A Catch Up mix mash post

 

When you 'ruffle their feathers'...

Glam Camping

The original Bird Bath

A Nutjob out cruising.  (that's insensitive.  He is a visual character)

A protected Gopher Tortoise.

He's 74yoa and down from Alaska to "ride Ocean to Bay."  Across the state of Florida.  He's grabbing a quick snack from his pack while he waits for two friends to catch up to him.  With a trip to the Gulf, he's about a half mile from the end.  (IF he goes out over the bridge)

WHO, who, who (Said the wise old owl.)

 'I had not seen the Owls for the trees.' 

We have lovely open green spaces here, and Owls.

Some of the lovely Dunedin trees.  (Owl homes?)

Lay of the land view.  [Pinellas Trail, Owl Park, My Condo]

"Birds eye view"

Treasure Map view

My bicycle "walked" across the Fern Trail.  (no bikes allowed)

1.26.24  A lady shows me an owl in a tree.  First Sighting, Friday.  I was riding my bicycle to visit friends when I met a lady with a 'camera.'  (someone not using her cell phone)  I stopped to ask her, "what are you photographing?"  She told me she was shooting the Owls.  (WHAT Owls?)  She patiently pointed out an owl 30ft away asleep in a tree.  (Owls sleep in the daytime and forage at night.) 

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Fast Forward to the next Friday night when i was riding my bike home from my bar, about 5:30p'ish, I swung around the park to look for the owl.  (i had the location from my earlier attempts)  I couldn't see him anywhere, but way off in the distance I heard a "Hoot".  Then softer and from the other direction another 'Hoot' answer.  So, being the great Owl Photographer and Naturalist that you know I am, I hooted back.  Both birds replied with Hoots.  [we had us a regular 'Hoot Nanny!']  Anyway, i couldn't SEE an owl, but I continued to "Hoot."  To my amazement, after a few of my better hoots, the damn thing flew back and landed on a limb directly above me.  Needless to say he quickly lost interest, but he flew only a short distance away and landed where I could finally get a clear photo.

directly overhead

2.2.24  Owl whisperer.  FRIDAY

2.3.24  Owl at rest.

2.5.24  Another day of sleeping

2.6.24  He scratches and stretches, then goes back to sleep. 

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What it looks like when you are searching trees for an Owl.

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Today he cleans his toenails.  

2.7.24 Later in the day he goes deeper into the woods.

2.12.24 He's back in the exact same spot.

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Another, different lady, pointed out another different owl across town.

It's several miles down the Pinellas Trail to find this front yard.  (I've seen him twice)

It's a hoot chasing the Owls.   -Skip