Growing up so fast, part 2.

On July 13, 2016June 21, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

Most cars go flying down the road along the waste plant. I mean, why would a normal person slow down to see what’s hanging out in the ditches along the road. Even if you did slow down as you go past, you might not see that tiny speck of a baby bird on the edge of the water. The black necked stilts having been nesting here for several years. Usually some time in May you start to see the babies following the parents around if you know where to look. I pulled onto the grass and took the above from the car. They are very skittish and as soon as the car door would open, the parents would go crazy. So I just rolled down the window and snapped a few shots before leaving. Anyone going by probably just thinks I’m waiting for a tow truck to come.

There were also baby anhingas in the bushes near the black necked stilts.

A very young juvenile little blue heron in the same spot. He’ll soon turn all blue once he loses his baby white feathers.

An older juvenile spoonbill. He doesn’t have any color in his face yet.

Just a few things I saw leaving work in late May.

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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Pink instead of orange on Halloween

On October 31, 2015October 31, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

Yes, I know. Halloween is all about pumpkins, ghosts and candy. But, here in central Florida, it’s about perfect weather. Sunny and cool (high of 80 degrees) is perfect for looking for birds. Especially, pink (cotton candy) birds. I recently saw this spoonbill in a pond near my house and stopped to watch him eating his lunch. I assume he’s eating bugs. He would sway his bill back and forth and swallow tiny things before I could a picture of them. While they are not quite as pretty as a flamingo, they are still a pretty cool bird.

Saturday's Critters

Reflections

On April 6, 2015April 7, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography9 Comments

I walked up to the north beach marsh at Fort Desoto in late March. Up ahead, I could see at least 9 photographers on the ground taking pictures of something. As I closer, I realized it was the above spoonbill. The only bird on the beach, besides a few gulls.

I left everyone and headed to the roped off sanctuary farther south and found a few birds there. The ibis above was gulping down tiny crabs.

The tricolored heron was downing a few minnows.

I didn’t see the snowy egrets get anything. They just kept creeping around.

The little blue heron was catching a lot of fish.

It was a perfect morning but almost no birds. Several of the photographers had come from up north and were struggling to find birds to take pictures of. To sort-of quote Forest Gump “Fort Desoto is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” To quote a local birder “You won’t know if you don’t go”. Sometimes it’s just nice being out.

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A safe haven for injured birds.

On March 8, 2015March 8, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography9 Comments

Spoonbill getting a drink of water.

Green heron staring at the clouds.

Pretty in pink.

“What’s everybody staring at?”

white

Looking sleepy.

Trying to nap.

A sad sight, problems with his eye.

Even sadder, it looks like the other eye is missing.

The osprey was missing half of a wing.

A few of the permanent residents at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Most have permanent injuries.

LorikArt Shine the Divine

A blurry new duck on a yucky day

On February 18, 2015February 9, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

My first common goldeneye from very far away. I had to stand on a picnic table to catch him when he swam away from the tall reeds in front of the lake. This was taken with my 300mm lens and extremely cropped up. Bad shot but at least I can add him to my list. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of one being in the area.

These little grebes were looking at me like I was crazy. Standing in the drizzle looking for a duck.

After a while, the clouds started to disappear. This kingfisher was watching me watching him.

Now watching me on a pole in the lake.

This spoonbill agreed with the grebes. I think he was laughing at me.

Moorhen with the big yellow feet.

The goldeneye had been reported for a few weeks at the lake that Boyd Hill Nature Preserve sits on. It was across the lake from the park at a boat ramp. I finally made it over there in late January. It had been raining and I almost didn’t go. Luckily it stopped raining and the sun came out. I’m glad I braved the weather since now I have a new duck for my list!

I’m going to look for a duck.

On December 1, 2014December 2, 2014 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography11 Comments

“I’m eating over here.” said the spoonbill.

I realized as he flew off he was banded. I could not make out the numbers on either picture.

Another palm warbler.

Yellow rumped warblers are starting to show up.

Turtle face.

Stretching out on the floating pad in the pond.

