Cool Paint Job On This Bug

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At first glance this bug looked somewhat ordinary and plain. Then I looked closer. Wow. So I took the very best closeup I could manage at the moment. Then when I got home and downloaded it... WOW again, times ten!

What a COOL looking insect. You really MUST click on it so you can see better detail. That is one very interesting insect. I just hope, having said such nice things about it, that it doesn't turn out to be some horribly damaging pest that is destroying the ecosystem. I snapped this little guy at the Moccasin Lake Nature Park, in Clearwater Florida, using my Nikon D80.

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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

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.

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.

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.

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)