Photos are courtesy of my friend Terri who lives just north of Nashville, Tennessee
The last month has provided Terri with wonderful photo opportunities as spring blossoms and feathered friends have returned to her back yard.
Read MoreThe last month has provided Terri with wonderful photo opportunities as spring blossoms and feathered friends have returned to her back yard.
Read MoreIf you’ve seen other photos from Terri’s backyard, you may remember her bird feeders and her sightings of deer. Today are a collection of animal visits she captured in the month of February. I always look forward to her photos. Let’s start off with a hungry raccoon who dropped by the bird feeder. He worked very hard to achieve his goal.
Read MoreWe’re getting close to the official first day of winter on December 21st. We’re all decorating, baking, and planning for the two big holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Then cold, dark January comes with low temperatures and for many locations, dreary gray skies. For many of us it means we’re going to end up spending most of our time snuggled up indoors cozy under a blanket. For those of you in more northern climates, you’ve already had snow and are in the winter season no matter what the calendar says. Now we’re in the huge Christmas rush. In another month, the holidays are over and the New Year is upon us. Are you making resolutions for 2022? How about adding gardening to your list?
Sometimes we only have moments to try to capture special views of nature. First I’d like to share the instance of an egret in my friend’s garden. Egrets in Florida usually come in pairs or groups and forage the yard for food. At a slight movement by a human, away they fly. This time the bird just watched and didn’t leave. Time to attempt to capture a photo or two.
Read MoreMuscovy ducks are unusual Florida residents. They hiss instead of quack, they fly clumsily, and they somehow flourish in Florida’s urban environment. Native to Central and South America, they have lived in Florida for many years and can be found near lakes and canals statewide. These birds were illegally released primarily by private individuals for ornamental purposes or as pets. Muscovy ducks can be extremely prolific and local populations can increase dramatically in a short time. As a result, controversies frequently arise between residents who enjoy the birds and residents who consider them a nuisance. When you have a large number of ducklings multiple times a year, a duck mother is kept busy herding.
Read MoreMy friend Terri has a large home with a deck close to the woods. She has several bird feeders, bird houses, and of course, a garden. Today’s photos were take this month as she potted flowers and captured a few birds in her yard.
Read MoreFlorida was originally nearly all wetlands. Over the years miles of wetlands were drained for buildings and people. Today there are many canals and lakes in neighborhoods where you can often see wildlife drawn to the water. These photos were taken by a canal not far from my neighborhood.
Today’s photos are taken very close to my home. I hesitated to share them as I don’t have the equipment to zoom in and really do close-ups of the birds. Some of you may remember my bird photos are when the birds walk up to me. There is a strip mall on U.S. 19 (a major road running north and south on the west coast of Florida) where I often shop. The post office is there as well as Dollar Tree, a bookstore, a candle shop, Ross for Less, several restaurants and even Bealls. Easter morning I needed to get out of the house for a while and took a drive. Most of the mall stores were closed but I went anyway. There is a small street on the side of the mall that many of us use to avoid U. S. 19. Along that small stretch of road is a fenced pocket of wetland where birds roost.