More purple clowns

Posted on July 18, 2020 by dinajohnston

It’s not unusual to see purple gallinules in the marsh at the start of the trail at Circle B Bar Reserve. They usually feed off the alligator flag plants there.

But now they were right on the trails. After being closed for 2 months, I guess they got use to be on the trails and feeding off the plants there. I passed several of them as I walked down Marsh Rabbit Run Trail and they didn’t even bother stopping or acting scared and running. They just kept eating while I walked past them. I don’t know if that’s a good thing. Maybe as the park got more crowded later in the day they went into hiding but early in the morning they were out.

Black and purple clowns

Posted on July 6, 2019 by dinajohnston

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.

Posted on August 27, 2018 by dinajohnston

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.

Purple clowns at Circle B Bar Reserve

Posted on December 9, 2017 by dinajohnston

The purple gallinules are back on the alligator flag plants on the main trail at Circle B Bar Reserve. They can usually be found in October and November eating the seeds since the flag plants are in full bloom in the fall. I only saw two close to the trail the day I was there in late October. One was a juvenile since his head is not fully purple yet, probably born in early spring. They are very charismatic to watch as they climb all over the plants, often falling down.

Road trip to Central Florida

Posted on April 17, 2017 by dinajohnston

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.

So many birds….

Posted on January 30, 2017 by dinajohnston

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.