...because it's florida

2010-12-26T19:38:00.015-05:00

I did it! Rode all the way around the BigO, Lake Okeechobee on my Raleigh venture bike.This was a trip of over 110 miles. I started Thursday morning (12/23/10) at 8AM and finished Friday (12/24/10) at 2PM
I drove to Clewiston and parked at the boat ramp on the west side of Industrial canal. This looked to be a good choice with cars and boat trailers parked there.
I rode back to the Rt 80/27, crossed the canal and got on the dike to ride counter clock wise. The riding was wonderful with the wind to my back until about Belle Glade where the wind switched into my face and made peddling harder.
I made it to Pahokee where the I had to leave the dike because of construction. The ride along Rt 440/98 was good. The road has a good shoulder. I continued on the road until Port Mayaca where I rode back onto the dike. The wind was blowing into my face so bad I got off the dike 7 miles north at Chancy bay creek. I stayed on the road for the rest of the day.
I made it to Okeechobee at around 4PM. I stayed the night at the Flamingo Inn which is about ½ mile north on 441. They gave me a corporate rate when I told them I was biking around the lake. I recommend this motel.
Friday morning I started out around 7:45AM and rode on the dike to kissimmee river. So far I had only ridden on the paved sections of the dike and wanted to see how bad the unpaved sections were. So after leaving the dike and crossing the river on the road I got back on the dike and rode the 9.9 mile section south of the river. The dike was very bumpy with fist size rocks. Someone wrote (and was right) you will spend all the time looking out for the rock and not able to take in the views. I got off the dike at Indian prairie creek and rode the rest of the way to Moore Haven on Rt 78. The shoulders is wide and the ride good with the wind to my back pushing me to Moore Haven. I had a good and cheap breakfast at a restaurant in Lakeport along the way.
I got back on the dike in Moore Haven at about 12pm. The wind changed and picked up and was in my face making it hard peddling. When I got to Liberty port the wind shifted again and I had a nice ride back to Clewiston. There was some hard peddling up on the dike when the wind is in your face. What a great trip.
Here are the times
Day one Start Clewiston 7:47 am
Miami canal 8:51 am
South Bay 9:24 am
Panokee 11:11 am Port Mayaca 12:56 pm
Okeechobee 4:08 pm

Day Two
Start Okeechobee 7:42 am
Lakeport 10:34 am
Moore haven 12:21 pm
Back to Clewiston 2:00 pm

A Close Encounter With the Rarest Bird

2010-08-23T18:06:00.002-04:00

A Close Encounter With the Rarest Bird

Brown Thrasher

2010-06-06T17:53:00.002-04:00

They have been around and using the bath.

Fort DeSoto

2010-04-26T05:07:00.003-04:00

Cedar Waxwing
Great Horned Owl & baby

Click to enlarge

Aslo saw rose-breasted grosbeak and red start. We didn't see the painted bunting

Blue Grosbeak

2010-04-22T04:34:00.002-04:00

Frist time we've seen this bird at the feeder.

Blue-crowned Parakeets

2010-03-19T17:51:00.003-04:00

We went over to Anna Maria Island in Bradenton to see the Blue-crowned Parakeets at the CVS on Manatee dr.

Nest building

2010-03-15T05:13:00.004-04:00

We saw a post on SRQbirdAlerts and went to see the Monk parakeets building a nest at the Fruitville Library parking lot in Sarasota. We were told by someone there that about 60 parakeets roost in the palm there.

Black hooded parakeet & white wing dove

2010-03-08T05:17:00.007-05:00

Two new visitors at our feeder. Hooded parakeets where here last year. Its the frist time we've seen the white wing doves (feeding on the grond below the feeders).

Downy woodpecker

2010-03-06T20:45:00.004-05:00

We've seen in backyard last few days. Saw 3 on the light pole out front.

Wings

2010-02-12T06:47:00.002-05:00

Nancy got this photo of the monk on our feeder

More woodpecker

2010-02-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

Pair of Pileated woodpeckers

2010-01-15T17:43:00.004-05:00

back yard

The box was build for screech-owl. Female was in the box. Hope they stay.

