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.

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.

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.

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)