Wednesday, February 02, 2005, Walk-a-bout
Not much of a walk-a-bout today. Had an early morning meeting and after it was over I headed to Lake Parker Park on the east side of Lake Parker in front of the Moose Club. As I turned off Memorial Blvd onto Lake Parker Drive, I saw about 20 white pellicans take off from the small inlet near the road. This park has a pier going out into the lake and it is a good spot to sit. Today there was a large number of white pelican far out across the lake and many of the small darting birds that I think are tree swallows. This is the closest I could get with my Sibley's guide. I finnally got a semi-decent photo of one of these birds. Also photo some pelican flying overhead and some fish crow. I left and went to Saddle Creek Park. About a dozen brown pelican were flying around and landing on some of the islands. Photo'ed some moorhen, coot, anhinga and brown pelican. Had work to do at home so had to stop. Cool today and the clouds were increasing. ................ Herman

Friday, February 04, 2005, Circle B Bar
Cold and wet this morn. Did a workday at Circle B. Arrived about 10 and started uprighting the pine trees. took a break and photo'ed some terns that were diving in the pond next to the trees. Got some fair photos of them flying and diving. Finished about 1230. Miserable day this morn. .................... Herman

Sunday, February 06, 2005, Circle B Bar
Arrived about 0845 and started the walk. It was a bit cool and a long sleeve flannel shirt felt good. At the start where the trail goes east or west, I saw a hawk fly into the dry marsh to the east. Walked out into the marsh and got several good photos of it. I then walked west and toward the lake. Took a few scenes along the way. Arrived at the lake and saw many yellow-rump and palm warblers and tree swallows. The swallows were nearly flying into me. Took several photos here. Walked over to the dock and sat a spell on the new bench. Walked on around the lake. Photo'ed an anhinga in the first pond of the marsh. Also photo'ed a wasp, a great egret and a glossy ibis. Also photo'ed a snowey egret in a tree. Got to the old osprey nest area and saw two osprey in a tree a little futher out than the old nest had been. They were starting a nest. Continued walking and photo'ed an ibis. Photo'ed another warbler and a great egret. Saw and photo'ed another osprey in the top of a tree. Saw several pond turtles and gators and photo'ed them. I guess the turtles were asleep as they normally slip into the water. Continued on around and across the marsh. Photo'ed a yellow flower and a tri-color heron. ..................... Herman

Sunday, February 13, 2005, Circle B Bar
Started the walk today about 0945. The parking area was full of cars. It was cool today and a long sleeve shirt felt good. The first encounter was with several pileated woodpeckers. They were in the oaks east of the trail just inside the entry. As I was photo'ing them, I saw a couple of downey woodpeckers also fliting about the area. Did not get a photo of the downies. Also photoed a great blue heron in the first pond on the west side of the trail. And then another pileated woodpecker on a palm tree. Walked on to near the lake without much else. took the east trail. As I got near the lake I noticed two sandhill cranes in the pond near the new wood footbridge. Photo'ed them. They appeared to be building a nest in the pond. Went on up to the lake and sat on the bench near the dock for a while. Photo'ed several yellow-rump warblers. Walked on east around the lake and photo'ed a snowy egret and an anhinga. Got out to the osprey nests and the new nests are doing well with osprey sitting on or near them. Also spotted what could be a hawk nest in a cypress tree. There had been one near here before the storms. The crows were really harrassing the osprey. Talked with several groups of walkers while on the lake. Many were enjoying the site and the weather. I photo'ed the osprey, a great egret, several anhinga and a bee on a lions paw. Did not continue around the lake, but went back toward the dock. Photo'ed some more warbler and a large alligator head. The head was visible through some grass near the shore. Walked back via the oak hammock. The sandhill were not in the pond, but I could see a mound where they had been stacking grass. Saw several hawk flying and two landed in a tree. They flew before I got a photo. Did get a photo of an osprey flying over. Continued walking and meet two girls picnicking. Talked with them and continued on. After I crossed the horse trail I saw a hawk fly from the ground carrying something. It landed in an oak tree. I watched it eat a small snake. Got several photo's of it. It swallowed the snake head first and alive. Could see the snake tail moving as it disappeared into the hawks mouth. Met a couple sitting on the bench and talked with them a bit. There were a lot of wood stork in the pond and the trees. Finished about two, just in time to run errand for the wife (I was nearly late). Excellent day for a walk, evidenced by the large number of walkers. ........................... Herman

Wednesday, February 16, 2005, Circle B Bar
Got a late start today, took my first photo just after 1. It was warm and clear today with a few clouds. There was a pair of sandhill cranes in the firs pond. Took several photos of them. They let me get fairly close. Also got several photos of a savannah sparrow. Got to the marsh and photo'ed several small gators near the trail. They usually splash under, but these just layed there. Shot some scenes of the canal at the bridge. Started walking toward the lake from the bridge and photo'ed a green heron, a snowy egret and some wood stork. Sneaked up on some more gators and got several photos. Also saw some more sparrows. Got a black and yellow argiope spider. Have not seen many of them for a while. Got some more wood stork, tri-color heron and blue heron. Got close to a pond turtle and got a photo of it before it splashed. Also photo'ed a couple of moor hens walking by the turtle. Got some more sparrows and a hawk out in a tree in the marsh. Photo'ed some more moor hens and wood stork. Could hear a kingfisher, but did not see it. Did some views of the marsh and another green heron. As I neared the lake, I saw two rosette spoonbill in the marsh. Took several photos of them. Also got a yellow-rump warbler and a great blue heron here. Got around to the osprey nests and one had osprey in it, but the other had no activity. Walked a bit farther and photo'ed a red-bellied woodpecker. At the last pond before the trail to the dock, photo'ed a blue-wing teal, a green heron and an eastern phoebe. Photo'ed several more gators on the lake shore and saw many more out in the lake. Also photo'ed another anhinga in a tree. Got to the dock and sat a spell on the bench. At the pond north of the dock I could see the mound of grass the sandhill cranes had constructed a few days ago. Also photo'ed a killdeer and a great blue heron. Saw three spoonbill fly overhead and got a photo of one. Also got a photo of a flock of ibis flying over. Got into the oak hammock and photo'ed a pileated woodpecker and an armidillo. Great day for a walk. ...................... Herman

