Still looking for spring birds

On July 26, 2025August 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I made another trip to Fort Desoto Park in mid-April but not early enough to catch sunrise. I started out on East Beach and found some royal terns looking for love.

It was mating season for the shorebirds and there was a lot of hanky panky going on early that morning. These birds don’t get any privacy. A sandwich tern (on the right) was interrupting the royal terns and got yelled at.

Or maybe they were just playing “leap frog”???

The male terns were bringing in fish to temp the ladies. I think this one was hoping one of these two ladies were going to take the bait.

Not sure what this conversation was about. Was she yelling at him to go get a fish?

This osprey had a big fish for breakfast.

A nanday parakeet sitting pretty.

I was hoping to see something new on the trail but only the usual migrating birds were there this morning: a female Cape May warbler, a black and white warbler, a red eyed vireo and a summer tanager.

I stopped in at the North Beach area and as I walked out on the beach I saw these 2 oystercatchers chasing another one away.

The oystercatcher nest was still there and Mom (she is banded with AE bands) was just coming back to the nest after chasing that interloper away with Dad. I could see that she was sitting on 3 eggs. They should hatch soon.

A red breasted merganser was shaking off the water.

A pelican fly by.

Flying off into the sun

On January 2, 2025January 2, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Spoonbills on my walk at Safety Harbor in at the end of October. They were far out on a spit and were busy preening.

A little blue heron on a broken pier. I had a short walk along the water on the bay and then drove over to the Dunedin causeway for a longer walk on the gulf side.

After my walk on the causeway I noticed the above somewhat rare lesser black backed gull when I was getting in my car. Luckily I had my camera in the car and pulled it out. I don’t see these guys often and realized he had a snack.

He watched me for a short time, wondering if I was going to steal his fish. I stood still next to my car and he started eating again.

Turkey vultures were cruising by him, maybe hoping he would leave the fish?

All of the usual shorebirds were nearby including the black bellied plover in the first shot and dowitchers in the 2nd one.

Pelicans were flying overhead.

Then even more came from the other direction and flew into the sun.

I always love seeing the pelicans fly over. In my head I hear the theme music from the Jurassic Park movies.

Sunsetting on dolphins

On December 18, 2024January 21, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Florida animals, Vacation13 Comments

While on our “No power” road trip we booked a sunset/dolphin cruise in Vero Beach. We booked the tour through the Environmental Learning Center on the causeway and headed out at 4:30 pm with only a few other people on the boat since it was a little chilly.

We saw a few stranded boats along the way.

I was hoping thick clouds didn’t move in and hide the sun but the ones there made for an interesting sky.

We first saw a few dolphins chasing after fish and I barely caught a fish trying to get away.

We saw several more dolphins before the sun starting setting.

We ended the tour with a beautiful sunset. And, as the sun was setting I got a text from my neighbor that our electricity had just come back on after 7 days of being off. Luckily we were planning to go home the next day.

The sun was really putting on a show as we came back under the bridge and back to the dock.

Grinning ear to ear knowing we would have power when we got home the next day. We were very fortunate that we could pack up and leave and take a mini-vacation while the electricity was out back home. Some of my neighbors were able to go stay with friends in the area but since the power outage was so widespread there wasn’t many that had power the first few days.

Morning walks in early June

On August 12, 2024October 3, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn Florida animals, flowers and plants3 Comments

My husband is now working part time from home and has more flexible hours so in early June he went with me on my morning walk around the Safety Harbor fishing pier. He hadn’t been to the pier in years so we started there before walking around the area. Since he’s not much of an early bird we didn’t get there as early as I usually do. We were lucky to catch manatees coming up for air.

A short video of them coming up for air. They were close to the pier and I was able to get them with my phone.

Looking up from the manatees, I saw a flock of pelicans go by.

Brett taking a few moments to take it all in on the mangrove boardwalk.

I was able to catch a mangrove crab on the boardwalk. These guys are usually skittish.

The next morning I went out a little early by myself for a walk at the Dunedin marina. Right when I got out of my car I saw a mallard couple swimming across the marina with some babies. They were moving quickly and went under the dock.

I had forgotten the night blooming cereus blooms along the street nearby. I turned the corner from the marina and saw the flowers along the fence. They usually only bloom at night but if you are here early in the morning you might catch them right before they close up for the day. There are a lot of these plants in Dunedin and Safety Harbor and sometimes people have parties at night to watch them bloom.

The lily-of-the-nile was blooming along the walk as well.

Cloudy and sunny morning walks

On July 8, 2024July 13, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

I was out for a long walk in early May on the Dunedin causeway. There was a chance of rain but we had been dry for so long I didn’t think it would really rain. The south side of the causeway is sand and beach. The above is the north side, all rocks so you don’t really want to get in the water from this side. I like to walk on this side because there is less traffic. The tide was low and you can see the seaweed piled up on the rocks.

Far away you can see Tarpon Springs.

After walking on the causeway I headed over for a quick walk at the nearby marina. It still looked like it would rain which was nice because it kept it cooler.

I took a break on the floating dock to hang out with some pelicans. They are not shy here mostly because they are looking for a handout.

The sailboat that was stuck on the rocks was still there. It was in bad shape.

A few days later I was back on the causeway and this morning it was sunny and hot. The drought was in full force and we just wanted it to be cloudy so it wouldn’t be so hot.

Another walk around the marina and I saw a few of the usual birds besides pelicans. Great egrets and anhingas are always hanging out on the docked boats but I also saw something I had not seen here before. There were 2 northern rough-winged swallows (bottom shot). I only got a quick shot of one before it took off across the marina. I was wishing I had my camera with me and had to shoot with my phone.

