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.

Fun artwork on my walk

On November 24, 2025November 14, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights2 Comments

The sun was up and I was out not so early in the morning for a walk around Safety Harbor in July.

I walked across the waterfront to see the status on the rebuilding of the fishing pier that was destroyed from all of the hurricanes last fall. They were just starting to pull up the remaining old poles from the water. The pier and marina parking lot were closed for a while as they rebuild the pier and the marina.

Color along the waterfront.

Artwork at the nearby Mullet Creek Park.

Artwork along the waterfront.

The sun through the palm trees.

Linking to Image-In-Ing.

A busy morning walking in St. Pete.

On March 17, 2025March 7, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Near the end of December I headed down to St. Pete to look for white pelicans that spend the winter at Crescent Lake Park. I hadn’t heard that they were back yet so I didn’t take my big camera. I just brought my phone to take a walk around the lake.

Of course they were there (and my camera was not so these are all with my phone). Many of them were hanging out along the bank and were pretty close to the sidewalk.

There were also a lot of them swimming around the lake in small flocks.

A short video of them swimming to the bank. At first I thought there was going to be a territorial fight but they all got along. I did make it back here a few weeks later with my camera so more on the white pelicans later.

After my walk around the lake I headed over to nearby North Shore Park to visit some of my favorite trees along the beach (this is on the bay). The tall palm tree on the far right in the 1st picture lost it’s top in the hurricanes.

It was a super low tide which is normal for late December. The low tides in the winter are crazy here.

The tiny pier building looked so far away from here.

The rare great tailed grackle is still hanging around the park here. I first saw him in 2023 so he must like it here. People still come from all over to see him. He should be living on the western part of the country.

Linking to A Stroll Thru Life.

A 3 stop morning

On April 20, 2024April 17, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

I was on my way to Crescent Lake Park but stopped at nearby North Shore Park first to get a glimpse of the sun coming up over the bay. It was a beautiful morning in late January but also chilly and there wasn’t any birds on the beach.

I saw the white pelicans right when I got to Crescent Lake Park. Only about half of them were still there and I was thinking they would be gone before I made it back down here again. Luckily a few of them were right at the edge and I was able to see them close up.

I stopped at the Safety Harbor fishing pier on the way home. It was cloudy when I first got there and I saw the above common loon far out in the bay. A little later when the sun came back out I was hoping to get a better shot of him but I couldn’t find him again.

Brown pelicans were diving for fish and the laughing gulls were right on them when they came up with a mouthful of fish hoping to steal some of the fish.

Later when I was editing the pictures I realized one of the pelicans had a big scrape on his head. I went back out there the next morning but didn’t see him. He might have hit it on the pier if he was diving too close. I heard that happens to them at the Sunshine Skyway fishing pier.

Zooming in on Tampa across the bay.

I saw these horned grebes from far away and waited forever for them to get closer. They seemed to be heading towards the pier as they went under to get the fish. The few times I had seen them before this winter at the pier they were like little pin dots far out in the middle of the bay so I was glad they were getting closer. I haven’t seen them again since this visit.

A cold winter morning in St. Pete.

On March 25, 2024April 30, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

European starlings get no respect here. They are treated like annoying pigeons. They are an invasive species here in the United States but they are pretty when the sun hits them just right. I found this one alone at Crescent Lake Park in St. Pete. I stopped for a quick walk and to see if the white pelicans were still there.

This wood stork was feeding right in front of me. I did find the white pelicans and took a ton of shots of them feeding but more on them later.

After a walk around the lake I drove 10 minutes over to the North Shore Park on the bay. As soon as I got out of my car I heard the monk parakeets feeding on the ground in the parking lot.

There were very few birds on the little beach in front of the park.

The tide was really low and this guy was having the best time chasing after a big stick.

A grackle was calling for his girlfriend.

It looks like it was a quiet morning from this point of view but behind me there were tons of people walking, jogging and biking on the wide sidewalk that runs along the park. It was a cold morning so there wasn’t anyone out on the beach.

My favorite 5 tall palm trees on the beach at the park. The sky was clearing up.

The parking lot has several orchid trees that were in full bloom. I was getting in my car when I heard a big flock of nanday parakeets fly into the one right next to my car. I got out and shot the above before they all took off again.

