Flight

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I will admit right up front that this photograph has imperfections... but I was so tickled with the way it came out, just the same, that I wanted to share it. These birds are in flight over Lake Paloma, in Dunedin, Florida. Please feel free to leave a comment, constructive criticism is always welcome.

The all white birds with black legs and yellow bills are Great Egrets. The birds with somewhat curving pink bills, pink legs, and black wing tips are White Ibis. The brownish birds that look similar to the White Ibis are also White Ibis... but immature. Beautiful, aren't they?

Hey, tomorrow is New Years eve! Are you going to a party, or are you going to celebrate at home? Either way, Happy New Year!!!

More Lake Paloma photography at Dunedin Daily Photo. Slow cars and fast food on Clearwater Daily Photo, and beautiful sailboats and beach scenes on Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. Thanks for coming today!

Mr. Squirrel Said "I'm Ready For My Close-Up!"

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So, hating to disappoint my furry little friend, I present to you: Mr. Squirrel's Close-Up.

If you would like to see more photos of the Dunedin, Clearwater, and Clearwater Beach area, check out Dunedin Daily Photo, Clearwater Daily Photo, and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. Thanks for coming today!

My New Best Friend, The Squirrel

I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Meet my new best friend, the Squirrel. At least, as long as I keep the feeder full, and the corn cobs fresh! :D The weather has just recently started to cool a little here in Dunedin, Florida, so I figure it is time to keep the feeders full to some degree. I think the food resources for squirrels and birds here seldom really diminishes all that much in the winter time, but I don't like to take that chance.

HEY! Monday is New Year's Eve! What are you doing? Will you be partying at some wild and crazy New Year's Eve celebration? Or will you have a quiet countdown party at home? Either way, crazy or quiet, let's make it a good one, and welcome a New Year to make things happen! :D

And yes, I do have more squirrel photography to share with you, so please stop by every day. If you would like to see more photos of the Dunedin, Clearwater, Clearwater Beach area, check out Dunedin Daily Photo, Clearwater Daily Photo, and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. Thanks for coming today!

This Osprey Has Something To Say

I caught up with this beautiful Osprey at Hammock Park, in Dunedin, Florida yesterday morning. I have never gotten such a good shot of an Osprey before. As I understand it, they are sometimes referred to as Fish Hawk, also.

Please click on the photograph to see the larger version, which shows the detail so much better. This picture was taken with my Nikon D80, with a 70-300 lens, at 300mm, f10, 1/250 sec. This is, by the way, a camera I would highly recommend.

If you would like to see more of this area, check out Dunedin Daily Photo, and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. Thanks for coming today!

Bug's Bounty

Okay, honestly, I have no idea who or what might eat these berries, but I gotta believe they will end up being someone's dinner! There are various trees around Lake Paloma (in Dunedin, Florida), where I took this picture. I just don't know for sure what kind it is that shed these.

I do know that I have always wondered what it is like to live at this altitude, in a world that I normally see from so much higher up! You have to admit, there seems to be lots and lots to explore down here.

If you would like to see more of the area around Lake Paloma, check out Dunedin Daily Photo, Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. Thanks for coming today!

OH! I Hate It When They Watch Me Dive!!

Even now I feel bad when I look at this photo. I know it's silly, but I really think I totally broke his concentration. I was out on Pier 60, on Clearwater Beach, and he and some other pelicans had been swooping and diving and having a nice lunch. Then I came closer and closer to the rail with my camera.

Having watched the rhythm of their feeding dives for a little while, I was able to have my camera in the right place at the right time. Just as I was ready to snap the shot... he looked straight at me. I think it really put him off to have the camera pointed at him like that. He choked, as it were, hit the water way off target, and came up empty-billed.

I admit though, I do like the photograph, just the same. And hey, there are plenty of fish in the sea!

Check out my other blogs to see more of Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, and Dunedin.

Make Sure You Get My Good Side, Eh?

Enjoying the fine December sunshine, at 82F, on Clearwater Beach recently. I took a walk out on the fishing pier, Pier 60, and met this fine specimen of a bird. He was pretty accepting of my 'advances'. But then he made me promise him veto rights before I posted this shot. Luckily, he liked it very much.

It was a beautiful day to be on the beach. There were lots of people enjoying the sea and sand and pier. Oh, and that is the Gulf Of Mexico in the background. Check out my other blogs to see more of Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, and Dunedin.

Tag... You're It!

I am not sure why I find this picture so compelling. Perhaps the tags get me. Perhaps the realization that this was once a living tree. Or is it just the textures. Perhaps it is the old versus new dichotomy presented by the different tags.

