A bunch of quick stops north of me.

Posted on April 10, 2023 by dinajohnston

My first stop of the morning was at the water treatment plant in Tarpon Springs in late February. I knew the ducks that hang out there in the winter would be heading north before too long. The majority of the ducks were redhead ducks but you never know what you can find mixed in.

There were a handful of lesser scaup floating together away from the redheads.

Far away there were two female buffleheads.

I stopped by the eagle’s nest just north of Tarpon Springs. I pulled over and got out and quickly shot the above before hopping back in the car. There’s no parking along this road and the parking lot at the nearby park was too far away for me to walk so I didn’t stay. These twin babies were much older than the ones in my neighborhood. I didn’t see any adults in my quick stop but I’m sure they were nearby hunting for food.

Another stop was nearby Anclote Gulf Park. The fishing pier is right in the parking lot so I took a quick walk onto the pier. It was a quiet morning here but I managed to see an osprey taking a bath farther down the shore. (Notice the blurry kingfisher sitting on a log in the upper right corner of the 2 middle pictures. I was wishing I was closer to get him as well)

One more stop as I circled back towards home was the Starkey Market just north of me. I had never been before and it was fun to check out the cows next door before going in and getting some vegetables to cook for dinner that night.

Ducks and humps

Posted on February 4, 2023 by dinajohnston

I was heading north to Tarpon Springs for a walk and decided to stop by the water reclamation facility to see if the winter ducks were here. There were a lot of ducks but not as many as in past years. The water pond is huge and they really need to be on the far right side to get any shots of them. They were almost in the middle of the pond the morning I stopped. They were mostly redheads and a few lesser scaup mixed in.

There were a few stragglers along the fence and I realized this was a greater scaup with that round bright green head and almost white sides. This was a first for me.

Not too far away were a few lesser scaup as well.

After shooting the ducks I was on my way to Craig Park for a walk around the bayou. Last year at this time I had seen two manatees in the small bayou and was hoping to see some again this year. After a few minutes I saw 2 snouts come up for air.

There were at least 10 manatees in the water. They didn’t come close to the sea wall since the water was low but you could see their backs coming up as they dove back down in the water. Here were 4 different backs. The top one had a lot of algae on it. The 2nd one had only a few barnacles on it. The 3rd one had some algae and a lot of boat scrapes. The last one had a clean back.

There was one with a lot of barnacles on his back but for some reason I only got a picture of his tail. I went back a few weeks later and they were still there. I guess the shallow water in the bayou stays fairly warm so they spend a good part of the coldest months here.

Sun comes up over Tarpon Springs

Posted on December 5, 2022 by dinajohnston

It was early October and we had a nice break in the heat so I headed out for a walk at the Tarpon Springs sponge docks. I like walking here early in the morning before the workers and tourist are out on the sidewalks. It feels like a different place when it’s quiet, almost like I can feel the history of the street.

Some of the old boats along the water.

The above boat was built in 1935 and was used for sponge diving until 1943. It was then used as a rescue boat for the Navy during World War 2. After the war it went back to being a sponge boat until it was retired in the early 80’s.

A view of the working part of the docks.

More shots away from the tourist area.

One of my favorite houses along the bayou. It was built in 1885 by one of the founding fathers of Tarpon Springs. It is still a private home and was last sold in 2010. I would love to see the inside but it’s probably already been updated.

The sun coming through the crooked tree at Craig Park along the bayou.

So glad to see the eagles again

Posted on October 27, 2022 by dinajohnston

I finally caught the bald eagle in the tree at the Oldsmar pier. I had stopped by several times with my camera before finding him sitting high up there. He didn’t stay long, taking off not long after I had arrived.

As he left, he flew by so close that I couldn’t fit his wings in. I still haven’t figured out if this is one of the eagles that has a nest in my neighborhood or somewhere else. There is a another nest nearby but that couple did not use it this past year. He always flies north towards my neighborhood when he leaves which is why I’m thinking it’s him.

Walking on the pier I noticed another eagle sitting in a tree at the far end of the park. He was facing the water and wasn’t very visable from the sidewalk but I caught the above from the pier.

A few of the other birds at the pier. I think that tricolored heron was keeping his eye on the sky in case the eagle was heading towards him.

A cormorant cruises by the pier.

The black terns were still there.

The next day I was heading up to Tarpon Springs for a walk and I saw 2 eagles on a tower. I pulled over into a parking lot and shot the above. It wasn’t until later when I cropped up the picture that I realized the eagle on the right is a dummy. I don’t know if they put the fake up there to attract or repel other birds. The real eagle on the left didn’t seem to mind. Now I laugh when I drive by there and see that fake sitting up there.

Summer skies in July

Posted on August 11, 2022 by dinajohnston

It was sunny and hot early in the morning during my walk around the Safety Harbor marina. I was traveling light so all of the shots in this post were taken with my phone. The local news said this was the hottest July on record in 40 years.

Another sunny morning at the Dunedin marina.

A rainbow on the 4th of July, coming home from a late afternoon cookout with friends.

We had an early dinner in Tampa one weekend and hit the causeway coming home right at sunset. Brett was driving so I snapped this through the windshield.

From partly cloudy to dark clouds during my walk around Olds Park.

A sun halo in our backyard one day around noon.

A walk at some parks near Tarpon Springs. This was the first time I had seen this mermaid statue. She is called “Ama” and was installed in 2014 as part of the Amaryllis Art for Charity project. There’s a small sponge on the base to represent the sponge diving industry here and there’s a small manatee on the left front of the base. Manatees are common in this area.

Walking in the Greek fog.

