Foggy season has started

On March 16, 2026April 10, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

It was late November and foggy season had arrived. I love cool foggy morning walks so I headed to the Dunedin causeway. As I drove up this crow posed in front of my car. The fog wasn’t super thick but it was just enough to cast that weird winter spell.

The sun tried to peek through a few times as I walked over the bridge.

White pelicans were flying over my head. I really had wished I had my camera.

The tide was low and I could see the coral under the bridge.

The fog didn’t let up through my entire walk.

An osprey takes off after landing for a few minutes in the low tide.

A lone roseate spoonbill was feeding along the sea wall under the bridge. Even in the fog his bright pink feathers popped out.

An osprey eating a fish on the drawbridge gate. It would have been funny to see the gate start to go down while the osprey was on it but at least he got to eat his meal in peace. Not many tall boats out this morning.

Critters on my November walks

On March 7, 2026April 10, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

In early November I was out walking along the Safety Harbor waterfront. The fishing pier that was destroyed by the hurricanes (in late 2024) was getting close to being finished. On this morning they still had to put the rails up and finish the end but the birds were enjoying the pilings.

This anhinga was trying to chill on the boardwalk so I took a quick video from far away and left.

Another morning I was out at Philippe Park, climbing the stairs. Those rock piles in the top picture (just above the railing) are man-made oyster beds that were installed to help the oysters grow here and help with erosion. Oysters are natural water filters and will help keep the water in the top of the bay clean.

I’m finding these little shells all over the place.

Another morning I was out on the Dunedin causeway and stopped to watch the shorebirds flying back and forth. It looks like these are sanderlings.

I was able to catch some of them landing. These are mostly ruddy turnstones and short billed dowitchers.

Another morning and I’m out at the Dunedin marina. I walked north towards the Weaver Park fishing pier. The pier is still closed due to damage from the hurricanes (the end was torn off). It is slated to be rebuilt in 2027.

Walking back to my car I could see an immature eagle (he still had a lot of brown on his head). He was chasing an osprey with a fish. I was wishing I had my camera.

The eagle and osprey went behind some trees and somehow the fish was taken from the osprey. The eagle landed in a nearby tree and was trying to eat his prize.

Both the osprey and crows were diving at the eagle. It’s not like either or going to get that fish from the eagle. The eagle moved farther into the tree and started to eat.

My last view of the eagle before heading back to my car. I don’t see this often.

A beautiful November sunset

On March 4, 2026April 10, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights5 Comments

Another beautiful sunset in late November. We decided to swing by the causeway at the last minute so we only caught the last of the sunset. It was a little chilly this night and we only got out of the car for a few minutes.

Sunset walk before dinner

On February 18, 2026March 6, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights7 Comments

In early November we were at home trying to decide what to do for dinner (when you’re a kid you never thought this is what you would be doing every single day for the rest of your grown up life). The weather was perfect, sunny and 70. We decided to take the drive over to the causeway for a quick short sunset walk and then get something to eat on the way home. We could already see the full moon when we got to the causeway.

The sun was going down pretty fast.

Almost down as we walked by the kayak rentals.

Almost done.

The sun had gone down and the moon was getting bright as we headed for dinner.

The sun and pink birds on the causeway

On February 11, 2026March 6, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography9 Comments

At the end of October I was at the Dunedin causeway for a walk under the clouds. The tide was really low and you could see the different colors of the seaweed and muck that is usually under water.

The sun was trying to peek out and it finally did as I made my way back to the car.

As I was getting in the car I saw some interesting birds in the exposed seaweed so I pulled out my camera and got some shots of the above red knots. I don’t see them often as they usually only pass through the area during migration.

Two roseate spoonbills were also feeding in the seaweed and I spent some time watching them.

I occasionally see spoonbills on the causeway but they don’t stick around long. These guys showed up at the end of my walk and they are usually gone by 8:30am.

A 20 second video of a spoonbill using his funny shaped beak to dig through the muck to find stuff to eat.

Sunset on the causeway

On December 31, 2025January 3, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights6 Comments

Back at the end of August I went for a sunset walk at the Dunedin causeway. The sun was still up pretty high so I had time for a long walk since I wanted to be at the other end of the causeway before the sun went down.

The sun was peeking through as I walked past the kayak rentals.

I made it to the west end with plenty of time.

Every Wednesday night jeep owners have a meet-up here to watch the sunset on the causeway. I counted 42 jeeps this night. They have events during the year such as the Trunk or Treat Halloween event that draws tons of people. During December many of the jeeps are decorated for Christmas.

When I got to the west bridge there were a lot of flying critters also watching the sun go down.

Heading back to my car I saw a great egret catch a fish and take off in front of me after swallowing it.

Almost down and I still had quite a ways to get back to my car. There wasn’t any clouds in the sky for a great after glow so I wasn’t paying attention on the way back.

Some hot summer walks

On December 27, 2025January 3, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

I started my early walk in September at Philippe Park. I was still climbing the stairs to the Indian Mound, trying to get in shape for my trip to Italy. The flaming torch bromeliads were blooming along the stairs.

I have been seeing this crab trapper out in the upper Tampa bay for at least 10 years. He must have just started out this morning because when he starts pulling up the crab traps and dumping them in his storage bin the pelicans start to follow him.

I stopped by the Oldsmar pier before heading home and it was high tide. My timing was perfect because a dolphin came right up to the pier as I walked out. He circled around the area for a short time and then headed out to the deeper area of the bay.

The next morning I walked at the Dunedin causeway and stopped to enjoy the sunrise before it got too hot.

I could see a blue crab along the sea wall. He better watch out for those traps because this is what the crab trapper pulls up during the crab season.

A laughing gull takes a break in front of my car.

Rain everywhere but over my head

On December 17, 2025January 3, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights6 Comments

Another stormy walk in late August on the Dunedin causeway. The air was heavy with humidity and it felt like I was walking in the shower but luckily I didn’t get rained on. It didn’t start to drizzle on the causeway until I got back to my car. I was hoping for a rainbow but the sun didn’t come out and I kept my eye out for lightning but didn’t see any nor hear any thunder.

Critters on the causeway

On November 12, 2025November 17, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

Another summer walk along the Dunedin causeway.

I saw a spotted eagle ray as I walked over the bridge. I don’t see them often.

As I crossed under the bridge to get to the other side (safer than crossing this busy road) I paused to watch boats go by and clouds start to form.

Birds are always keeping an eye on the fishermen hoping for a lost bait fish.

It’s common to see a reddish egret here. This one was just walking around and I didn’t have my camera with me so I quickly snapped the above with my phone and kept walking.

I was wishing I had my camera as I noticed the oystercatcher family at the bottom of the bridge. The two in the far left of the bottom picture are juveniles, probably born a few months earlier and the parent was on the far right. A young little blue heron was walking across the seaweed at the bottom of the picture.

I took several videos of them looking for little sea creatures to eat for breakfast.

Dark skies and a rainbow

On September 24, 2025October 15, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

I love stormy mornings in the summer. It makes my walk so much cooler although I still get soaked because the humidity is over 90% on mornings like these. When I got to the Dunedin causeway in mid-June I could see a faint rainbow.

The rainbow stayed through the beginning of my walk.

Heading over the bridge I could see rain far off towards Clearwater Beach. I didn’t hear any thunder and kept my eye on the skies for any sign of lightning. I walked back and forth near my car instead of walking all the way across the causeway.