At the moment, I just don't know. If you know what it says to you, let me know. And if I figure out what it is for me, I'll let you know. Meantime, I hope you enjoy the look. And if you are wondering... this is my take on the tags, starting from the top:

FPC stands for Florida Power Corporation. A57119 is an asset tag. That is for their accounting system. The small tag below that looks like it says 91 on it. I am going to guess this is the year this pole was put into service. Osmose 2007 I believe refers to a branded test or treatment, and 2007 would be the year it was last performed on this pole. Wood-fume, I believe is the treatment or test name, specifically, that was performed on this pole.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Getting Down To The Subject At Hand

There is an office park in Clearwater that looks more like a botanical garden in some ways. It is called Arbor Shoreline Office Park (or Complex). I have written about it before. Scroll down to check out "Hawk After Bath", "Swamp Lily", and "Green... Yellow... Flower Power". Click here to see one of the buildings there.

This is a small drain that runs from one of the parking lots into a small pond. In fact, the "Hawk After Bath" photo was taken just a few feet from this spot. The hawk had been bathing in this pond. Although not all things can be done with so much attention to beauty and form, it's nice that they did not completely give into function.

Now please take a moment and bookmark this page. I would love for you to come back and see more! Thanks! :D

Rust: Nature's Slow Moving Paintbrush

This old tractor has seen better days. But now it is seeing sunshine again for the first time in years. It was 'recovered' from being covered up in overgrown vines. I am sure other people look at it and think "How are we going to get rid of that thing?" I look at it and think "How can I get that thing home?"

Hawk After Bath - Clearwater Florida

Of all places, I found this beauty in the midst of an office complex in Clearwater, Florida. The place is called Arbor Shoreline Office Complex (or Arbor Shoreline Office Park). And they have done a wonderful job of making it seem more like a botanical garden. Meanwhile, this hawk had just jumped out of his bath in a small pond when I noticed him on a boardwalk railing. By the time I got my 300mm, he had moved to the trees. Well, that was not going to stop me! I have never seen a hawk behave like this before in my life.

Swamp Lily - Americanum Crinum

Another flower shot? YES! Swamp Lily, which when Googled, appears to have the scientific name of Americanum Crinum. I knew the Crinum part, but I'm not convinced on the Americanum part. Either way, it is a splendid plant. This one was found on the grounds of the Arbor Shoreline Office Complex (also known as Arbor Shoreline Office Park) in Clearwater, Florida. I hope you like it.

Green... Yellow... FLOWER POWER

I don't know what it is about flowers... I think I could be happy taking pictures of flowers for weeks on end. They are so beautiful from a normal distance, and then so incredible when you get closer, when you get to know them.

Taken with my Nikon D80. This camera is wonderful. I have never regretted for a moment the money I spent on it. Worth every penny.

Keeping An Eye On The Man

Well, I'm no OML, but I am pretty pleased to have got a neat snap of these little beauties! These are the latest new ducklings at Lake Paloma, in Dunedin, Florida. I will get to watch these little guys grow as I walk around the lake every day, during my get-out-of-my-office-and-breath break. In the meantime, this little guy was keeping a close eye on me. What a look, eh? Click on the pic to see his/her pretty eye.

I have lots more photos of these little guys, and their cousins, and lots of other birds that loiter around this tiny little lake. I will be posting more and more of them as I sort through them all and find the best for you.

Thanks for coming by.

Dunedin - Alternate Transpo & Runway

This is alternate transportation of a different sort... at the Dunedin Marina, where the boats are not big enough to park a car on the aft deck, but big enough to fit a bicycle. I like it, and nothing like a sweeping fence rail like that to point the way to adventures of the two-wheeled sort.

Come to Dunedin, and you will find lots of great places to ride a bike.

Double Eagle III = 6?

I caught this picture of the Double Eagle III, heading out from Clearwater Beach for a day of deep sea fishing, from the top of the Sand Key bridge. It was somewhat windy that day, and I wondered how it would feel for the passengers. Or should I say fishermen... or should I say fisher-persons? But it looked like they were happy to be there, and looking forward to a good time, cold and windy or not.

As the boat moved on and out into the Gulf Of Mexico, I noticed that what had seemed like a large boat when it passed under the bridge, looked like a quite smallish boat indeed out in that very large Gulf.

It's All A Matter Of Perpective

Getting down to it. That can be the difficulty. There are many, many perspectives from within which to view our world. Many can be very difficult to get to. Some are really quite close at hand, and yet overlooked in their pedestrian trappings.

