Looking for birds during spring migration

On August 2, 2025September 6, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

I had heard there was a ruby throated hummingbird nest at Sand Key Park in Clearwater but I never thought I’d find it so easily. This lady built this nest on a low branch hanging right over the trail near the playground. I was standing in the bushes watching her and every time someone would go jogging or walking by she would fly off and land on a branch nearby. I didn’t make it back here to see if she was successful with babies or if she abandoned it and moved somewhere more private.

While I was watching the hummingbird this black throated blue warbler hops right in front of me. He paused for a few seconds and took off.

Other yellow birds I found this morning in mid-April were a prairie warbler and a common yellowthroat.

There were several Cape May warblers, both males (in the first two shots) and a female (in the bottom shot).

I heard screaming from behind the trees and looked up and saw the above osprey flapping his wings. He had a half eaten fish in his talons.

Another osprey flew up behind him and he took off with his fish. They both went flying off over the trees.

I was walking on the trail and saw this Cooper’s hawk starting to feed on something. I couldn’t tell what he had at first, thinking maybe it was a mockingbird or dove.

Someone walked past me and got close to the tree and the hawk took off with his meal. It was then I realized he had a red bellied woodpecker. I’ve never seen anything eating a woodpecker before. It’s kind of sad but I know the hawk has to eat too. I just wish it was an annoying mockingbird.

This turned out to be a fun morning. I never expect too much and I didn’t see anything new but I did see a few cool things.

Winter birds and the moon

On December 26, 2024December 16, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

I could still see the moon when I was at Chesnut Park in late October early in the morning. Only the front part of the park was open due to the hurricanes we recently had.

It was quiet but I managed to find a few interesting birds (although nothing new). Catbirds are very common in the winter but the white eyed vireo and the male common yellowthroat are a little bit harder to find.

The grackle was singing in the sun, showing off his beautiful feathers.

The park is full of squirrels sometimes being cute.

Two weeks later the rest of the park opened and I was happy to be walking on the back boardwalk again. The trees looked a little barer and apart from the tons of fallen logs in the swamp the park looked the same. The water levels in the park were still high but it stays high coming off the rainy summer anyway.

I could still see the partial moon high over the lake.

The views around the lake were a lot clearer with the storms moving out a lot of the bushes and reeds that had grown up high along the edges.

So many young ones in the spring.

On July 27, 2024September 1, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I found juvenile northern parulas on the boardwalk at Chesnut Park at the end of April. These two were awkwardly bouncing around in the bushes and Mom was nearby trying to get them to follow her. It looked like she was trying to teach them to feed themselves.

I also found several female common yellowthroats.

More females. These were blackpoll warblers.

A yellow throated warbler was feeding in the moss.

More juveniles. These are either yellow rumped warblers or yellow throated warblers. I never realized how many warblers nested here. There were lots of young ones learning to fly and eat.

This guy was just too cute to pass up.

A tufted titmouse has a yummy caterpillar.

Another female, the redstart was also along the boardwalk.

Black and white warblers are common here.

A pileated woodpecker landed close by and pecked a few times before leaving.

I only saw one deer this morning.

The cypress trees look like they are dying because they are covered in moss.

A two park morning

On January 1, 2024April 15, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, flowers and plants5 Comments

It was mid-October and I finally found some red leaves at Chesnut Park. We had just a touch of fall here in central Florida if you look for it. Although I think this is poison oak which turns red early.

The spatterdock blooms almost all year round here.

A few of the usuals posing for me. A Carolina chickadee and a blue jay with a snack.

I caught a glimpse of a male common yellowthroat. He was hiding and didn’t want to come out and pose like the usual birds do.

I didn’t stay too long at Chesnut Park. After a quick walk I went to Folly Farms Gardens in Safety Harbor before heading home. There were lots of things blooming here.

The butterfly garden has a lot of fun artwork for the kids.

The 17 foot gnome has been finished. It looks like they used the moss from the trees for his beard and eyebrows. I can’t decide if it’s funny or creepy.

