Lots of birds at the park

On January 31, 2026February 5, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

More shots from my trip to Fort Desoto Park in October. I was able to catch a rare snowy plover running across the sand. The snowy plover is considered state-designated threatened in Florida and globally critically imperiled. The park has a handful that nests here in the spring and the area is roped off all year long. Occasionally you see one running across the beach like I did this morning.

A sanderling digging for bugs in the sand.

This laughing gull turned his back on me thinking I was going to try and steal his little bait fish. I tried to tell him I didn’t like sushi but he didn’t believe me.

A piping plover missing both of his feet. He seems to be doing well in spite of this. The rangers know about this bird and as long as he can fly off they weren’t going to try and catch him.

The beach was dotted with small jellyfish.

I walked out to the end of the fishing pier hoping to see some dolphins.

A fisherman had pulled up a net full of bait fish and two snowy egrets were fighting over something. There was plenty of fish on the pier so I’m not sure what was going on. I was able to walk around the mess to get a better view of what was going on.

Word got out that bait fish were flopping on the pier and the snowy egrets came rushing in to grab a free snack. It was chaos for a few minutes while the fisherman tried to pick up all of the fish.

A crevalle jack fish was caught and laying on the pier. He looked small but so pretty. I’m thinking this one is too small to eat so maybe the person was going to use it for bait fish.

The beach and pier

On September 19, 2024November 14, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

My last trip down to Fort Desoto Park in south St. Pete was the first week in June. Every year I tell myself I’m going to take July and August off from hiking with my camera and I usually don’t. This year I did with only a few outings so I’ll eventually be caught up. Above is a black skimmer coming off the water at the north beach.

A few fly-bys on the beach include a great blue heron and a night heron.

I always like to watch the big boats go by, wondering where they are going.

Up on the pier, the snowy egrets and great egrets were busy grabbing bait fish under the pier. They would do a quick swoop down to the water and grab a fish and head back up to the pier to swallow it.

Shaking off after getting wet.

A quick video while hanging out with the birds.

Small boats were getting close to the pier to pull up the bait fish before going fishing.

This guy was not shy and let me take this with my phone.

Fishing on the fishing pier

On October 16, 2021September 28, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

One of the fun things about walking around on the fishing pier besides fishing, is watching the birds steal the bait fish. The snowy egrets get in squabbles over the tiny fish.

All lined up, waiting for someone to pull up a bait net full of fish.

This great blue heron had already eaten and was wiping his beak on the light.

Cruising by with the big boats in the background.

The guy who owned this rolling bucket was not paying attention. He had some fish already in there but left it open and walked farther down the pier to pull up another net full of bait fish. The snowy egrets and great egrets were having a feast until he came back.

Going somewhere

On August 19, 2021August 5, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights4 Comments

Getting to the fishing pier at Fort Desoto Park early on a Saturday morning in June, I caught this cargo ship going into port.

It’s always fun standing on the pier watching the ships go back and forth. Wondering what they are carrying and where they are going. Being out at sea for weeks at a time. (Makes me sea sick just thinking about it). I wonder if this Del Monte ship is really carrying Del Monte canned vegetables?

Heading out.

It was beginning to look like rush hour traffic around the pier. Lots of sailboats and fishing boats going by.

The guys on this boat pulled up to the pier and caught some bait fish. I just keep thinking about what Dory said in “Finding Nemo”. “Just keep swimming.”

The bridge in the middle of the morning with the sun sparkling on the water.

Turning around, another ship goes behind the dog beach as it turns the corner past the park.

Bait fish thieves

On September 5, 2020September 5, 2020 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

What were all of these snowy egret doing on the roof of the shelter at the fishing pier at Fort Desoto?

They were waiting for some clueless guy pulling up bait fish and dumping it on the pier before putting it in his bucket. The guy dumped out the fish and then turned his back on the fish to get something out of his cart before he was going to put the bait fish in his bucket. The birds swooped down and had a feast before he realized what was going on and scared them away. There was still plenty of fish left but it was funny to watch.

After the snowy egrets left, Harry, the hybrid great blue heron and great egret, decided to swoop down and grab a fish before they were all picked up.

Dolphin day at Fort Desoto

On October 19, 2019October 3, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn Florida animalsLeave a comment

Dolphins were swimming all around the fishing pier in late September.

This fishing boat came close to the pier to pull up some bait fish. It became clear that these guys didn’t really know what they were doing as they ended up hitting the pier and breaking several of the the fishing poles sticking up in their boat. All of the fishermen on the pier were giving them a hard time about getting stuck. They eventually got some bait pulled up and left.

Then they went out to the tower where the pelicans were peacefully sleeping. They got too close to the tower and scared all of the pelicans away. I hope they eventually got the hang of it, for the wildlife’s sake. Never a dull moment at Fort Desoto Park.

Going fishin!

On October 19, 2015October 20, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

Sandwich terns completely ignoring me.

“Hey guys look over here.”

Junior on the left is yelling at Mom to go get some fish.

Here is where you can find some bait fish. A net that hasn’t been completely emptied yet.

The laughing gulls were getting some fresh bait fish.

The water around the fishing pier was full of tiny fish.

Even the snowy egrets were getting snacks.

A sandwich tern coming up empty.

A pelican flies in to the jetty next to the pier.

“Lady, you’re not going to catch any big fish right there. And keep that fishing line away from the birds.”

Busy Saturday morning in early October at the fishing pier.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing

Saturday morning at Fort Desoto.

On September 17, 2015September 12, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

Random things around Fort Desoto.

I found this guy on the fishing pier. I don’t know what that is sticking out of his beak. Is it a fishing hook? A fish bone? He didn’t have any trouble flying or eating.