Monday, January 03, 2005, Walk About Today
Today I decided to go to several sites. Started at Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland. It is always full of birds. Got there about 0800. There were many Coots and Ring-necked Ducks on the lake. Several White Pelicans were on the east side. I photographed; Coot, Ring-necked Duck, White Pelican, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Ring-billed Gull, Canada Goose, Mallard, and Warbler. I left for Peterson Park on the northwest side of Lake Parker. Parked in the south part of the park and walked on the lakeside toward the north part and back on an interior path. Saw and photo'ed; Anhinga, Crow, Moorhen, Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Warbler, Baltimore Oriole and Swamp Lilly. Drove around the north side of the lake to a park on the east side in front of the Moose Club. Saw and photo'ed White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Caspian Tern, Osprey, Great Egret, and some of those very small, very fast small birds. Left and drove through Saddle Creek Park, but it was starting to rain very lightly. Drove east on SR 542 to the Parkway and south on a road to the north side of the Central Land Fill. Photo'ed a Loggerhead Shrike sitting on power lines. Next, I went to Peterson Park in south Lakeland. Photo'ed a Blue Jay and a Warbler from the boardwalk, but it started to rain again. It never rained more than a very light drizzle, but enough to worry about getting the camera wet. Today it was warm, overcast with occassional light rain. ....................... Herman

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005, Circle B Bar
Had things to do this morning so did not get out until about noon. Got to Circle B and the tractors were busy from the entry to the horse trail to the marsh. Very loud and dusty. Even with the noise, I was able to photo some robins and cardinals just off the main trail. Also got some buterflys before reaching the marsh. While crossing the marsh, photo'ed a great egret and an alligator. At the bridge I crossed it and saw a large black snake. Then I unfolded the chair and sat a spell listening to the moor hens. Walked a short distance toward the lake. Photo'ed a little blue heron, a wood stork, a glossy ibis and another alligator. Crossed back over the marsh and photo'ed a brown rabbit, a tri-colored heron and an eastern phoebe. Had to cut it short today. It was warm and partly cloudy. Very nice day for a walk. Wish I could have stayed out longer.................. Herman

Friday, Jan 07, 2005, Circle B Bar
Today I did not take a walk After the storms last year I had volunteered to straighten the pine trees that had been blown over. Thes trees are 3 to 10 feet tall and are located between SR540 and the pond at the east end of the property. I met a rep from Environmental Lands at 0830 and we started. Had to cut some stakes first, then we started work. Got 18 trees staked out. About 70 more to go. I will do one day a week doing this instead of a walk. The weather today was great. A little cloudy and it got a bit warm. Did stop work and photo a palm warbler that flew into the trees. I try to keep the camera ready. ...... Herman

Saturday, Jan 08, 2005, Street Audubon Center, Winter Haven
No walk again today, but I did work again. The Audubon Center in Winter Haven had taken a bad hit in the storms. They have regular work days each month and since I am a fairly new member, I decided that I should do something. When I arrived several people were already working. I got an assignment to rake debri from the roadside frontage. It was hot and sunny today and there was no shade on the roadside. Got a good part of it raked and a woman helped me to move it back inside of the fence. Still a lot of work to do there. I thought that my house had taken a bad hit from the storms, but Winter Haven was worse. ....... Herman

Monday, Jan 10, 2005. Circle B Bar
I got started about 0830 today. The weather was cool and clear, nearly warm and clear. Just inside the entry photo'ed a robin sitting on a wire and a dove in a tree. Just after the dove got a phoebe in a tree also. As I walked by the first pond, two sandhill cranes landed about 50 yards out in the pond. I stayed a while and photo'ed them. Also got a glossy ibis with the cranes. Walked on to the marsh and saw another sandhill fairly close. Photo'ed it til it flew off. Photo'ed an anhinga on the fence by the pond then walked to the bridge. Photo'ed a great blue heron in the marsh across the bridge and a warbler in a tree. Photo'ed a great egret in the top of a tree and a brown rabbit on the trail. Unfolded the stool and sat a while. This is one of my favorite places. Walked toward the lake and photo'ed a blue-gray gnatcatcher and a green lizzard. Also got a yellow-rump warbler. Continued toward the lake and photo'ed some more warblers and egrets. Saw several moorhens sitting on top of the lilly pads. Usually you don't see them. Took several photos. Also saw a snowy egret, green heron and anhinga. Also photo'ed a pied-billed grebe. Sat a spell and watched the grebe dive. Continued walking and saw a tri-colored heron, a downy woodpecker and a great blue heron eating a fish. Photo'ed a tri-colored heron treading softly around a gator. Photo'ed some of the crow swarming out in the marsh. Reached the lake and saw some large gators in the still water. Photo'ed a warbler and a couple of snowy egrets. Also got a red admiral butterfly and a pond turtle. Photo'ed a cormorant out in the lake and another warbler. Got to the dock and sat and rested a bit. walked on toward the entry. Photo'ed a yellow flower and a small blue flower. Also photo'ed some soaring birds. They were two eagles and a wood stork. Got back to the first pond and the sandhill's were still there. Photo'ed the sandhills again and a couple of glossy ibis. A very nice walk today. ................. Herman

Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005, Circle B Bar
Today was another work day. I did some more on the flattened pine trees. Got 12 more staked upright. It was cool and clear again. A perfect day to work outside. Enjoyed several flocks of warblers that flew threw the pines while I was working. Also two very large hawks soaring overhead. When I finished with the trees, I stowed the equipment in the barn and then walked around the barn and an old house. Photo'ed some warblers, a spider web and some flowers. Also photo'ed a couple of wasp nests and some wasps. Started about 0830 and finished about 1230. .................. Herman