Can you take a moment? Can you stop and look? Can you take a moment, stop, and look at this world of ours from a different perspective? You may have to think outside the box to find it. You may have to think outside the bottle!

Meeting Of The Board

I am not sure what the meeting was about, but it was serious business I can tell you! In fact, the chairman, with his veto powers, even refused to be in the picture. He is standing just out of the frame to the right. It was he that suggested Mr. Billit, second from left, lift one leg for effect, as if making a point.

All in all a successful meeting I think. Although I did not stick around to hear the closing remarks, actions items, and conclusions.

DUCKLINGS!

This picture is for my friend, M.S., who does NOT believe me when I tell her about the ducklings at the pond! No, not my best shot ever, nor with my best camera. But it does capture the moment. And this way M.S. can finally see the ducklings I keep talking about.

These ducks live in Dunedin, Florida, though I doubt they realize that. Perhaps they do. Perhaps they even know they were born on the banks of Lake Paloma. I don't know for sure, they wouldn't tell me.

This is a sign some nice folks put up across the street from the lake, which is surrounded by streets on all sides. I hope it helps!

Storm Crows Sunset Flight

I was clicking away, discovering the powers of my Nikon D80, and catching some really strange weather as I looked East. Behind me, the sun was setting over Clearwater Beach (not the same sunset as in the photo below). Then I heard these birds calling, and I could see a flock of crows heading my way. As I looked I realized there were hundreds, if not thousands! Seemingly fleeing the mainland for some rookery or such on the spoil islands in the bay around me.

I cannot be sure why they were all heading my way, perhaps the weather had them 'running for higher ground'. But it was indeed impressive, and way EERIE to experience it. It was like something out of a scene in the Lord Of The Rings movie, when the crows came after the good guys.

So, in order to make it so you could get the full effect, I am posting a pretty big version of the file, although not the original. So please be patient if it takes just a little longer to bring it up. And forgive me... but I really want you to be able to see this! By the way, this picture was taken from the top of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge.

Thanks for checking it out!

Clearwater Beach Sunset Meltdown

Here is a photo I promised to post a little while ago. Oops! So here we go. Taking one of many highly pleasurable sunset walks on Clearwater Beach. It is a beautiful thing, I tell you. I have a series of these, as it went down. Perhaps when I get my act together, they will appear together on this site.

Speaking of Fall(s)

You're just riding along in the car. You see a gravel pullout, so you pull over to see what the view is all about. Of course, in the Smoky Mountains, where we were, you are almost always high enough to look out over some beautiful valley. Well, we walk over to the guard rail, look around, and then look down... WOW!

A narrow, slippery path leads down to a small platform, overlooking these wonderful falls. But believe me, it was just the platform that was small. The falls must have been 50 or 60 feet from top to bottom.

Next time you are on vacation, think about heading up to the mountains of NC or TN. You won't be disappointed. Myself, I'll be back.

Fallen Leaves

I just wanted to sit down there and stay for a long, long time. You don't see this in Florida much. And I have missed it ever since I left Washington two years ago.

This shot was taken in the Smoky Mountains, in Tennessee, with my Nikon D80. I love the camera, and I love that it lets me take home stuff like this. Memory candy that I will savor for years to come.

Thanks for enjoying it with me!

Fall Color!

Or, How I Spent My Vacation...
Fantastic fall color in the Smoky Mountains. Just south of Gatlinburg, TN. Or just north of Cherokee, NC, if you prefer. We ended up hitting it just right, it seems like. There was color everywhere I pointed my camera... just about. What a blast!

So, I heartily recommend... GET OUT TO THE MOUNTAINS!! Or... head for the hills, if you prefer!

Time Traveling

As I enjoy my daily walking break, around the pond across the street from my office, I often contemplate this hunk of wood embedded in the road. It has been there for many years, and sometimes it takes me back in time. I can almost imagine the men working on the road, many years ago, in a very different time in Dunedin, FL.

And if I ponder longer, and deeper, I start to drift back further in time to when the piece of wood was still part of a tree. Perhaps a tree somewhere in Florida. What kind of tree? And when was it 'harvested'? And how long ago was it just a seed? It goes on and on... and suddenly so many things are so very closely connected.

The Will To Live

Isn't it wonderful that we are born, and fight for our first several breaths, on pure instinct? I mean, if we had to make a deliberate decision, and then will ourselves to this level of action and determination, would be make it? This little mushroom worked hard to get its head above ground, and then through all the debris, in order to have a life. Bravo, little mushroom, bravo!

