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.

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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.