front yard visitors – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

'scene' along the way, a second look, backyard visitors, fantasy images, finding my way, Florida wildlife, front yard visitors, neighbors, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

Adventures after dark…

October 24, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

Even in the daylight I watch my step in this neighborhood. There are lots of mature trees casting deep shadows, and wrecking havoc with the sidewalks with sections of concrete just dying to trip you up. But walking up the street last night I ran into a few of the neighbors…

He was talking to me, but I hurried on past.

Fluttering bats and twirling ghosts, I headed back home.

Little kids might be too intimidated to approach these houses for Trick or Treating. And I thought of this neighborhood as typical suburban, but I hadn’t checked it out after dark.

'scene' along the way, adventure, birds, bucket list, exploring new places, Florida wildlife, front yard visitors, fun, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, perseverance, photography, road trip

Wishful thinking…

June 21, 2021June 20, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

There is a consistency to my vague desire to find the perfect place to live these days. Aside from the basic affordability, the most important, and unobtainable, wished-for aspect, I want built-in photo ops on my doorstep. With that in mind downtown Lakeland might be just the spot for me.

Who wouldn’t love to have this park right outside their front door?

Each year they have an event where they capture, band, and give veterinary check -ups to the resident swans at the lake. TV coverage of the event this year was how I knew the swans were even there.

While swans are always lovely, I don’t know if I would have wanted to stop here on our way home, very loosely ‘on our way home’, were it not for knowing that they had black swans here. Now seeing them was worth the extra mileage.

A youngster perhaps, judging by the lighter feathers?

I think that this one was preparing to audition for Swan Lake.

And a snowy egret in her golden slippers. She didn’t seem to mind being out numbered by her bigger feathered friends.

Birds do seem to dominate the Florida photo-op scene, don’t they? I’m lucky to live here where affordability is at least possible. Not to mention the photo ops.

birds, egrets, Florida wildlife, front yard visitors, fun, natural wonders, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, perseverance, photography

Love is in the air…

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

Okay, maybe love is in the air, maybe not, but love is certainly at the rookery. Breeding plumage is on display. There is much posturing to attract the opposite sex, and, with the help of another peeping Tom with a pair of binoculars, I saw babies on one nest! They were tucked down in the twigs of the nest enough that I”m not sure I’d have spotted them without the heads up. I didn’t even have my biggest lens on the camera because I wasn’t expecting to see chicks yet. I’ll be more prepared next time.