Mayhaps, I shall take some inspiration from the little mushroom. Surely, if the little mushroom can make it, I can overcome the obstacles in my path, yes? YES!

Stalking On The Rail

I can never get enough of these beautiful birds. This is the Great Egret, in non-breeding plumage. Not to be confused with the Great White Heron, which is larger and has greenish-yellow legs.

This shot was taken with my Nikon D80, in John Chesnut Sr. Park, in Clearwater, FL. It involved several more shots being taken, as I stalked the poor bird down the railing. But in the end I was able to get the shot and move away without scaring him into flight. And that makes me feel all the better for having gotten the shot without unduly alarming this wonderful creature.

Ants At Work

How cool are ants, anyway? Are they just about the smallest living thing that we, as humans, are afraid of? I can't get over it. If we could work together as well as they do, we would have this planet of ours ship-shape in NO TIME FLAT! Oh well.

We just don't work that well together, and that's too bad. And don't get me wrong, I am just as lousy as anyone else when it comes to trying to get along with the rest of the people on this Earth of ours. Now excuse me while I go yell at my neighbor for parking on my grass, and then throw my grass clippings over the fence into his pool. >:-( YES, just KIDDING!

Moth

It was a rainy, windy night when I discovered this moth on my front window. After trying to get a good shot from outside, I realized the best shot would be from inside. He was quite cooperative.

Florida Weather

Nice lightning shot, from Dunedin, Florida, facing West. What is it about mosquitoes and lightning... if I want to shoot lightning shots, I have to payoff the mosquitoes with about a quart of my blood!


Clearwater, Florida... Memorial Causeway Bridge, facing East. Storm heading for the beach. See, even storms love Clearwater Beach! (I will have to remember to post some pics of how they are RUINING Clearwater Beach)

Welcome to Safety Harbor, as seen from the Marina Park. To the right and behind me is the Safety Harbor Pier. Safety Harbor is an enchanting small town in Pinellas County, FL. Their Main Street is a great place for walking in the evening.

This picture was taken with my Nikon D80, a fabulous camera that I love more and more every time I use it. If you are in the market for a digital SLR, you MUST consider the Nikon D80!

Peace of Mind

Just a peaceful moment down by the Marina. That's the Dunedin Marina, in Dunedin, FL. Beautiful place. This shot makes me feel serene. And that is a good thing today, as otherwise, I am ready to bite someone's head off.

Here is a new play on TGIF for you... as photography is quite therapeutic for me, I say TGFP! That is to say: Thank God For Photography!

I hope you like the pic. Does it make you feel tranquil? What does it make you think of? How does it make you feel?

Bok Tower Gardens

A zoom shot of the detail at the top of Bok Tower, in the Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, FL. Look closely, and you will see a crown of Wood Storks, supported by a ceramic (I think) grid work with a Tree of Life theme. This is beautiful work, and it is a shame it is so high up, so far from admiring eyes. But a good zoom and a steady hand help to bring it much closer.

I am thankful to the man, Edward Bok, for having such creative visions as this tower and the gardens around it. If you get the opportunity, visit these gardens. You will love it. And when you are there, check Window on the Pond. Serene and tranquil are two words that describe it well. Here is the link to their website: http://www.boksanctuary.org/

Here is an example of what you might get to see from the Window on the Pond at Bok Tower Gardens.

A lovely place in many, many ways. And well worthy of your support! Check it out... and another thing... it can be pretty darn romantic up there, if you share it with someone special. Trust me, it really is!

Patterns

It is a very natural looking pattern, yet unmistakably made by man. But the natural pebbles, in the sand textured concrete, appeal to me in ways I cannot quite explain.

Photography After Dark - Crackalaka!

WOW! I'd like to say this photo shows I am a great photographer... but a lot of credit goes to the camera, my Nikon D80. I mean, that is one awesome camera.

I took a lot of pics, trying to capture the lightning. And I was delighted to get just a few that worked. Have you ever tried to take a picture of lightning?

This was taken in Clearwater, Florida, from Gulf to Bay Drive, looking North. I am looking forward to the next thunderstorm, so I can try some of the tricks I learned this time. I am finding I really enjoy 'photography after dark'. What about you?

Clouds Over Clearwater

Sitting quietly at home, I suddenly got this wild hair to head down to the bridge and get some sunset and sky shots. Wow, did I ever get an eyeful!

This shot was taken just as I was walking up the Clearwater Causeway Bridge, facing east. The sun was just starting to set over the beach hotels behind me. This system would bring gusty wind and rain just a little later.