Lots of birds at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

On February 15, 2016February 16, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

Lots of robins in the trees.

White pelicans were floating around.

Wood duck on a log. He didn’t have a tag on so I’m thinking he’s a wild one that is just hanging out here for the food.

Spoonbill shaking off.

It’s rare to be this close to an osprey. Especially when they are taking a bath. This one was in the big aviary.

This wood stork was missing part of its wing.

Both eagles are missing a wing.

A rare white morph great blue heron was in the main pond. I didn’t see a tag on him. He’s got a beautiful face.

I made my annual winter trip up to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in mid-January. It was one of the first cold morning we have had. There was lots of bird activity at the park from injured birds that live there to the wild ones that fly in to visit. I took a ton of pictures so more on those to come.

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Largo Nature Preserve

On February 19, 2015February 10, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography10 Comments

Nesting is in full swing for the osprey in the area. I don’t think they have eggs yet since they both left the nest at the same time for a while.

It looks like they were working on getting it comfy.

One of them kept bringing in more insulation.

Night herons always sleep along the boardwalk at this park.

Funny face. An anhinga staring at me.

Northern shovelers were close to the bank.

Flapping.

Another funny face.

The usual palm warbler. The trail was full of them.

A few robins were hanging around.

Is that parrot waving at me?

A Saturday morning walk at Largo Nature Preserve.

Skywatch Friday

Flappers and jumpers at the botanical gardens

On August 19, 2013August 20, 2013 By dinajohnstonIn Atlanta, bird photography21 Comments

This bluebird was singing pretty loud on a light post.

I don’t know what this is. It flew onto the same post as the bluebird above. At first I thought it was a juvenile bluebird but that beak looks different. Any ideas? Cobb?

My first “male” goldfinch.

Wet robin with a berry in his beak.

Catbird on a chain.

House sparrows hanging out on a nest box.

Upclose with a frog.

Cool frog in one of the fountains.

Just a few critters I saw on my walk around the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. The bluebird was a plus since I rarely see them in central Florida.

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A morning in a cemetery – Skywatch Friday

On January 17, 2013January 8, 2013 By dinajohnstonIn Atlanta, bird photography6 Comments

It wouldn’t be a day out in nature without seeing some squirrels.

Blue jay keeping an eye on me.

I think this is a chipping sparrow? They were all over the cemetery.

Getting a drink from an empty planter.

Robins were everywhere.

Mockingbird on a cross.

A warbler in the bushes.

I could hear this carolina wren singing all over the cemetery.

Flowers were still blooming.

You can see the capital from across the cemetery.

Even though it was a little cold, it was a beautiful morning. The sun came in and out all morning. Nothing like spending a little time in a cemetery right before Christmas. I’m sure the people there thought I was crazy with my long lens taking pictures of birds. I’ve always said “Cemeteries have good birds.” Even in downtown Atlanta. I was surprised to see so many birds there. I didn’t see the red-headed woodpeckers that I had seen on my last 2 trips there. They may have been hiding. I thought I’d only be there an hour and then go somewhere else, maybe the zoo close by but ended up staying 3 hours.

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A beautiful redhead in a cemetery

On August 20, 2012August 21, 2012 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography16 Comments

Right side.

Now left side.

From the back.

Entire front.

One of the many robins.

“What are you doing here lady?” said Whiskers, the squirrel.

Last December I had seen a redheaded woodpecker high up in the trees and I think it was a juvenile. It was dark and cloudy that day when I was at Oakland Cemetery so I only got a far away blurry shot of it. Since I was back in Atlanta for the 4th of July, I headed out to the cemetery with Hubby in hopes of finding it again. There were two there. One was high up in the trees and the other one came down and landed close by on a utility pole in front of me. They never got close to each other so I only have single shots of them. I wonder if they nest there. Was that juvenile I saw in December an offspring of the couple and maybe was born that summer? It would be pretty great if these fairly rare woodpeckers were nesting in downtown Atlanta.

It was worth braving the heat to find these birds. Oh yeah, there were also tons of robins at the cemetery. And about a million squirrels. I didn’t see any chipmunks though. We don’t have them in central Florida so it’s fun to see them when we visit Atlanta.

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