manitou Posted May 30, 2018 This morning I walked the dogs in Beaver Creek State Park - it's the last time I'll take that hike, I'm moving to California in a few days. As I was standing near Loch 22 and gazing up at the trees, the vines, the fertility of the whole place and knowing it was the last time I'll see that beauty, a graceful great blue heron flew right in front of me over the stream - our eyes met. It made me cry, as I am right now. The great blue heron is my totem animal. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted June 25, 2018 (edited) This chicken has been hanging around lake Apopka, He seems to be settled in. Edited June 25, 2018 by Stosh 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 25, 2018 Looks like a "he" rooster? Probably has claimed the territory and waiting for the girls to arrive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 26, 2018 He is truly a beauty! The girls will be swarming him in no time. Here I am in the California desert. Finally moved. There is a roadrunner that runs across my back patio, knowing full well that it's driving my dogs crazy on the other side of the glass doors. Big guy. I understand they can be a bit nasty too. Meep meep. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 26, 2018 Yeah, roadrunners are so sure of themselves they are rarely observed in the air. No fear! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted June 26, 2018 21 hours ago, Marblehead said: Looks like a "he" rooster? Probably has claimed the territory and waiting for the girls to arrive. I would assume its a rooster . He moved into a small pad I guess, a corner under some trees , there aren't many prospects around except for swamp 'hens'. He looks like he can take care of himself ,sort of cocky. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 26, 2018 1 hour ago, Marblehead said: Yeah, roadrunners are so sure of themselves they are rarely observed in the air. No fear! Yes, just watching him fly the short distance from the top of a fence to the ground, he looks as though he's on a mission. One deadly serious bird.... (Maybe he's ill-tempered because of that damn coyote) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 26, 2018 On 6/25/2018 at 2:22 PM, Stosh said: This chicken has been hanging around lake Apopka, He seems to be settled in. You captured his cockiness beautifully. Great photo, Stosh. You must've been feeling a little cocky yourself to get within eyeball-scratching distance. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 26, 2018 1 minute ago, manitou said: (Maybe he's ill-tempered because of that damn coyote) Yeah, the coyote never gives him any slack. Good thing the roadrunner is smarter than the coyote. I saw a documentary where a roadrunner too on a rattlesnake. Roadrunner knew exactly what it needed to do and in the end had a very good lunch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted June 26, 2018 10 minutes ago, manitou said: You captured his cockiness beautifully. Great photo, Stosh. You must've been feeling a little cocky yourself to get within eyeball-scratching distance. Thanks, I like that pic too , I don't know enough to be concerned about the behavior of them. Domestic animals confuse me. I pretty much have a good feel for wild ones , they make sense.. I should explain,, Umm out a Paynes prairie , they have wild spanish horses , ( and bison) and you can just walk out around in the space they reside , a grassy marshy prairie, ,walking a path , I came up on a stallion with some mares , he got a bit jumpy neighed etc, so I just stood there. Some folks came up behind me a few minutes later , so I asked them what the right way to act was. They said they just walk past to one side. I turned back to look at the stallion which swung his ears at me , and put his head down to eat . I read this clear as a bell , " I see you , you're fine , go on by" , so I just walked on past , right next to him in fact. If he wanted to , he could've kicked me into oblivion , but he didn't even pick up his head. ... Long story made shorter,, those other folks never did get past him Considering back on it as I went onward , I waited , had some respect ,I didn't push on by as others might, and this was enough. It made sense , he communicated , I was able to read it , and we could get along. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 27, 2018 Paynes prairie - I never did get there, although I was only maybe 50 miles south in Ocala. I understand they have mounds of gators lurking around too - different trails for different phenomena, I guess. My neighbor said she'd never seen so many gators in one place. I think the word she used was 'teeming'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted June 27, 2018 1 hour ago, manitou said: Paynes prairie - I never did get there, although I was only maybe 50 miles south in Ocala. I understand they have mounds of gators lurking around too - different trails for different phenomena, I guess. My neighbor said she'd never seen so many gators in one place. I think the word she used was 'teeming'. Oh yeah, teeming is a good word , there's a trail where you can see a hundred basking on a nice day. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 29, 2018 On 6/27/2018 at 12:41 PM, Stosh said: Oh yeah, teeming is a good word , there's a trail where you can see a hundred basking on a nice day. Speaking of which, is that a gator's eye on your avatar, or an oyster on the half shell, lol. I've not been able to figure it out, hard as I try. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) Its a florida snapping turtle, Ill try to insert a larger file.. Edited June 29, 2018 by Stosh 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted June 30, 2018 You're not going to believe this, but I just went to the optometrist the other day and am awaiting glasses as we speak. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted July 2, 2018 Local pond early one am , gators are having a get together 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted July 2, 2018 (edited) since this is a bird thread , here is a barn swallow on my car mirror , they were interested in it , I think they want to warm up from the wind ,after flying around ,on the 'hot' car , even though its hot out??? Edited July 2, 2018 by Stosh 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted July 2, 2018 Yes, there is intent in that action. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kar3n Posted July 16, 2018 A lot of love birds flying about on the cloudy, muggy, monsoon morning. The are just too fast and skittish for me to get a good shot of them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted July 16, 2018 Well, maybe some of their love will rub off on you. More love rarely hurts. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted July 19, 2018 So I now live in a place on a golf course with a beautiful pond and fountain in the middle. There is this gorgeous swan that swims around and is there daily. I just discovered this morning the swan is wooden. What a gyp. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted July 19, 2018 8 hours ago, manitou said: I just discovered this morning the swan is wooden. Brought to my mind: Spoiler 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted July 19, 2018 7 hours ago, Marblehead said: Brought to my mind: Reveal hidden contents That was one cool song, Marbles. I'm surprised there haven't been many, many remakes of it. As to the duck, the only reason I knew it was wood was because I noticed a big crack on its head. Classy place. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted July 19, 2018 16 minutes ago, manitou said: I noticed a big crack on its head. Don't expect me to respond to that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
