He eats bugs so he doesn’t go to the feeder but maybe he likes the bath.

By mid-December the eagles were spending a lot of time together on the utility tower that the nest is in.

A few days later I was running to the store and saw them flying near the nest so I stopped since I had my camera in the car. One of them came flying to the nest with a big stick. I’m sure the nest needed some work after the hurricanes from the fall.

I was about to leave when this juvenile little blue heron flew right in front of me. He must have been a late summer baby because he was still all white. They turn blue as they molt their feathers in the first year. I’m glad he caused me to pause because then the eagle came back with more nesting material.

It looked like he had a part of a bald cypress branch. He dropped it in the best spot athough I’m sure she’ll re-arrange it later.

My camelia bush was just starting to bloom.

Sunset across the street in mid-December.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Visiting birds in November

On March 15, 2025March 8, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

In early November I was taking the long way out of my neighborhood and checking on the eagle’s nest. Both eagles were hanging around the nest pretty regularly but it was still too early for any action.

Pine warblers are regulars at the suet feeder in the backyard during winter.

Downy woodpeckers are usually lined up to get at the suet and only one comes at a time but sometimes they will let another smaller bird feed as well.

I had a “first time in the backyard” yellow bellied sapsucker in late November. It was hard to get a shot of him through the window but I was afraid he would get spooked if I walked outside. He didn’t stay long.

Every couple of weeks I get a pileated woodpecker come to the big oak trees in the backyard. I can usually go outside to get a shot since they stay high in the trees and aren’t shy.

House finches paid a visit in the middle of November. The males are pretty with red feathers (females are drab brown).

Tufted titmouse are usual visitors and they are not shy. I was outside taking pictures of the pileated woodpecker and they landed right in front of me and on the bird bath.

All of the usuals were here including chickadees, Carolina wrens and doves.

Squirrels being cute. He was eating a wild mushroom in the first shot.

Around the neighborhood and backyard in October

On February 22, 2025February 15, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

In late October I saw a lone eagle on the utility tower in my neighborhood. He was calling for someone. I had been seeing one around the area but this was the first time I had seen one on the tower where they nest.

A few days later both eagles were on the tower nest and they were having a conversation. What do you think they were saying???

Coming home I ran into the turkey family again. They were just hanging out on the road.

On my way to the store I stopped by the utility field in our neighborhood and saw two deer hanging out in the far corner. One of them had a big booboo on her neck.

Bluebirds were still coming to the bird bath in the backyard.

Yellow throated warblers were also coming to the bath.

The feeder was busy in October with pine warblers, Carolina wrens (who are here all year long) and house finches.

Palm warblers showed up by the tons and we have so many in the backyard. They come right onto the patio looking for bugs. They are not shy.

I saw the pileated woodpecker flying into our oak tree and ran outside with my camera to get the above. They stay high up in the trees and it’s hard to get them from the window.

Our hibiscus bush was in full bloom.

Around the yard in late September

On January 27, 2025February 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

It was late September and I was taking the trash bin to the end of the driveway and I heard whistling over at the pond. I ran in and grabbed by camera and went over to the pond across the street and there they were, black bellied whistling ducks. Both adults and juveniles were there (juveniles born this summer would not have pink bills yet). I snapped a bunch of pictures and then left them. They were gone later that afternoon.

A few days later I looked out the back window and saw a lone bird in the bath. At first glance I thought it was a northern parula but I decided to look closer. It was a female chestnut-sided warbler. She was really pretty with that lime green on her head but I kind of wished it was a male. They have the orange/chestnut sides. I’ve only seen him once last year at Fort Desoto and only got a blurry shot of it.

The turkeys were coming through the backyard and I caught them scratching around in the yard debris that was still piled up.

The day after Hurricane Milton came through a prairie warbler was in my tree. This is the first time I’ve had one in the yard.

A lone buck was grazing around the debris in the backyard.

Early that morning I was out front cleaning the yard and had my phone in my pocket. These 2 red shoulder hawks landed in the tree across the street and started mating.

It was a little late for nesting season so maybe they were just glad to see each other after the storm.

Right after the hawks came by a bald eagle flew high overhead.

The little froggies were still coming around and were hanging out on my Christmas cactus.

In the spring I planted a handful of sunflower seeds in a sunny spot and had tons of big sunflowers bloom. Late in the summer I planted some more hoping they would bloom for fall. This is the only one that bloomed. It survived the storm with only one petal missing.

The yard was covered with not yet ripe acorns.

Driving along the neighborhood we could see a lot of trees down. Some had pulled up sidewalks with it. Luckily none around us hit any houses or cars.

One morning I was coming back into the neighborhood from the grocery store and saw the turkeys up ahead. I pulled out my camera to get a shot but they had already started running so I started videoing them as I drove by. They were moving pretty fast. I’m not sure why they started running but they all of a sudden stopped.

The view across the street after the storm.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Late September in the yard

On January 11, 2025February 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Florida animals2 Comments

In mid-September I bought a new bird feeder. I had white millet and black sunflower seeds in it. For the first two weeks only the usual birds were around. We had a lot of rain and the feeder was full of water soaked seeds and fell apart. Some of the metal pieces broke apart and we couldn’t fix it. So, I put the old one back up. Still looking for a new one.

I noticed this lizard sitting on the patio chair was just starting to shed his skin.