An early morning walk in Tarpon Springs

On November 2, 2023October 26, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights7 Comments

It was a hot summer and I was trying to do my short morning walks near water. One morning I drove up to Tarpon Springs and started a quick walk along the bayou at Craig Park. In the winter this bayou will be filled with manatees but on this morning there was nothing in the water but the reflection of the sun.

Bright colors on a nearby building.

The park has many great old crooked trees. Some over 100 years old.

I stopped at nearby Sunset Beach before heading home. The water was crystal clear and it was low tide.

This tiny beach has a lot of trees along the water.

Another stop was nearby Crystal Beach pier. The water isn’t as nice here, mostly grass beds along the shore but it’s still a beautiful view looking at the water or back at the palm trees.

Cloudy with a chance of rain

On August 20, 2023April 6, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

I made another trip to Fort Desoto Park in late April. I was hoping there would still be some migrating birds stopping by. There was a small chance of rain even though it looked like it would pour at any time.

The only migrating bird I found was a Cape May warbler. There were several of these cuties in the woods near the ranger’s house.

Heading to the gulf fishing pier.

The usual birds were at the fishing pier including a ruddy turnstone showing me his missing foot and great egrets.

The laughing gulls were putting on a show on top of the shelter on the pier.

I thought maybe the sun would break through but it stayed cloudy.

Pelicans hanging out on the jetti next to the pier.

A quick shot of a red breasted merganser that was still there. They spend the winter here but usually leave in March.

It was still a nice morning out even though it wasn’t very birdy or sunny.

Three stops before my appointment.

On March 20, 2023March 9, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights3 Comments

I was heading down to St. Pete and stopped by Crescent Lake Park to see if there were any white pelicans still hanging around. They usually spend a few weeks here in the winter but it’s hit or miss whether they are here or floating in the nearby bay. When I first got out of the car I noticed a few scattered around the lake.

Then I noticed more hanging out in the shade under the big banyan tree. They were all busy preening so they must have just finished a morning swim.

I heard something over my head and looked up and saw this starling sitting in a hole. He might have been checking out the hole for future nesting spots.

This ring billed gull was swimming in the shade near the white pelicans. His red accents really popped in the shade.

After snapping the white pelicans I headed down toward North Shore Park and saw this big tree blooming so I had to pull over and take a shot. This was in mid-February and I had missed it’s full peak but it was still pretty.

All was quiet on the little beach on the bay.

One more stop just south of the St. Pete pier before heading to my chiropractor who’s office is nearby. It was a beautiful cool morning out and was worth leaving an hour early.

The sun through palm trees

On January 19, 2023January 18, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights7 Comments

After I caught the sun rising at the Safety Harbor fishing pier I headed down to North Shore Park in St. Pete. The sun was up about half way by this time but still made for some pretty shots. This little beach sits on the bay side of St. Pete and the sand isn’t very nice so there usually isn’t too many people on it in the morning.

The water looked very inviting with the sun beaming down on it but it was a little chilly this morning.

I think this is a Hong Kong orchid tree. The the park was full of them blooming in early December.

I was hoping to find something different in the way of birds out here, sometimes a surprise might pop up but it was quiet. Only the usuals. A ring billed gull scratching an itch and a pelican lands in front of me. The little beach was full of laughing gulls but not much else.

As I was standing on the beach watching the birds this tiny shark swam right up near the sand.

A 4 park morning

On September 5, 2022August 27, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights5 Comments

It was hot as usual at the end of July. I headed out early one morning for a walk at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. I hadn’t spent a lot of time here, only driven through. I parked in the shaded area of the park and walked out on the causeway that leads to the beach. I was hoping for a breeze but didn’t get much of a whiff this morning but it was a beaufiful morning and I saw several dolphins far out in the gulf.

After my walk at Howard Park, I stopped at nearby Sunset Beach. It’s a small spit of sand but also a small piece of heaven the morning I was there. I imagine it’s packed on the weekends but early this Wednesday morning it was quiet and I sat on the bench for a while, watching more dolphins go by.

And if you forgot to bring a book with you to read on the beach, there’s a free library in the parking lot.

Another quick stop was the Anclote River Park, just north of Tarpon Springs.

A replica of the Anclote lighthouse was in the parking lot. The actual lighthouse is on Anclote Key, only accessible by boat.

One last stop was the Anclote Gulf Park just a few minutes away. I walked out on the long fishing pier and was hoping for dolphins here but didn’t see any.