Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday

This is my last post on our Florida trip in January 2019. We saw some new places and a few repeat places we enjoyed from previous trips. On this last full day after leaving Key Largo we drove to the Everglades National Park. Our visit happened during the government shutdown but this park was open partially. We visited the Flamingo area of the park, which is the most southernmost part of the Everglades National Park. 

The Flamingo area of the Everglades offers boat rides and tours. I like the sky and reflections of the clouds. 

A nearby Osprey nest. 

A Brown Pelican sitting on the dock. 

The White Ibis with a pretty blue sky. 

A view of the Florida Bay and gulf coast. 

We were happy to see a few Manatees around the boat docks. 

This was a small baby manatee off to the side, he/she looked a little sick to me. 

A sandbar out in the distance held lots of shorebirds, Osprey, Egrets and Herons. 

A Little Blue Heron with a Great Egret. It is hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. 

Below are a group of Snowy Egrets, a alligator that was making growling noises, Green Heron, Brown Pelican and another Osprey. 

I am thankful for all things nature related.
I am thankful for clear and sunny days.
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday



Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

John Pennekamp Coral Reek State Park, Key Largo

Hello, Happy Monday

I am close to ending my posting on our Florida trip. On this day we drove the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. Hubby enjoys snorkeling and we thought this would be a place for him to snorkel from the beach. We were wrong, you have to go out on one of their boats tours to see the good stuff. Hubby has been spoiled from his snorkeling in Grand Cayman, Hawaii, Belize and some other places we visited. 

My photos show the beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. There were not a lot of birds around, we did see a Great Blue Heron and some kind of Sandpiper. There were a lot of Palm Warblers around too. The no-see-ums were biting us to the point we could not enjoy the park. We did not stay long at this park. 

I am guessing a Solitary Sandpiper, please let me know if I am wrong. 

We saw a few of the Eurasian Collared Doves.

If you plan in advance, this park has boat trips for snorkeling and glass bottom boat rides. They also have kayaks for rent. There is a visitor center with a  30,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. 

Can you find the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Before we left we took a walk on the trail, I saw a Sapsucker sharing a tree with a lizard and more Palm Warblers. 

The trail was rocky and had lots of tree roots, we had to watch our step. 

These Palm Warblers were in the trees and on the ground. I guess the bugs were plentiful. 

We did not stay long in this park, we left and drove to the Everglades National Park. I will share the Everglades another post  for my last report on our Florida, 2019 trip.

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Our World , My World

Hello and happy Monday! Happy April to everyone too!

I am sharing more Florida images, these photos are from our 3rd visit on Jan 12th to the Blowing Rocks Preserve and Beach near Jupiter Florida. 

This day was more relaxed, we sat on the beach for a good part of the day. We watched the waves crashing on the rocks, I watched the Brown Pelicans flying along the beach. 

I sat for awhile on my beach chair and watch an artist paint this scene below. I was amazed at how fast she painted the scene. 

Not quite finished, but I think the artist did a beautiful painting. 

Waves crashing right in front of me, I was lucky I was not splashed. It might have felt good though, it was a hot sunny day.

I was enjoying the waves crashing on the rocks but I also enjoyed watching the groups of Brown Pelicans flying by. 

I tried practicing my flights shots, whenever the Pelicans came flying by me. 

We also  enjoyed the Blowing Rocks Preserve butterfly garden, we walked the boardwalk towards the Indian River Lagoon. 

I was surprised to see a shark swimming near the waves, I also saw a sea turtle. I could not catch them with my camera, they moved too quickly. 

Me and my shadow. 

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Can you believe this is the last Thursday of the month? I think as I get older the time go by faster than ever.  I am glad it is Spring and the days are getting warmer with longer days of sunshine. 

I am sharing some more Florida photos, this is Jan 11th we are getting close to the end of our January 2019 trip. We took a day trip to Lake Kissimmee located at the Joe Overstreet Landing, Kenansville Florida.

 This location is private but a lot of birders post nearby sightings of different rare birds like the Smooth-billed Ani. I thought I saw the Ani while driving the main road, it was flying towards some trees. This area has the Swamp tours if you are interested. We did not have time for the swamp tour, we had a busy day planned going to various places, next on the list was Vero Beach. 

There were a herd of cattle standing under the trees, lots of Swallows in flight and Cattle Egrets standing around. 

We saw lots of Cattle Egrets, Swallows, Grackles, Cormorants and GB herons. 

The Snail Kite has something in his mouth, maybe a snail?

Near the Lake Kissimmee were 2 Bald Eagles in a tree, I think there was a nest in this tree.

Next to the road we saw a group of Sandhill Cranes. 

After leaving the Joe Overstreet area we drove to Vero Beach. We wanted to check out the area and take a walk on the beach. We a few Black-bellied Plovers on the beach.

There was something that just drew my eyes to these three palm trees on the Vero Beach. 

The water and sky at Vero beach were beautiful, I love the various shades of blue. 

I am always thankful for blue skies and warm walks on the beach.
I am thankful for Spring and long days with sunshine. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday



Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Dyer Park, Winding Waters & Spanish River Park

Hello and Happy Monday!

I am taking you back to our Florida trip, on Jan 10th we went looking for a park in West Palm Beach called Winding Waters Natural Area. There are always signs warning about the alligators. 

A Loggerhead Shrike was a common bird seen at Dyer Park. 

We saw a large flock of Glossy Ibis while walking the loop trail at Dyer Park. On the left side of the top photo you can see the trail we walked. 

There must have been hundreds of Swallows, flying over the nearby landfill. This photo looks better if you click on the photo for a larger viewing. 

We walked a loop trail used mostly by joggers and walkers. Each day we were in Florida we racked up some steps walking. Below are some of the birds we saw during our walk, Wood Stork, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Anhinga, Mockingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Glossy Ibis, White Ibis with a Wood Stork and Moorhens and the Tricolored Heron. 

The Spanish River Park had a nice little nature trail. We did not see many birds, pretty plants a Palm Warbler and some colorful berries. 

Spanish River Park beach, to get to this beach we had to walk through a tunnel under the road. 

Spanish River Park Beach, Boca Raton Florida.

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Saturday's Critters #272

Welcome to Saturday's Critters !


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


Birds, turtles and gators, oh my! These are some images from our visit to the Green Cay Nature Center on Jan 9th.  We saw lots of birds and critters. 

We saw many beautiful Tricolored Herons.

The breeding Cattle Egret  has the rusty color on it's head.

These turtles were covered with some muck, maybe the Florida Scoter or the Sliders?

You never know when a gator is around, they can blend in and hide in the vegetation.

A Green Heron is standing in the wetland plants.

Above the boardwalk, a hawk checking out the small bird and maybe lizards in the trees.

Walking back to the car we saw an Egret caught a lizard. You can see the lizard if you click on the photo for larger viewing.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !






Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!