A Spa Visit

Over the last several days, I've been organizing and editing photos, which seems to always be an endless task, and realized I had not shared this humorous Yellow-Crowned Night Heron who visits us at our home in Anna Maria.

He stops by occasionally and has taken a liking to our spa,

sitting there for 15-20 minutes.

Guess he likes the warm water!

He always keeps his eye on me, 

making sure I keep my distance.

And I do.  

I totally respect his privacy!

Once he steps out of the spa, he spends about 5 minutes shaking and drying off.

As well as clearing the taste of the chlorine from his mouth!

Nasty stuff!

After a bit, he hops over to the side of the pool ....

 And saunters down to the dock to continue more air-drying time.

And then some bug eating time.

I like our little visitor.  

As long as he doesn't bring more guests!

(P.S. The house feels so empty now with the passing of Kramer.  Such a gentle and old soul kitty, he will always be in our hearts.  Thank you for all your wonderful comments.  It was very comforting!)

1961 ... and I don't mean the year

 It seems there is an endless amount of photos one can capture when in a beautiful place like 

Anna Maria.

Many mornings, we have breakfast out on this pier.

Saturday morning, a couple of dolphins with their

baby were swimming nearby.

No photos though.

Bummer.

 But that's okay.

I have more than enough photos to share with you.

Like 1,961.

That's how many I took while hanging out on the island.

I should join PhotoAddicts Annonymous!

Do you think there is such a thing????

 It's just that it is so easy to take so many shots

when there is so much

 beauty around.

Like this Snowy Egret.

Which I sometimes confuse with the

Great White Egret 

or is it the

Great White Heron?

 

Apparently they are the same.

The great white egret is part of the heron family.

 

No matter what family they are part of,

they are beautiful and plentiful here.

As are ...

the Pelicans!

Well, 

they may not be beautiful to some ...

 but I'm one of their

adoring fans!

But you already knew that.

I must also give tribute to

some of the smaller beach

birds.

who delight me with their 

evening feedings on the shore

like the little sandpiper above

or the shy willets

Oh, yes, I could go on ... 

remember

I have 1,961 photos!

*snort*

But hey, how about that moon last night!

Absolutely gorgeous!

I took this hand held shot Friday night.

 Wish I would have had my tri-pod.

But no matter.

There will be others!

It's nice to be back home and see all the critters in the back yard.

A cooper's hawk has been hanging out

hoping for a meal.

I really wish he would hunt somewhere else!

Until tomorrow, my friends,

Canoeing with gators

This past weekend we joined some friends and went canoeing in Lake Lettuce Park up in Tampa.  It's a beautiful park of footpaths, jogging/biking trails and picnic areas.  The hardwood swamp forest seems to be a haven to a variety of wildlife.

These are our friends ... always ahead of The Professor and myself.  We were always falling behind ... well ... mostly because of me.  So many things to photograph.

And oh, was I nervous with my camera sitting on my lap the whole trip!  But there were more reasons not to fall into the water other than ruining my camera.

Like all the gators that were basking in the sun!

 

We must have seen two dozen gators ...  from babies to teens to a couple of 10 footers!

Yep ... 

DID NOT WANT TO TIP THIS CANOE!

 There were plenty of other wildlife to enjoy ... from turtles...

 to these beauties ... which I'm thinking the above is a Tri-colored heron?

 ... and these Roseate Spoonbills, which were plentiful!

They may just be my next fave to the Pelican.

After our 6.5 mile canoe trip, 

The Professor and I returned and joined our beach feathered friends ....

 to take in another beautiful Anna Maria sunset.  

Until tomorrow, my friends.

So many photos, so little time!