Little fuzzy quackers in the pond

On August 18, 2025September 6, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

This spring has been a banner Cape May warbler year. I was at Possum Branch Preserve at the end of April which doesn’t get a lot of migrating birds but this morning there were several.

A black throated blue was also there, feeding in the mulberry tree.

Smaller flying critters along the path around the pond.

A purple gallinule was in the middle of the pond, standing on the spatterdock.

I think this bunny noticed me. He didn’t run though.

An osprey flies by with breakfast.

It was fun to see a big mallard family on the edge of the pond.

I plopped down on the grass for a while and watched them feed. Mom seemed proud of her babies.

Momma duck had better keep an eye out for this guy at the other end of the pond.

Black and purple clowns

On July 6, 2019June 14, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

It’s rare for me to see baby purple gallinules. I found 2 babies near the dock at Circle B Bar Reserve in early May. You can usually find adults around the dock but they become scarce when they have babies often hiding in the reeds. The babies are so cute with that black and white beak. It’s funny how much their colors change as they grow up.

The parents were close by.

Everyone was eating except me.

On August 27, 2018August 28, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Typical awkward teenager, this several month old sandhill crane was so funny to watch. He was trying to be brave and walk off on his own and then go running back to mom.

It looks like this great blue heron bit off more than he could chew but he got it all down. His neck was bulging for a while.

A grackle with a snack.

This night heron was trying to hide in the reeds along the pond but it was hard not to miss those bright red eyes.

It was weird seeing this purple gallinule hanging over the trail. He was eating something on this plant.

These hawks were across the marsh. Looks like they were fighting over a snail.

Breakfast was going on during my walk at Circle B Bar Reserve in mid May.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

Road trip to Central Florida

On April 17, 2017April 18, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

A lone female painted bunting was eating at the feeder near the pond.

A catbird on St. Frances’s head.

Your basic mockingbird shot.

There must have been a robin convention going on. They were everywhere at the park.

Really cool roots on the trail.

Pictures of the carillon tower at Bok Tower Gardens I took with my phone.

After I left Bok Tower Gardens I stopped by Lake Parker in Lakeland to get out and walk around for a few minutes before heading back to Tampa. It was a quiet afternoon with only a few critters near the boat ramp.

Next to Lake Parker is a huge soccer field. There was no one playing on the field that day but I’m sure on a weekend there are tons of kids running around. There were light posts along the fields and in between them with nests on them. All of them had osprey nesting on top except for one. One light post right at the entrance to the field had an owl nest. The sun was not in my favor that afternoon but I was able to get the above. There were two almost grown owlets on the nest with Mom but one was hiding on the other side of Mom. On nights and weekends these fields are packed with screaming kids playing ball. I guess the owls don’t mind.

A few things I saw on my central Florida trip to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales and Lake Parker in Lakeland in early March.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing

So many birds….

On January 30, 2017January 31, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

Black bellied whistling ducks are a rare sight to see up close. Years ago they would hang out right on the trail and the trees right on the trail would be full of them. Now you can only hear them whistling off in the distance.