hundreds of Herons
Dawn at Safety Harbor municipal pier with hundreds of Tricolor Herons, Little Blue Herons and Snowy Egrets leaving their night roost. Local people thought the roost would be at a place called Alligator Lake. Also two Spotted Sandpipers and a Yellow Crowned Night Heron were found at Philippe Park. Thanks to Clearwater Audubon. Here’s their site: http://www.clearwateraudubon.org/
Red-Shouldered in this yard
I scrambled to get a camera on him but he stayed for several minutes and the encounter became one I’ll never forget.
fiddler crabs are coming
The Fiddler crabs at Key Vista are coming out en masse. Each of then has a unique pattern on it’s shell. Many look like faces.
Glossy Ibis at Holiday recreation complex
Glossy Ibis can be seen seasonally at the Pasco County Holiday recreation complex. A pair has been present for the last few days and I shot some video. The Ibis’ presence upset a juvenile Moorhen whose parents got involved. The Moorhen family bothered the Ibis until they left. I was very amused by the Glossy’s brief attempt to threaten a Moorhen.
The Glossys flew toward the TV towers where there must be a substantial roost. I have not figured out how to get to it but in the evening you can see hundreds of birds heading in.
Long-Billed Curlew
Clearwater Audubon visited Ft. De Soto, 10/31/09, halloween. I read there was a Long–Billed Curlew hanging around and by watching some birdwatchers we found it! What an elegant bird. I could not see what it was getting 10 or 12 inckes under the sand.
View the video: http://bit.ly/3kiCHW
Video window basics: http://bit.ly/1Ke2Y1
I also saw my first-of-season Coots, Redhead Ducks, Ruddy Ducks and Scaup and a flock of around 20 Magnificent Frigatebirds. Also in the video are Oystercatchers, Terns, Plovers, Marbled Godwits and a mysterious and beautilful feathery-flowered plant that enchanted me. Please tell me if you have a clue what it might be. The stick insects were mating despite the papparazzi. One shorebird remained unidentified, might be a Short-Billed Dowitcher.
paulie is big in the Old Empire
According to Youtube’s “insight” function there is a definite trend in my popularity. It seems my humble videos are most popular not in the US (where my English captions can be read and my music, obscure and unpopular, can be appreciated) but in Russia. Not the real Russia of today but the old Soviet Union of my Cold War youth, according to youtube’s map. I can’t say nobody was hurt in those days but wer’e all comrades now! So I say to you, my friends in the old Empire whom I love: поздравления!
firework video psa
As a public service I call attention to what can happen if you hide your fireworks from your mother by storing them in the oven of your cute saltbox – style house:
play video..
caution: racy language, drunk language, drunk racy language, cursing
the Spirit was immovable as ever
Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point answer me one question: Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are they shadows of things that may be, only?’
Still the Ghost pointed downward to the grave by which it stood.
Men’s courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead, but if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!
The Spirit was immovable as ever.
booze sodden comedy with Caine, Pesci, Nicholson, Jagger, Richards, Pacino, Bogarde, etc
Ever catch part of a film then spend months trying to figure out what it was? Seven months elapsed but I did not give up and, finally, I am rewarded. Who’d have thought it would be hard to identify a film that sort of has Michael Caine, Joe Pesci, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Dirk Bogarde? What film is that?
Ground Dove in this yard
I am pleased at the reappearance of a common Ground Dove in this yard. There were a pair but they disappeared five or six years ago! Despite the dirty window glass I nailed the pic. He was as surprised as I was. Full size image hosted here.
the new Cardinal chick pic
I think our local Cardinal couple has managed to raise a baby every year of the past eight. They have a good nest location that they keep secret even from me.
When he is not busy begging his parents to feed him our fledgling spends lots of time on my plant table trying different seeds in my domestic birdseed mix and learning the potentials of interacting with Mourning doves and lizards.
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