Red-bellied woodpecker

2010-01-15T15:04:00.001-05:00

Back yard

Sandhill Crane

2010-01-11T18:08:00.003-05:00

Pine Warbler

2009-12-06T17:16:00.002-05:00

Black-hooded parakeet

2009-05-16T11:04:00.005-04:00

First time at the feeder and in venice. I've seen them in Sarasota.

2009-05-07T20:41:00.010-04:00

Our first parakeets at the feeder. We've moved to the other side of the island where the parakeets live. Theses nest in a tall palm a few streets over.

Video of sandhill cranes

2009-01-27T17:42:00.004-05:00

Read post below before viewing video

Until you see and hear the cranes live,

you can't imagine the sounds of thousands of cranes

Paynes Prairie Preserve

2009-01-25T19:28:00.041-05:00

Today we took a 180 mile, 2 ½ hour drive up to Paynes Prairie Preserve which is just south of Gainesville. We went up to see the large flock of Sandhill cranes that winter there. There are also wild bison and horses at the park.

We started at southern end of the park at the observation tower by the visitor center. Once into the park we saw Deer and turkey along the road. At the observation tower we could hear the cranes in the distance, and see an occasional small flock fly over, but we could not see the 4000 + cranes reported at the park. We saw Bald eagles and the bald eagle nest by the center. We saw 3 or 4 northern harriers gliding over the prairie and many other hawks.

After a long walk along Jackson’s gap trail we didn’t see the cranes. We did hear and see small flocks flying over head again. There was also a large 50+ flock of white pelicans that flew over. At a small pond by the trail we saw 10+ cardinals drinking and washing. We also identified a downy woodpecker.

Back at the visitor center the volunteer informed us that the Sandhill cranes where gathered at the north side of the park. So off we went to La Chua trail. There were dozen of cars in the parking lot. The trail leads to Alachus sink and the center of the prairie marsh, where the cranes are. We could hear the cranes as soon as we left the parking lot and headed down the trail. Along the trail there were many alligators, birds and people. (See the gator with 3 babies on left)

As we continued down the trail we came to the cranes, hundreds, thousands of them, all clucking and feeding.

THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CRANES!!

One side of the trail looked like the photos above. The other side was a creek with LOTS of gators.

In among the thousands of sandhills we observed 2 whooping cranes and 4 snow geese.
What a day we had! We ended up walking 8 ½ miles. We also saw 3 wild bison and 1 wild horse.

Here is a list of the birds we saw.
3000+ Sandhill cranes
2 whooping cranes
4 snow geese
4 bald eagles & nest
3 northern harriers
10+ hawks
1 kestrel
1 belted kingfisher
25+ white pelicans
2 robins
5 turkey
10+ cardinals
2 white crowned sparrows
100+ red wing blackbirds
1 downy woodpecker
1 glossy ibis
20+ white ibis
3 buffleheads
Herons, egrets, anhinga
Not positively identified
4 eastern phoebe
Blue-wing teal

Birds without feathers…

2009-01-23T18:25:00.007-05:00

I know there not really birds, but thy are cool to see.

The Wings of Freedom Tour stopped here at Venice Municipal Airport (VNC) where I work. The B-17, B-24, and P-51 flew in on Wednesday January 21 and left today.

Top 2 photos taken by B Anderson

Digiscoping 2

2009-01-04T18:36:00.009-05:00

I got a new Zhumell Professional Tripod and adapters to fit my canon S3 to the Zhumell 20-60x80mm Spotting Scope I received for Christmas. The new tripod is much better than my camera tripod, but still very shaky. I set the camera to 5 second delay to let the tripod stop shaking. The photos were at Cedar Point Environmental Park.

The result were better than my 1st attempt when I held the camera to the scope. I’m still unhappy with the Zhumell Professional Tripod which cost $89 at binoculars.com.

