Spring was already in full swing at the Largo Botanical Gardens in late March.
The butterfly garden was full of monarchs.
A few of the critters at the gardens.
More monarchs to come. The milkweed was full of caterpillars.
Tag: bees
Critters at Chesnut Park.
Driving into the park, I caught a deer getting a snack in trees.
Creepy little critters.
Cute bigger critters.
Someone had left bird seed along the boardwalk earlier that morning. Only the titmouse and cardinals were eating it.
A few other flying critters including the grackle on the right getting nesting material.
This little common yellowthroat was checking me out. They usually hide deep in the bushes but he was not shy.
Some of the pretty things along the boardwalk.
December at Bok Tower Gardens
Cool and pretty plants at Bok Tower Gardens in central Florida.
Little critters and flying critters. Hummingbirds were everywhere but I could not seem to catch them feeding. They would fly behind or into the bushes.
I love walking around Bok Tower Gardens. There’s always something different to see. I don’t get there often since it’s close to an hour and a half from my house (and that’s without traffic). I managed to get there a few weeks before Christmas but was wishing it was cooler than it was. Otherwise, it was a perfect morning.
On my way back to the main road, I passed a house that had 4 sandhill cranes in their front yard, along with a few ibis. I pulled over and quickly snapped the above from my car. It would be really cool to see these guys grazing in my front yard but it would be rare to get them that close to the bay.
Summer critters on summer flowers
Lots of little critters buzzing around at Lettuce Lake in August.
Not many birds but I did see a juvenile northern parula and a red-eyed vireo.
This was the last time I saw the swallow-tail kites, in mid-August. One was flying over the boardwalk. They all left town to head south for the winter.
Quiet walk in early August
Plants and critters at Chesnut Park and Possum Brand Preserve.
Not many birds around in early August. It was so hot I wasn’t getting out much for a few weeks. A 2 hour walk early on Saturday mornings was all I could handle in the heat and humidity before heading home for a nap.
Aldridge Gardens
Just a few of the beautiful flowers we found at Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham during my visit with my sister. The weather was too beautiful to do anything indoors so we did a quick walk around the gardens before heading to lunch.
They had bee hives with glass sides. It was really cool to see inside the hive, watching the thousands of bees working.
Some of the critters around the lake. More to come on the gardens.
The usual suspects at Lettuce Lake Park
The parks are full of white eyed vireos and phoebes right now.
“Common” yellowthroats are pretty common as well.
Doves get no respect even though they have pretty pink feet.
Limpkin eating a snail.
These are actually pretty cool bees, although I wouldn’t want to disturb that nest.
Gators and lizards.
Muhly grass in bloom.
Linking to Wednesday Around the World
Bright colors and a woodpecker.
I think this woodpecker was working on a nest.
Flowers and bugs at the Botanical Gardens in Largo, Florida in July.
Lettuce Lake Park in August
Tiny critters at the park.
Creepy critters at the park.
Pesky squirrels at the park (I don’t know who thought that was a “Squirrel proof” feeder. It was hanging next to the nature center.)
Pretty prothonotary warblers at the park.
Just a few things from my walk in late August.
Tiny flying things at Lettuce Lake Park
Prothonotary warblers nest at this park so you can usually find a few around the boardwalk.
Creepy wasp nest.
Butterflies and a dragonfly along the boardwalk.
A very young bird. I think this is a blue gray gnatcatcher. I’ve heard they nest near the nature center here.
A titmouse being cute as usual.