A morning of usual critters

On April 18, 2026May 7, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

I was at Roosevelt Wetlands in late December hoping to find some great winter ducks but only the usuals were there. Above a pied grebe was watching me take his picture.

Ring-necked ducks are usually here during the winter.

And coots are easy to find in the winter.

A year round bird but not that common is a Cooper’s Hawk. He was hiding in the shadows.

Eastern phoebes and savannah sparrows are plentiful here in the winter.

Boring ole mallards were trying to sleep on the main trail.

Since things were slow at the wetlands I left early and stopped at Philippe Park on the way home. The great horned owls nest here in the winter. Dad was sitting high up in the tree and was easy to find.

Mom was still sitting on the nest. They sat on the nest for a month and abandoned it twice this winter. Something wasn’t working for them. Maybe the eggs weren’t hatching? Everyone thought they would have left the park by now for the season but I’ve recently heard that she’s back nesting on a different tree in the same park. Maybe third time’s a charm?

It was low tide along the sea wall and ibis and a few laughing gulls were feeding in the muck.

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.

My favorite walking spots in October

On February 23, 2026March 6, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

The sun was trying to peak out when I went for a walk just after sunrise at the Safety Harbor Waterfront in Mid-October.

It had gotten even cloudier when I stopped by nearby Philippe Park to walk the stairs.

As I was heading for the stairs I caught a pair of little blue herons chasing each other. I’m not sure if they were fighting or flirting since they flew off together.

A night heron sits in the oyster bed.

A few days later I was walking at the Dunedin marina.

The water was low and clear along the seawall and I could see several horseshoe crabs along the rocks. I don’t remember seeing them here before.

I was walking through a neighborhood near the marina and noticed this cactus that was growing on a palm tree was blooming. I did some digging and found out it was dragon fruit. I’ve never eaten it but I see it at the grocery store. The plant was loaded with it. I hope the owner ate all of them.

A few days later and I was at the Dunedin causeway.

I was getting to the bottom of the bridge and noticed this great egret trying to eat a fish. There were several guys fishing along the seawall so I’m not sure if he stole it from them.

I noticed a laughing gull with a missing foot. I’ve seen him several times (at least I think it’s the same one).

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) at Image-In-Ing.

The crazy sunrise people

On January 28, 2026January 28, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights6 Comments

In late September I was at the Safety Harbor waterfront early enough for sunrise. My husband always thinks I’m the only one crazy enough to get up early to go see sunrise but when I got to the park there were a lot of other people. I managed to get a shot of a dolphin coming up on the far left in the above shot. I didn’t see him again after that shot.

Getting photo bombed by cute dogs. That one dog was more interested in what I was doing vs. watching the sunrise. He was ready to play.

Watching the sun come up as I walked along the waterfront. It was a warm morning and the water was calm.

I stopped at nearby Philippe Park to walk the stairs on the back of the Indian mound. The sun was still making it’s way up.

Halfway up and the view from the top of the mound.

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.

Another “this never gets old” treat.

On December 20, 2025December 3, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Florida animals4 Comments

A sliver of sunrise was peeking through the clouds at the end of August on my walk at the Safety Harbor waterfront. After a short walk I headed to nearby Philippe Park to walk the stone stairs on the back side of the Indian mound (I was prepping for all of that walking and stairs on the Italy trip coming up).

Right as I walked out on the walkway on the waterfront this dolphin popped up in front of me. There were 2 feeding along the seawall and I spent half an hour watching them swim back and forth in front of me.

It was high tide this morning so they were herding the fish into the sea wall.

I took so many short videos with my phone and these were the best ones. At this point there was a small crowd also watching.

This was one of those “it never gets old” treats that we see here in the area.

The dolphins finally moved down the sea wall and towards the open bay so I started my stair climbing while it was still cloudy.

No breeze in the middle of summer

On November 5, 2025October 31, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography11 Comments

The water was calm on my walk at the Safety Harbor waterfront in early July.

A night heron was sitting on the branch in front of the boardwalk.

This was the first time I’ve seen a kildeer here. There were two of them running around the grassy field. I could hear there distinct call across the field.

It was hot this morning and there wasn’t any breeze.

I left the waterfront and stopped at nearby Philippe Park to walk along the sea wall there.

Hiking up the Indian temple mound from the back stairs. It’s the largest remaining mound built by the Tocobaga Indians. You can read more on the history here.

The view from the top.

I tried not to disturb this couple making hanky panky as I walked back down.

I was getting back in my car and saw this pileated woodpecker fly into a hole in a tree in the parking area. I zoomed in with my phone and was able to catch him banging away. He didn’t seem shy at all.

A beautiful sunrise

On January 15, 2025February 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights4 Comments

In mid-October I was out a little earlier than usual for a walk. I stopped at nearby Philippe Park to catch the sun coming up over the water. I didn’t stay long and headed to the waterfront in Safety Harbor for my walk.

It was a beautiful morning out.

The birds were just starting to get active as I shot the above video.

Over on the tiny beach a dog was having the best time going for a swim.

Walking along the boardwalk I see this damaged dock part stuck to the mangroves. I guess it will be here for a while.

The sun was coming up high by the time I reached the end of the boardwalk.

Back at the parking lot before leaving.

I decided to stop back by Philippe Park again before going home to see if there was a lot of damaged trees from the hurricanes. The ones down on the road had already been moved but the grass areas were covered with downed trees. It’s going to take the rangers months to clean it all up. I was glad to see the owl nest tree still standing and I’ve heard the owl couple are back nesting in it already.

A walk through history.

On January 5, 2023December 26, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights4 Comments

It was dark and cloudy on my walk at Philippe Park in upper Tampa Bay in early December. The clouds made it feel a little like it was winter even though it was mild. To the right of of the sidewalk in the first two pictures is an Indian mound so it feels like there’s a large hill here. There are steps up to the top on one side and many people like to jog or walk up the stairs. It was built by the Tocobaga Indians. There is an urban legend that the ancient Indian burial grounds and sites keep the hurricanes from hitting the Tampa area but Odet Philippe’s home was destroyed by a hurricane on this spot in the 1800’s.

I love the old trees here. It feels like old Florida.

Beautyberries are all over the park. I’ve seen catbirds, blue jays and mockingbirds eat the berries.

Odet Philippe is buried here. He was one of the first settlers in the area and was know as the first person to grow grapefruit in the Tampa Bay area. He built his plantation on this site in the early 1800’s. You can read more about his life here (from the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame).

Since I was close to the Safety Harbor pier I stopped for a quick walk before heading home. I was hoping to see manatees but the water was too dark to find them and they didn’t seem to be close to the pier.

Please don’t use rat poison

On May 22, 2021April 20, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

“What is everone looking at? Wait, I see a rat in the parking lot. Tell Mom to go get it.”

“I am Dracula. I suck the blood of rats”

“Soon I’ll be flying and can go get my own rat.”

“She’s taking my picture. I need to move over here to the best spot.”

Right before dark all three of the babies lined up and I got a shot of them all together. Both parents had just flown away, assuming to go get dinner. Since they are so curious, they were always looking everywhere. It was so amazing seeing these guys growing up. It really is a privilage to have these owls growing up in such a populated area. I didn’t make it back to the nest after this to see them all grown up. Unfortunately no one got to see 2 of them grow up. I just recently found out that 2 of them died from rat poison. The third one survived. Maybe he didn’t get to eat as much of that poisoned rat that the parent brought back. This is what happens when people use rat poison boxes. The rats don’t die right away and the owl grabs it to bring back to the nest. These owls are a natural pest control and the three young ones would have cleaned out most of the area of rats for a while when they first start to hunt.