The adapters to fit the canon S3 to the scope were purchased at ScopeTronix Astronomy Products Cape Coral, FL . I already had the lens barrel W/52mm thread, so I ordered the 2.5" Uni-T and the Step Ring that Fits 52mm Thread. ScopeTronix were quick to answer my email question and shipped items fast.

Cedar Point Environmental Park

2009-01-04T18:24:00.003-05:00

Photos of eagle in nest at Cedar Point Environmental Park, Placida Rd.Englewood, FL

Click on photos to enlarge!

Lifetime bird -Ruff

2009-01-01T16:05:00.007-05:00

I got to see the much talked about Ruff at Myakka state park today. As a newbie to birding I would not have been able to distinguish it from the Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Long-billed Dowitcher it was among if not for the help of others. There were MANY birders looking for this bird. They say it was the first time seen in Myakka, other said first time in FL. I didn’t get any photo because it was to far away. Here is a link to view a photo of one.

I also saw 4 bald eagles, 3 osprey, northern harrier, glossy ibis, black neck stilts and many other egrets and herons. On the way home I saw a flock of about 20 sand hill cranes. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Great Horned Owls

2008-12-28T18:05:00.009-05:00

Here are both owls and thier nest. I have not seen them in the nest yet. The book says they nest in the winter, so hopefull I can get some photos of babies in a few months. See http://becausefl.blogspot.com/2008/12/no-pasta-but-eagle-and-owl.html

Burrowing Owls of Cape Coral

2008-12-28T11:00:00.004-05:00

No pasta, but an eagle and an owl

2008-12-26T19:59:00.001-05:00

I drop my car off to have the oil changed and walk to the Italian American club for Friday night pasta. As I am walking I hear the hooting of an owl two or three times. Just as I get to the club, a bald eagle swoops down and lands in the fountain that is in front of the club to drink. No one’s around because there is no pasta the night after Christmas. As I approach the eagle, it flies up to a near by tree, the one I think the owl is in. I walk up the tree and watch the eagle who is watching me. It’s head turns quickly toward the middle of the tree and then flies off and circles the tree 3 or 4 times. One time swooping in at the tree center. Then flies a way.

I look up into the tree looking for the owl. I see it sitting on a branch next to where the eagle was sitting. Close call for both.

I picked up my car and went back and got some pictures of the owl. The eagle was perched on a nearby tree also. The photo shows the owl looking toward the eagle.

The next morning I saw 2 owls in the same tree. Were they both there the first night? I was focused on the one I didn't see the other?

Harns Marsh Preserve

2008-12-25T12:09:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2008. Took a trip to Harns Marsh Preserve in Lehigh Acres. I saw lots of cool bird including 2 for the 1st time. The Snail kite (3) and the lampkin (3). Also saw Bald eagle, osprey, Roseate spoonbill, wood storks, herons, egrets, and lots of other birds some of which I can't identify.

Digiscoping

2008-12-21T13:33:00.001-05:00

These are some photos of my first attempt at digiscoping. The photos were taken with the camera held up to the eye piece of the spotting scope on a shaky tripod, through the Lanai screen. The results are terrible, but promising.

Equipment is,

Camera: Canon S3

Spotting scope: Zhumell 20-60x80mm Angled Spotting Scope

Tripod: Vivitar VPT 1200 (very light weight)

A new heavy duty tripod and adapters are on order.

County Lamdfill

2008-12-21T11:05:00.000-05:00

Photos taken at the Sarasota County landfill

Crested Caracara

2008-12-08T18:50:00.006-05:00

Photo taken on SR70. The book says about 500 in FL.

Wakodahatchee wetland

2008-11-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

Egyptian geese at Wakodahatchee wetland

2008-11-29T20:37:00.001-05:00

Scrub Jays

2008-11-16T17:19:00.000-05:00

Myakka state park

2008-11-10T18:26:00.001-05:00

Intercoastal at Pops

2008-09-08T20:21:00.002-04:00

Lox

2008-09-02T05:37:00.001-04:00

Sandhill Crane on Jacaranda Blvd

2008-08-10T20:45:00.001-04:00

North Jetty, Nokomis FL

2008-08-04T05:09:00.001-04:00