A morning out on water

On May 6, 2024June 4, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Florida animals, Tampa bay sights2 Comments

My sister and I were out at Sand Key beach early in the morning to look for shells since we had a 10am dolphin tour booked nearby. We didn’t find a lot of shells at this beach compared to Honeymoon Island but I did find some interesting clam shells. The 1st one looks like it had the insides coming out. I couldn’t tell if it was alive but the tide was coming in and would wash it back out. The next two are front and back of another shell I picked up. It had a lot of things living on it. The barnacles were still alive so I tossed it back in the water.

At the Clearwater marina, waiting for our boat tour to leave.

We went by the new Clearwater Sound. It’s an outdoor music venue that sits next to the big public library.

A view of the intercoastal waterway.

A view from the small spoil island we stopped at.

An empty urchin that Debbie found on the little beach. This came home with us.

Heading back into the marina. We saw lots of dolphins and I realized I didn’t take any pictures of them. I just had my phone with me and stayed in the back so everyone else could see the dolphins up close. It’s fun seeing the reactions when the kids see them.

Lunch was at an open air restaurant at the marina. Above is the view from our table.

We walked around a bit and saw some of the early half day fishing boats coming in after lunch. You can buy fresh fish right off the boat if they have a big catch. The pelicans hang around hoping for a hand out.

If you are ever in the Clearwater area I highly recommend taking the Encounters With Dolphins tour out of Clearwater Beach. We have taken several and always had a great time.

A wildlife boat tour

On March 18, 2024April 30, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Florida animals, Vacation2 Comments

While Brett and I were on our staycation on Manasota Key we took a boat ride/dolphin tour one morning. The boat wasn’t full since it was a little chilly so it was nice to have room to move around. We went down the intercoastal and out to Stump Pass to get out in the open water.

We passed several boats that were still stranded from Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Idalia. Ian (in 2022) did a lot of damage in the area. They still hadn’t fully recovered and Idalia came by (in 2023).

We passed an adult and a juvenile bald eagle that were sitting on a spit in the middle of the water. Looks like Junior followed Dad down to see how to get a drink of water (or catch a fish?). A little farther down we passed the nest. One adult was sitting in the tree. Thinking this is Mom.

As we made our way out of Stump Pass we could see dolphins swimming around nearby and lots of pelicans diving for fish.

This one had a big fish in his pouch.

We saw so many dolphins. Some were swimming right up against the boat and I couldn’t fit them all in and some were far out. It was a fun morning just floating around watching them come up for air.

On our way back we saw a handful of white pelicans napping on a spit.

We went in a few channels and this was a common sight. Many of the docks were still waiting to be fixed. The cormorants were taking advantage of the dock pilings not being used. Eighteen months after Hurricane Ian hit there were still a lot of roofs still covered and a lot of construction going on. One of the restaurants we ate at on the water had just recently opened back up after being closed for over a year. The waitress said everything in the restaurant was brand new.

Looking for a pink bird

On November 9, 2023October 29, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography8 Comments

I had heard there was a pink bird near the Safety Harbor boardwalk so one late afternoon in September I hopped in the car and headed over. After a quick glance by the boardwalk and not seeing the bird I was looking for I started to check out what else was there. I found the above ibis with a young horseshoe crab in his beak. He didn’t swallow it whole but took it over to the exposed sand and started picking at the insides. I don’t think it was much of a meal.

The water was calm and I could see parts of downtown Tampa far across the bay.

There were a lot of birds out on the sandbar area. Mostly laughing gulls and pelicans but there were a few terns in the mix.

A belted kingfisher flew by.

This was not the pink bird I was looking for but the roseate spoonbill is still pretty. She was feeding with several ibis. The reflections were clear since the water was not moving.

Here is the pink bird I was looking for, an American flamingo. One of the wild ones that got blown up to the Tampa bay area during Hurricane Idalia. She was first seen here just past mid-September so she wasn’t one of the first ones to be seen in the area. She is banded and the only info we have been able to find is that she (or he) was banded in the Yucatan (eastern most part of Mexico). The locals that live in Safety Harbor have named her HarborRita (like a Margarita from the Harbor!). She’s been the most consistent one to see but she’s not there most of the day. She usually shows up early in the morning and is gone by 8:30am and then is sometimes there late in the day.

A few mornings later I stopped by to see if she was there. It was pretty cloudy and I thought that would help since the sun would not be behind her. She was not there this morning and you can barely see Tampa across the bay.

I did find some roseate spoonbills taking a bath.

I took a short walk around the marina and the sun was starting to come out. At this point the spoonbills were preening and starting to settle in for a nap.

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.

Not that early in the morning

On June 8, 2023May 29, 2023 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights4 Comments

I wasn’t up and out of the house that early in the morning. But, early enough to catch the sun before it got too high in the sky. The Safety Harbor fishing pier is one of the best spots to see a sunrise in Pinellas County. There is usually a crowd but this weekday morning wasn’t too busy.

I lingered for a while on the pier watching the sun go up.

As I was leaving and driving down Main Street I realized that they had recently held the sidewalk chalk festival. I stopped and snapped a few shots before heading out.

I stopped at the Oldsmar pier before home and they were getting ready for the weekend carnival at the park. It was late March so I was assuming this was a spring break carnival. I walked out on the pier and could see the workers finishing the set up.

I turned around on the pier and saw my favorite crab trap guy out in the water. This time he was close to the pier and I could see him emptying the traps more clearly this time. I’m hoping one of these days I’ll get to meet him. I think he saw me taking his picture and he was probably thinking “What is she doing? I have a permit for these traps.” But I really just think it’s cool to be out in a small boat with tons of pelicans following him.