The cormorants rule the boardwalk.

A tiny turtle soaking up some sun.

Another one on a log.

Blue jay with a nut from a palm tree.

This was the first time I have walked around the trail and boardwalk at Carillon park on a Saturday morning. Since it’s so close to work I usually only go after work in the summer. It’s usually packed with joggers and walkers. It was quiet this morning and weird to be there on a Saturday since it’s surrounded by office buildings. I went looking for an albino coot that had been reported there everyday for a week. Of course, by the time I get there, he’s gone. Maybe he was just close by and will come back over before winter is over.

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The usual birds – Skywatch Friday

On November 13, 2014November 13, 2014 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography10 Comments

Early morning spoony flyover.

American bittern hiding in the alligator flag plant.

Here comes a sandhill crane couple.

Anhinga with a fish.

Typical Florida shot. Snowy egret in the trees.

This is a juvenile something. I’m thinking an indigo bunting. There had been bunting sightings in the area but I didn’t see any adults. Any ideas?

Phoebe high up in a tree with a snack.

Bye, bye.

The usual stuff at Circle B Bar Reserve.

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Birds up close at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

On March 10, 2014November 1, 2020 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography17 Comments

You could hear this sandhill crane calling from all over the park. He was yelling all morning. Maybe he was calling for his mate.

An injured whooping crane. One of these days I’m going to head to central Florida to look for the wild whooping cranes that winter there.

This very young spoonbill was not afraid of the tourist. He was right over the boardwalk.

Flamingos having a disagreement.

Are they a couple? The caracara on the left is missing a wing and two of his right toes.

Barred owls make the cutest faces.

This fulvous whistling duck had a bad right leg. He was limping around.

My first American wigeon.

Wood ducks were hanging around all over the park.

There’s a huge variety of birds at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Birds that you would see in the wild from all over Florida. Most of these birds are injured in some way and have found a home here. We went up there to see the manatees that hang out in the river that runs through the park but there are so many great birds there as well. I might have to get back up there later in the springs to check out the sandhill crane, swan and duck babies.

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Love is in the air – Skywatch Friday

On February 14, 2013February 6, 2013 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography19 Comments

Caution – Spoony porn below. Excessive pinkness going on. Proceed at your own risk!

I stop at the alligator exhibit and see two spoonbills sitting together in the short palm trees. I don’t think anything of it but hope that a future nest would be great. I didn’t want to get too excited. Two years ago a couple nested here but last year they did not. I walked around the area for a few minutes and then was about to head back to the see the baby elephant when the below started to happen.

Is it???? Yes, it is!!! Spoonbills mating. I started snapping away. No one else noticed. They were all too busy looking at the sleeping alligators below.

Yes, I know, I’m intruding on their bedroom. But they were doing in right in the middle of the zoo. They could have found some nice quiet woods anywhere else.

It was over in a flash. Or at least 20 snaps.

You’re thinking “It’s over. He’s outta there.”

He flew down to the ground close by and picked up a stick. Not just any ole stick. This was his third stick he picked up. He was finding just the right one.

He flew into the tree with his stick.

And flew over to her and presented her with the stick. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is. No diamonds, no candy. Just a stick.

She’s like “Gimmi the stick all ready.”

He gives here the stick.

She takes it and puts in the crook of the palm tree. After this they settled down and looked like they were ready for a nap.

Sometimes timing is everything. I had about two hours to kill two Sunday mornings ago so I headed to the Lowry Park zoo which is close by to see the baby elephant again. When I first got there the baby elephant was way in the back of the exhibit playing behind a bunch of logs. I decided to do a quick lap of the zoo and see if any wild birds were hanging around the alligator exhibit yet. Wild egrets and herons nest there in the spring. They build nests in the big oak and palm trees around the exhibit. There were already a lot of great egrets sitting on nests high up in the oak trees. I saw the two spoonbills sitting together on a short palm tree and thought “Wouldn’t it be great if they nested here again like they did two years ago.” I was just about to walk away to head back to the elephants when I saw the flash of pink flying.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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