Thursday, February 17, 2005, Home Depot, South Florida Ave
I was at Home Depot about 3:30 and saw a hooded merganser and several sandpiper in the retention pond. Got several photos. ......................... Herman

Thursday, February 17, 2005, Lake Parker Park
I left my part-time job about 1 and stopped at Lake Parker Park to look for some waxwing that had been reported there. Did not find the waxwing, but photo'ed a couple of pond turtle and some moor hen. .......... Herman

Friday, February 18, 2005, Circle B Bar
This was going to be a workday on the pine trees, but some of my tools were missing. I did a little repair on some of the tree bracing and then went to the east entry. A large group entered just ahead of me. I decided to hang around the marsh and the entry. There were several hawks soaring around and five to seven eagle. Got several photos of them flying and a hawk in a tree. Also photo'ed a little blue heron and a warbler. ......................... Herman

Monday, February 21, 2005, Lakeland Highlands Scrub
Got to the scrub about 0845 and started the walk. Had not been here since October. As I started the walk, there were many warblers in the trees. Also, a brilliant red cardinal. Could not get a photo of the cardinal. Once past the entry, it was very quite. It was clear and warm and quite. Took a loop south of the main trail where I usually see some scrub jays, but none were there. Walked the entire trail and took just a few photos. Finally got a scrub jay photo along the railroad trail. Saw the brilliant red cardinal again as I was leaving, but it stayed in the bush. A good walk, but very quite. ................ Herman

Wednesday, February 23, 2005, Lake Morton, Lake Parker Park, Peterson Park
Got to Lake Morton about 0830 and parked on the south side. The lake was very busy. Many ring-neck ducks were on the lake. Walked around the west side and photographed; black-neck swan, ring-neck duck, mallard, warbler and mute swan. Got to the north side and there were about 15 white pelican. Photo'ed a few of them. Continued around to the east and saw some wood duck. Got several photos of the wood duck. Also photo'ed a great blue heron, a snowy egret and some geese. Lake Morton always has something on it. It was overcast today. Left Lake Morton and got to Lake Parker Park about 0950. Parked the car and walked the path along the lake and looped around back to the car. Photo'ed a blue flower, a great blue heron, some red-winged blackbirds, a green heron and an anhinga. Got to the canal and near the bridge saw a limpkin. Got a photo of it. Also photo'ed a gator near the limpkin. Photo'ed another wood duck on the pond next to the soccer field. Left Lake Parker Park and went to Peterson Park. Arrived about 1045 and walked the bike path. Photo'ed a turtle, a yellow flower and a lizard. It was very quite here today. Warm and overcast all morning. In the afternoon a friend and I rode over to Lake Thonotosassa to locate my Eagle Watch assigned nest. Found it, but it is not visible from public land. Have to locate and get premission from the owner to view it. ...........(Note: the owner contacted my wife via phone and advised that he would not grant access. He was not very friendly)....... Herman

Friday, February 25, 2005, Circle B Bar
Today was very overcast with probable rain. At 0800 it was sprinkling at my house. A friend wanted to walk with me to try out a new camera and I had called and cancelled the walk. About 0900 she called and said that the weather looked like it was clearing. We met at Circle B At 0930 and started the walk. It was very overcast and humid. Animal activity was also low. We saw some warbler's and red-bellied woodpeckers and I photo'ed an eastern phoebe at the third pond. While crossing the marsh, photo'ed a red-winged blackbird and an anhinga. Also saw little blue herons, great blue heron, tri-color heron, wood stork and ibis. Saw some hawks and an eagle fly over. At the bridge photo'ed a brown rabbit. We hung around the bridge for a few minutes and then started toward the lake. Saw and photo'ed wood stork, warbler, buzzard and great blue heron. Heard and saw kingfisher flying. About 2/3rds of the way to the lake, we saw two great blue heron fairly close. They appeared to be dancing around each other with their wings flared and necks arched. We saw and photo'ed another brown rabbit on the trail. As we neared the lake the number of warblers increased. We saw no gators in the marsh, but as soon as we got to the lake, we saw many large gators. We got to the area of the osprey nests and the westmost nest was missing. Two osprey were in the other nest. We continued walking toward the dock and saw a large bird sitting in a tree over the trail. It was an eagle. We were able to get faily close and took many photos before it flew. We got to the dock and rested on the bench a while. Had to walk out in a hurry as my friend had an appointment to keep. On the way out we got rained on. .................. Herman