It’s getting hot out there

Posted on June 1, 2015 by dinajohnston

Beautiful glossy ibis with the sun shining on his breeding feathers.

A grackle staring at something in the water.

Woody in the woods.

A common yellowthroat warbler hiding in the bushes. Most of the warblers are gone now and are up north for the summer.

Moth or butterfly?

Dragonfly on a stick shot.

Cattails were everywhere. My dad loved cattails. I think they look like poop on a stick.

The gators were growling.

“Don’t give me that innocent look.” I said to the gator.

It’s June 1st. It’s going to be a long hot summer. It’s been hot since early April. These were taken in early May and it was stifling hot already at Circle B Bar Reserve. It’s time to hit the coast for the summer breezes and let the gators nap in peace for a few months.

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Hanging upside down

Posted on February 11, 2015 by dinajohnston

I spent a few minutes at Chesnut Park in mid-January watching this crazy pileated woodpecker hanging upside down on the tree. He was banging away and ignoring me. They are so much fun to watch. In the 3rd and last picture you can see his tongue hanging out. Looks like he’s licking the bark. What does bark taste like? I imagine it taste like dirty oatmeal.

Up in the trees at Circle B Bar Reserve

Posted on December 8, 2014 by dinajohnston

The usual phoebe.

Juvenile bald eagle up in a dead tree.

What a great face!

Pileated woodpecker climbing up.

Trying to get that berry.

He was across the creek and high up in the trees.

A few things in the trees at Circle B Bar Reserve in mid-November.

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Weird mix of birds at the Florida Botanical Gardens

Posted on December 3, 2012 by dinajohnston

Wood stork high up in the tree. He was all alone.

Red bellied woodpecker has a big nut. I think he was hiding it in the hole.

Pileated woodpecker on a utility pole. These birds have done a lot of damage to the poles there. You can see where they try to patch them up but the woodpeckers just move and create new holes.

A lone female wood duck. I found her in a small pond behind the old butterfly garden.

Red bellied woodpecker and easter phoebe were sitting in the same tree. I could hear the phoebe singing from across the lake.

Wild monk parakeet hanging on a pole. There’s a small flock that always seem to be around the gardens.

I finally made it over to the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo after trying the weekend before and getting deterred by a huge crowd coming for an event. This Saturday morning it was quiet. I could even hear that phoebe singing all morning. There wasn’t anything unusual there. But still, it was a nice morning out and I got a good 2 hour walk in.