A female redstart showed up and spent an few hours in and out of the bird bath. She didn’t mind when the yellow throated warbler stopped by. These were taken through the window.

The yellow throated warbler is a winter regular visitor.

The frogs were still showing up after afternoon storms and I realized they were sleeping in my cactus plant near the window.

Late in the day after a storm I looked out the window and saw this beautiful guy.

I grabbed my camera and went outside to snap these from the patio. They were on the other side of the fairway and he saw me. I was afraid they would take off but he looked at me for a second and then continued to graze with his girlfriend.

They only stayed for a few minutes and then continued down the fairway.

A frog invasion and seeing Jane Goodall in person

On January 4, 2025December 26, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

Two does came grazing through our backyard at the end of August. They were getting sips from the newly formed ponds. One looked really skinny.

It had been raining almost every afternoon through most of the summer. At the end of August we had a baby frog invasion. They would show up on our windows after the rain. One day I went outside with my macro lens and they were not skittish.

They were pretty tiny with most being smaller than my thumb. As cute as they were these were not good frogs. They are cuban frogs and are very invasive. They eat the native green tree frogs but will also eat a ton of mosquitoes. Many locals would say I should have killed them all but I just couldn’t do it. I’m thinking the birds including ibis that we get in our yard will eat a lot of them. I’ve seen many ibis with tiny frogs in their beaks.

Most days we have white ibis cruising through and we had the turkeys coming through in early September.

The doves with their pretty pink toes like to sit on the bird feeder hook waiting for dropped bird seed.

We had a tiny young ring neck snake in our foyer. He must have slid in from the front door or the garage door, maybe when we were bringing in boxes or groceries. He’s harmless and we need snakes to eat the rats so I put a plastic container over him and slide a piece of paper underneath and was able to get him out the front door.

On another note, Jane Goodall was in the area with a speaking appearance and I was able to go with a friend. She is know for her long term research on chimpanzees in Tanzania. She is also known for her conservation work and brought her Roots & Shoots program to the St. Pete Tropicana Field for 2 days. Roots and Shoots is her youth program that has kids working on local conservation projects. One night she gave a speech and filled a good portion of the baseball field.

At 90 years old she gave a great speech. Two quotes I wrote down were “When nature loses, we all lose.” and “Every one of us makes an impact every day.”.

She showed a video clip of when she was releasing a chimp back into the wild and the chimp came back to give her a hug. She spoke about that day and everyone had tears in their eyes. You can see the video here on Youtube.

Late August in the backyard

On December 30, 2024June 20, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

It was late August and I still had juvenile eastern bluebirds coming to the bird bath. They were so cute and I couldn’t stop taking pictures of them. They didn’t seem very skittish and I’m sure they saw me in the window but they stayed for a while.

The yellow throated warblers had come back and I usually see them throughout winter. They don’t stay long and stop for a quick sip at the bath.

Northern parulas were plentiful but I haven’t seen any since October so they must have headed farther south for the winter.

There’s always a lot of red bellied woodpeckers coming to the feeder and bath including the juvenile in the top picture with just a touch of red on his forehead. He didn’t like that a titmouse landed on the feeder while he was there.

Ruby throated hummingbirds continued to show up through September.

My neighbor’s bleeding heart vine was exploding and growing near the hummingbird feeder. I saw a hummer hovering over it several times but I couldn’t get a shot of it.

Squirrels continued to take a break on the nest box. They must get a cool breeze up there.

I had heard my neighborhood eagles were back in town and I finally saw one high up on a tower just outside our neighborhood as the sun was coming up. He could have been any eagle just passing by though.

A few days later I saw both eagles on the cell tower inside our neighborhood. Margie and Major, the original couple, had been nesting here since 2015. As far back as 2008, Major nested here with another female and she died in 2015 from rat poison. This past January Major died from rat poison and Margie found a new boyfriend. A 4 year old male that still had some brown in his head courted her and they spent the spring together. They are both back this year and he doesn’t have any brown left (eagles don’t usually breed until they are at least 5 years old). I’m praying for a successful season but with all of the rat poison in the area it’s going to be tough.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

Early August in the backyard

On December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

At the end of July we were getting rain almost every day. We had several little puddles appear in the backyard and one morning I was able to catch the white ibis getting some bugs in the water. It was fun to watch them sloshing around in the ground. We must have some good bugs in the backyard because they were having a feast.

The rabbit made another appearance and I caught him eating the ivy again. He saw me through the window but kept eating for a while.

Cardinals will molt and lose a lot of their feathers and they look scraggly when it happens. This guy had lost all of the feathers around his neck and the back of his head. He was easy to spot for several days.

We had a lot of Carolina wrens this summer. There were several juveniles that stopped by for a bath. They liked resting on some storm debris we hadn’t picked up yet.

We still had ruby throated hummingbirds at the feeder in early August. It was mostly females but I did have a male show up a few times (with the bright red throat).

Another lacewing on the back door.

A young squirrel getting a snack in front of the back door.

A coyote down the street? What? I knew they were here and I have neighbors that have seen them at night but I had not seen one in the 3 years we have lived here (I did have one on the back patio last year in the middle of the night that I saw on the backdoor camera). I was on my way to the grocery store one morning and saw this guy laying along the sidewalk near the utility field. I luckily had my camera in the car and pulled over and took the above. He just sat there and looked at me. I did talk to a lady walking her small dog that way and told her to watch for it. When I came back from the store I saw him heading into the woods.