Flappers at Circle B Bar Reserve

On December 11, 2021November 12, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

Some of the little birds that are often seen at Circle B Bar Reserve are the house wren and common yellowthroat.

We were looking for the yellow billed cuckoo along the trail and someone spotted this summer tanager from across the marsh. It’s the first time I’ve seen one here.

We found the pair of cuckoos but they were doing their best to hide high up in the trees.

The usual birds to find in the water here. A common moorhen taking a bath and the grebes have returned for the winter.

“Mom, pay attention. That lady is watching us.”

“She’s not going to bother us unless she’s willing to wade through alligator infested marsh”

“Okay, so we can relax. It’s been a busy morning eating bugs.”

Later I passed the black bellied whistling duck family (looks like the other parent is here) and the babies were all napping. It’s such a treat to see these babies here since the main trails are closed in the summer. This is a late family for late October.

The moon was still up

On November 22, 2021March 16, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

There’s something magical about being at Circle B Bar Reserve when the sun is coming up. Besides it not being crowded or hot yet, the birds and critters are very active this early in the morning. It was my first time back since April and it felt good to be out on the trails. I usually don’t come during the summer because it is so hot and the main trails are closed due to alligators nesting on them.

Turning around, I could see the moon still up in the sky.

Of course I had to stop and take pictures of my favorite spot before heading down the trails. The last one is with my phone and you can see how big the marsh is on this trail.

The great blue heron was sitting right on the trail. I walked right under him and he didn’t move. I stopped and snapped the 2nd one with my phone so you can see how close he was.

After passing him I turned around to see if he had flown off. Nope, he’s still there watching the sun come up.

A few fly bys. A night heron and a pair of cormorants.

Some of the tiny birds, a common yellowthroat (who looks more like a masked bandit) and some blue gray gnatcatchers.

Just catching sunrise.

On January 14, 2021January 4, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

I use to set my alarm to get up early on the weekends but lately my internal alarm has been going off early and I got out of bed one Saturday morning in November and headed to Circle B Bar Reserve. Although, not that early since the sun was just peaking out as I hit the trails. It’s the perfect time to be there, quiet and not many people there yet. You can hear the birds starting to talk and the whistling ducks were starting to fly back and forth.

One of my favorite views in the morning.

There wasn’t a lot of different birds out. The usuals were there (moorhens, whistlers, herons, egrets, cormorants) but I didn’t see many uncommon birds. The above are fairly common in the winter (female common yellowthroat, house wren and the purple gallinules) but sometimes a little bit harder to find.

Some of the smaller critters along the trail.

The eagle’s nest is pretty far away but I could still see both eagles on the nest. Maybe she’s looking at her eggs in the nest? Might have been a little early but soon.

Little hummers and other things

On January 11, 2021March 4, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

My second ever rufous hummingbird sighting. This one and the one before were both at Bok Tower Gardens. Rufous hummingbirds are fairly rare around this area. This is only the 2nd time of hearing about one and I was happy to have seen it even briefly. I caught him high up on a tree taking a break. When he went to feed, he would go deep in the bushes or the other side making it impossible to get feeding shots. At one point I could barely see him feeding deep in the firebush.

Ruby throated hummingbirds are pretty common. I caught this male feeding near the carillon tower.

He buzzed off and disappeared. I stood under a pine tree for a long time waiting for him to come back. At one point I looked up and he was sitting right over my head.

Birds with yellow. The top one is an easy one, a yellow throated warbler. The 2nd I think is a red eyed vireo with a bug. The last is a a female common yellowthroat.

An ovenbird and blue gray gnatcatcher.

A usual sight, a harmless black racer crosses the sidewalk in front of me.

A bee house in the garden. Used by mason or other solitary bees, they lay their eggs in the holes.

Critters at Chesnut Park.

On April 29, 2019April 29, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

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.

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

All the usual wildlife at Chesnut Park

On January 5, 2019December 20, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

I saw a hawk sitting on the pole holding up the volleyball net. A few minutes later it started to rain. I ducked under cover but he just sat there through the quick shower.