As I mentioned the other day, I spent Saturday morning wandering the trails at nearby Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. Not only did the weather cooperate nicely but I was treated to some cool wildlife sightings (I shared the lazily floating alligator last time).

My favorite encounter occurred after I doubled back to my favorite trail. I heard an unusual amount of squeaking which made me think there was a baby bird nearby.

I didn’t expect to actually see the young one, as they are typically safely ensconced in a nest or tucked in foliage. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a Limpkin fledgling foraging with its mom.

Or more accurately, it was crying for food while following mom as she foraged. My boardwalk perch afforded mom a sense of safety as she continued to hunt and feed her loud hatchling.

I was so immersed in watching the pair that it took a few minutes before I spotted an older fledgling who was fending for itself a little further away. It was clearly larger than its sibling and probably a day or two older (mom lays an egg a day and they typically hatch in that order).

As you can tell from all the photos, it was difficult to tear myself away from the little family. Such a wonderful treat!

This past Saturday I was enticed over to Boyd Hill Nature Preserve by a bird walk. I was surprised to see so many others had also decided to brave the elements that morning, there were over 20 of us.

We were fortunate to have overcast skies and a light breeze as we wandered the trails. Our final bird count was close to 30 species, which was decent considering it is practically Summer down here (unlike Winter birding which is fantastic). Even though we didn’t spot that many birds, there were plenty of other things to notice.

I peeled off from the group at the end in order to walk my favorite trail, which had not been part of our route. I’m glad I did as I was treated with a couple really cool sightings. The first treat I’ll share later (as it deserves its own post), the second was this juvenile alligator that was out for a float down a lazy river.

While pulling weeds in my front yard the other evening I spotted these little beetles. Roughly the size of a grain of rice (about 1/4″ long) I would’ve overlooked them if not for their gorgeous metallic blue-green color. Pesky weeds were forgotten as I dashed inside to grab my phone so I could take some photos in the last light of day.

A new species for me, I learned they are members of the Flea Beetle family (Altica spp.). Narrowing it down from there proved to be a bit more challenging. The definitive way to differentiate the species is to run their DNA. Since I don’t have a sequencer the next best way to distinguish them is to examine their internal genitalia, though that seemed mighty intrusive.

A less reliable, but field-friendly, method is to determine what host plant they are using as some species have strong preferences. Based on the plants in my yard, I believe these are Altica litigata, a species which happens to favor evening primrose.

Although they can fly, these beetles are good jumpers (much like fleas). In fact, they are so good at it that even their genus name references their skill (from the Greek word for jumper). Their strong hind legs enable them to jump long distances, probably to help them avoid predation.

Welcome to my yard, shiny ones!

When you have a day off and the temperature, tides, and wind are all favorable it would be a crime not to get out on the water. Luckily for me, I don’t have to travel far to launch since I can drop in right across the street from my house.

My kayaking rather confused Puff (one of the street kitties that adopted me after the hurricanes last Fall). He followed all the way down to the water and watched from the shade of a mangrove tree as I drifted away.

I paddled up Bear Creek for a bit, enjoying my neighborhood from a different perspective. There’s often a chance to spot manatees, dolphins, or even otters but this morning it was just me and the birds. Speaking of birds, the Mallard hen I photographed has an odd little addition to her brood, not entirely sure what kind of duck it is, but it’s hers now.

A quick paddle under the Gulfport Boulevard bridge and I entered the Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve. At this point I had several options; south to St. Pete Beach, east to Gulfport, or north to Treasure Island. Since I knew the day would heat up quickly, I kept it short and paddled out to Jack’s Island in the middle of the bay.

This small crescent of a key is supposedly privately owned but the owners allow day use. I had the beach to myself for most of my visit, it was so very relaxing. Just what I needed since I had a house project waiting for me that I was not looking forward to (more about that soon).

Bird bath cleaning day is a popular day among my feathered friends. Fresh water is always a hit but even more so now since we’re about 6” behind on rainfall for the year.

Members of a dozen species make up my “regulars” – crows, mockingbirds, jays, cardinals, and grackles, as well as two types each of black-birds, woodpeckers, doves, and parrots.

It should surprise no one that the smallest bird of my crew is also the most territorial. Earlier today, my camera caught this scene of a relentless mocker vociferously dive bombing a thirsty crow. The corvid withstood multiple passes before finally ceding the watering hole.

A few minutes later the crow returned, but this time with a lookout. They took turns drinking while the other maintained a wary eye on the sky. Where there’s a will, there’s a way…

Yesterday’s bike ride with friends was an absolute blast! I’ve been wanting to check out the Skyway Trail for years so I was thrilled when Natasha and Peggy organized a group ride.

We were treated to an amazing view of Tampa Bay for the majority of our 10-mile route and the water was just gorgeous. We wrapped up at the recently renovated Skyway Beach Resort. It was my first outing on my new-to-me bike and I was pleased with how well she handled. Definitely a great way to spend the morning!