Along the water at Chesnut Park

On September 26, 2026September 26, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

It was the very end of April and I was back out for a morning walk at Chesnut Park. I found a deer hiding in the back woods. I realized it was a male with those short stumps on his head.

Walking across the picnic area by the lake I could see several deer up ahead. I don’t see them in this area often.

A young parula still had his baby yellow beak.

Ginger, the domestic duck, was still hanging around the docks. This was the last time I saw her. I’m hoping she just moved on.

A grackle showing off his colors in the sun.

A green heron was still in breeding colors with those glowing orange legs.

Flying by the dock included an osprey with a fish, a night heron and wood ducks.

I thought this wood duck was going to land on top of that alligator’s head.

The elusive least bittern made a quick appearance in the reeds. I was lucky to get a few shots of him before he went back into hiding. These guys are usually hard to spot and we don’t see them often here. I just happen to look across the area and saw the reeds moving thinking it was just a green heron. I’m glad I was paying attention.

A purple gallinule flew across the water with a worm in his mouth. Where was he going? He could have eaten that worm on the other side of the spadderdock.

He was skipping along with that worm and I realized there was a baby following him into the big leaves.

There were 2 baby purple gallinules hiding under those big leaves but they both came out in the open when the parent came over with that big worm. They are so cute with that bit of pink on their beaks.

A warm morning walk at Chesnut Park

On July 18, 2026August 7, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

The welcoming committee as I drove into Chesnut Park in mid-March.

I saw many ladies this morning. This one looked like she had something wrong with her fur. Mange or maybe she was just shedding. This was the first time I had seen one look like this at this park.

Walking along the back boardwalk. The sun was trying to peek through the trees.

I noticed a least bittern right up near the edge of the lake. They are usually tough to spot but this one was sitting in front of the reeds, out in the open.

Birds out on the dock included a grackle and an anhinga.

This turtle was covered in algae. I took this with my phone since he was so close.

It was getting hot fast as the sun came up over the trees.

The bittern and some limpkins

On October 28, 2023October 26, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

Earlier in the summer I kept stopping by Chesnut Park to see if I could find the baby limpkins that had been spotted there. I kept missing them and I thought this trip would be a bust too. I first saw movement in the reeds along the boardwalk but it was just a green heron.

A little ways down the boardwalk I saw an adult limpkin.

I found them but they were almost fully grown at this point. There were 4 babies and they still had a little fuzz on their heads and were making that “baby is hungry” low screeching. They had just come out of the reeds and were looking around.

Mom headed into the water and found a yummy snail.

The youngest looking baby quickly swam over to her and got a bite.

I stood and watched for a while as they were busy preening and picking up empty snail shells, pretending to find a snack. They were acting like little toddlers, curiously getting into everything.

Mom continued to look for food and she ignored that little blue ball.

As I was watching the limpkins I saw movement from across the water. A least bittern came out from the other side of the reeds. He was still for a few minutes and then stood up several times as if to say “Here I am”. I thought that was a type of mating dance but I didn’t see another one anywhere. It could have been hiding deep in the reeds though.

All of a sudden it was almost noon and time to head home for lunch.

All kinds of critters

On August 16, 2015August 16, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

Little critters

Bigger critters

Flying critters

Fish eating critters

Sand critter

Chesnut Park and Safety Harbor on a recent Saturday .

Shine the Divine

Birds at Crescent Lake

On July 22, 2013July 23, 2013 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography16 Comments

White pigeon? This is a rare bird around here. He looks lost.

This juvenile grackle was chasing mom around trying to get a handout. He’s old enough to get food on his own by now.

Another juvenile grackle getting his own food.

Green heron hiding in the reeds.

It looks like he was drying off his wings. Or cooling off. I don’t see them do this very often.

My first sight of the least bittern.

He was very pretty.

Full disclosure. I had read there was a least bittern sighted at Crescent Lake Park. It’s a small park near downtown St. Petersburg with a dog park and playground. It’s not a big park so I thought I might have a chance of finding it. After two laps around the lake, I found it in the reeds. It was right on the end of the lake where the dog park is so I didn’t think it would hang out there but that’s where he was.

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