A quiet Saturday morning.

Posted on April 23, 2020 by dinajohnston

I stopped by the Safety Harbor fishing pier at the end of March and got lucky seeing manatees. I usually see them most of the time but occasionally they are a no show. This time there were several together close to the pier. They were rolling around as they cruised by.

A few of the birds flying by the pier and a pelican sitting in the mangroves.

This family was already starting the social distancing thing. Kayaking out to a spit.

There was hardly anyone on the pier and I sat for a while taking in the quiet staring at Tampa far off in the distance.

The yacht basin next to the pier.

SkyWatch Friday

Circle B Bar Reserve

Posted on April 2, 2020 by dinajohnston

I caught the barred owl just waking up from his morning nap at Circle B Bar Reserve in early March.

An osprey hovering close to the trail.

My favorite tree twins in the middle of the lake. Here it still was missing it’s leaves. Bald cypress trees lose their leaves in the winter here in central Florida.

The sun was already high up in the air by the time I walked down Marsh Rabbit Run.

A quiet early walk at Circle B Bar Reserve.

SkyWatch Friday

A quiet morning at Lettuce Lake Park

Posted on March 19, 2020 by dinajohnston

Things up in the trees along the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park.

You can usually find several night herons in the swamp.

The view from the tower above, taken with my phone. It always makes me feel like I’m somewhere else other than close to downtown Tampa when I’m standing up here.

Looking into the swamp from the boardwalk. There’s gators hiding in there somewhere.

At the end of the boardwalk, the HIllsborough river floats by and turns the corner.

Under the trees along the trail, it was quiet early in the morning. I had the trail all to myself

SkyWatch Friday

Taking the Cross Bay Ferry

Posted on February 6, 2020 by dinajohnston

Heading out of St. Petersburg on the Cross Bay Ferry to Tampa.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge looked like a mirage from the middle of the bay.

A beautiful sunny day on the water in late November.

Coming back from Tampa in the late afternoon.

SkyWatch Friday

Along the trail.

Posted on February 3, 2020 by dinajohnston

Color on the trail.

Crawling critters including that tiny alligator right on the trail.

Small birds along the trail. A green heron, a house wren making a face at me and then chirping and a blue headed vireo.

Having a snack.

A perfect start to a day at Circle B Bar Reserve.

Skies on the way home

Posted on October 3, 2019 by dinajohnston

Heading home after work, I stopped at an office parking deck after I got over the bridge into Tampa. Storms were moving in over the area. I could see it raining on one side of the bridge and sunny on the other side. Typical Florida weather.