Sunday, Jan 16, 2005, Saddle Creek
Today I met with a friend to review a Audubon property near Eaton Park. I met him at Saddle Creek and while waiting I was able to get several photos of a brown pelican and a great blue heron. The great blue landed very close while I was photo'ing the pelican. Also photo'ed an anhinga, some warblers and some ring-billed gulls. Also had a good look at access to the property and a fair idea of where it is. .................. Herman

Monday, Jan 17, 2005, Circle B Bar
It was very cold this morn, but I bundled up and headed for Circle B. Did wait until nearly 10 to let it warm up a bit. Started by photo'ing some robins just inside the entrance, then saw a hawk sitting in a tree in the third pond. It had rained several days ago and it was a little wet. Also photo'ed a little blue and a great blue heron. I think that the cold had frozen all the animals, but when I got on the marsh, I could see a lot of ibis and other wadding birds. Photo'ed some of them. The hawks were very active, flying and calling. Saw an eagle soaring very high. I stopped a bit near the bridge and then started walking toward the lake. Saw an otter swimming in the marsh side. Was able to get some poor photos of it. It was a bit smaller than the one I had seen a week or two ago. Continued walking and photo'ed a little blue and a great blue. Also a phoebe and about eleven black-bellied whistling ducks. The ducks were napping. The warblers in this area are mostly yellow-rump. Got to the lake and continued walking. Photo'ed some warblers, a cardinal, another phoebe and an anhinga. Also got a great egret. Photo'ed a yellow-rump and could see a little yellow spot on top of it's head and the yellow rump. Met a man walking and talked with him a bit. He had visited this web site. Got to the dock and rested a bit, then started walking to the parking area. Used the oak hammock trail. I had gotten well into the trees and could hear a woodpecker. I finally saw it and it was a pileated and close to me. I got several good photos. Heard a comotion in the grass and saw a small armidillo. Got some photos of it. Continued on past the pasture on the right and then cut over to the main trail as I had seen standing water on the oak hammock trail near the marsh. While cutting over I saw another pileated woodpecker. It was pecking inside the knothole of a tree. Photo'ed it. As I got near the entry, I met a couple from Indiana. They were geo-cashing. I had accidentaly found the "treasure" a couple of weeks ago and told them that it was still on the site. I had seen it today. It was finally starting to warm up some. I still had my coat and gloves on, had taken the earmuffs off on the lake. At least when it's cold there are no mosquitoes. ......................... Herman

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2005, Circle B Bar and SR 37 south of Home Depot
Today was a workday. I got to Circle B about 10 and started to stake the pine trees that were blown over in the storms, upright. First I repaired some of my preveious work and then staked some new ones. I took some breaks and photo'ed a warbler, a gull and a wasp. When I finished, I drove to the Home Depot on SR 37 south of Lakeland. I had seen a report on a news group of a common goldeneye. I had looked it up in my Sibley's and I located it in the retention pond. I was able to photo it. It does have a golden eye. ............................... Herman

Friday, Jan 21, 2005, Lake Morton
Got a late start today. Got to Lake Morton about 3. The lake was full of ring-neck ducks. I photo'ed a few of them and started walking around the lake. Photo'ed a great blue heron and a wood stork. Also got some mallards. Continued walking and photo'ed a South American black-neck swan, some geese and a swan. Got a warbler in the trees in the lake. There were about a dozen white pelicans sleeping on the lake edge. Got some photos of them. Ring-billed gulls were flying about and people were feeding them. Got some photos of them flying. Also photo'ed a great egret and some coot. .......... Herman

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005, Circle B Bar
Been over a week since I have been able to get out and today was a workday. Staked up nine pine trees today, then took a short walk. Started the walk about eleven. About 100 feet into the trail, saw a young eagle to the left, then a white tail eagle suprised me nearly overhead in a tree. Was not able to photo either. At the first pond, photo'ed a little blue heron and some ibis. At the marsh got a great egret and an anhinga. Also photo'ed an osprey flying with a long piece of grass. Hopefully it was nestbuilding. Saw a small dead water snake on the marsh trail. on the pond across the bridge photo'ed a great blue heron. I did not go any futher today. Returning to the entry I photo'ed a nice yellow flower........ Herman

Monday, Jan 31, 2005, Circle B Bar
Arrived about nine this morn. It was cool and clear. A long sleeve shirt felt good. At the first pond to the right, I stopped and watched and photo'ed a single sandhill crane. It let me get fairly close. Continued walking to the marsh and photo'ed an anhinga on the Anhinga Fence Post (nearly always one here). Crossed the bridge and got a great blue heron out in the pond. Photo'ed a few scenes here. Walked toward the lake and photo'ed another great blue, a tri-color heron and a small gator. Also photo'ed a small group of blue-winged teal that landed near the great blue. Also photo'ed a song sparrow that was feeding on the trail. As I neared the lake, saw wood stork and could hear some sandhill crane out in the marsh. Continued on around toward the dock and photo'ed another anhinga. Also saw a white pelican fly overhead. Some killdear were back in the pond near the dock. During the walk I had seen some pileated and red-bellied woodpecker, but did not get a photo. Also had seen several hawk. One hawk had landed closeby for a few seconds then it flew. It did not appear to be a red-shoulder, but I did not see it long enough to tell. I also saw an osprey behaviour that I had not yet seen. Several osprey had been flying over and most were carrying fish. One was crying out while nearly hovering, then diving down feet first, only to climb and repeat. It did this several times, then landed in a tree with another two osprey. This was another fine day for a walk. .... Herman