Posted on April 7, 2022 by dinajohnston

I got up early and was headed to see some eagles north of Tarpon Springs. It was only barely foggy at my house with the sun peaking out but as I drove north the fog got so thick I could barely see. I was thinking the eagles would be tough to shoot in the fog so I decided to stop for a long walk (I was going to walk after the eagles anyway). I parked along the main strip in Tarpon Springs where the sponge docks were and was one of only a few out that early. It was weird to walk around in the fog here. I’m usually here at lunch on the weekends with all of the other tourists.

A few of the sights along the strip.

At the far end of the strip away from the restaurants and shops, I found some local fish markets. I made a note to get back up here for some seafood to take home.

The water was quiet and I could barely see some pelicans still sleeping in the mangrove bushes across the way.

I thought this was a cool old building, off the beaten path. I’m sure there’s some great history here.

After my walk I finally made it to the eagles nest. There were two babies in the nest but I could only see one of them sitting up. They were fully grown at this point but hadn’t left the nest yet. An adult was sitting in a snag close by, looking all magestic even in the fog.

The Epiphany in Tarpon Springs

Posted on February 21, 2022 by dinajohnston

After living in the Tampa Bay area for almost 20 years, I finally made it to an Epiphany in Tarpon Springs. The Epiphany, which is always celebrated on January 6, has 2 different meanings. One is the celebration of Three Kings Day, when the wise men visited Jesus. The other is the celebration of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river. Tarpon Springs celebrates the baptism of Jesus with young men diving into the bayou for a blessed cross. The one who retrieves the cross from the bottom is considered blessed for the year. This year was the 116th annual event. I got there an hour early and found a good spot along the wall to wait for the event.

Small boats were tied up together around the bayou. The guys will get in the boats before diving into the water for the cross.

There were several manatees in the bayou and it was funny to watch their snouts coming up for air as we waited for the event to start.

Coming from the nearby greek church, the guys all jumped in the water and then climbed into22 the boats. All of them are high school age. I had heard there were 65 guys diving for the cross this year.

Many prayers are said as they bless the cross. Then the Archbishop walks over to the water and casually throws the cross in the water.

Then all you see is splashing as the guys jump in the water.

More splashing.

Seconds later a hand goes up with the cross. He retrieved the cross and will be blessed for the year (it looks like there’s a trophy involved as well).

Some of the attendees were dressed in greek attire.

It was a sunny beautiful morning out and the crowds weren’t too crazy. I had to park pretty far away and had a 20 minute walk to the bayou but I was prepared. I will try and go again next year. And as always when you are near Tarpon Springs, you have to pick up some great greek food and baklava to take home (they even have chocolate covered baklava here!).

An interesting site to see

Posted on January 24, 2022 by dinajohnston

Since I now live fairly close to Tarpons Springs, I have been going there quite a bit to walk or get lunch. I’m always interested in sites around the area and had heard about a shrine that’s in Tarpon Springs. I found St. Michael’s shrine easily after my walk at a park close by.

The shrine was built over 80 years ago after a greek woman’s son was taken ill and then cured through praying to the Holy Icon of St. Michael (so the story goes which can be read here). It’s an interesting small chapel that was built in the woman’s backyard. It’s since had many visitors who claim they have been cured.

Walking in you can see all of these cool artifacts and artwork in such a small place. It’s a little overwhelming at first with so much stuff in here. You really have to sit down for a while and look at all of the different items.

So many little details and history. There’s no charge to come in and you can light a candle for a dollar.

There’s also an outside room that has more pictures and candles.

On the side of the chapel there’s a quite place to sit and reflect. Maybe admire the stained glass windows or take a break in the shade.

Another small shrine outside, the picture on the left is of the lady who built the shrine. Her daughter, who managed the shrine after her death, is pictured on the right.

Old boats

Posted on November 29, 2021 by dinajohnston

Now that we live 20 minutes away from Tarpon Springs I have a feeling we’ll be heading up here much more often for meals. There’s so many places to get good Greek food. I noticed some different things on a recent trip up for lunch. I don’t ever remember seeing this sign. It really sums up this little town, north of Tampa.

Some of the sights you see walking down the sidewalk. I think that bike must have been submerged at one time.

All of the old boats and buildings are really the personality of the town, not the sponges. Those boats must have some great stories to tell. Most are still in use, either carrying the divers out to get the sponges (do they really still do that?) or taking tourists out to see the sights.

A mural on the wall heading out of town.

Painted Wildlife

Posted on May 17, 2021 by dinajohnston

Spoonbills painted on a water tower in St. Pete.

On the side of a building in downtown Tampa during the Gasparilla Art Festival several years ago. I think there’s a new building blocking it now.

An exit ramp off I75 in central Florida.

My favorite water tower in St Pete.

Above are from Tarpon Springs. The pelican is on the wall at one of our favorite restaurants in Tarpons Springs, Hellas.

One of the many murals in Wynwood Walls, Miami.

I took this years ago on the side of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I was there recently and with all of the renovations and construction that they went through, the mural is still there.

You can find painted turtles and dolphins all over the Tampa Bay area. Most are in heavy tourist traffic areas. The above were at the Clearwater Marina on Clearwater Beach.

The above was at Save Our Seabirds in Sarasota. They rescue and rehabilitate injured birds (all birds, not just seabirds).

A great restaurant in Miami that we ate at years ago.

At Brett’s aunt’s nursing home. The top one is painted on the outside of the building. The bottom is in the main lobby.

A great little take out place in downtown St. Pete.

I was going through some older pictures recently and realized I had a lot of pictures of painted wildlife. Brett asked if I even remembered where I took them. Yes, every one of them. Although, I can’t remember which exit off I75 that the fish are painted underneath. We were on our way back from Atlanta years ago and had stopped for Blizzards from Dairy Queen. Somewhere between Ocala and Tampa.

Dina's Wildlife Adventures

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