winged things & the moon

'incoming!!'  Yellow-rumped warblers in winter plumage

(i had no idea what these birds were. 

i was going nuts searching through my bird books and online.

a friend of mine e-mailed this picture to 

the Alachua County Audubon Society Pres. she ID'd it!)

* * *

the past couple of weeks i see the same Red-bellied woodpecker

tapping away every afternoon in the same spot, on the same tree.

at first i thought he was bug hunting.

now i realize he's making a nest.  his hidey-hole. literally.

looks like he's almost finished!

* * *

last weekend we did a one night getaway at 

Mike Roess Gold Head State Park's campground...

and spotted a couple of 'winged things'...

Zebra Swallowtail

Little Blue Heron

* * *

from our campsite.

at first the moon was hidden behind the trees...

then...a clear shot of the (almost) full moon. 3.7.15.

"The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand."

~Frederick L. Knowles

life's a journey. enjoy the ride.

laura

oh my! what big teeth you have...

(OR, one of the reasons, why i don't swim in florida's lakes!)

due to cable/modem/router problems (which are fixed!!), work, chores...and, well...due to LIFE...
and the fact that i've been addicted to the books i'm reading lately...

this is the first chance i've had to sit and get online.

the days are slipping by...these pictures are from LAST weekend, when we rode across town to

La Chua Trail, part of Paynes Prairie State Park. this part of the park is known as Alachua Sink, 

which includes the deepest & largest sinkholes in the park.

the air was still a little cool...and many gators were out soaking up the sun!

ENJOY the alligators and assorted birds!!

just remember...stay on the trail!!

and watch where you step because this park also has wild spanish horses

(which i posted pictures of in the past), bison,  and  feral hogs.

SO there is a scattering of humongous piles of POOP!

Great Blue Heron

(if i have mis-labeled any birds, PLEASE let me know!)

Heron:   "I'll just pretend i don't see him."

Gator:  "Have no fear. i'm not in  the mood for bird today!"

egret  &  ibis

great egret

Little Blue Heron:  "hmmm, i think i'll enter the water farther down the shoreline."

little blue heron

ibis

TURTLES!!!!

“Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek. “

~Dan Rather

see ya later...yeah, Alligator!

be safe.

laura

blue moon. RattlerHeronDragonButterHopperHawk.

once in a blue moon...you just might see a blue moon.

i thought i should probably save this for a 'friday's fringe' morph picture...

but i didn't want to wait that long.

here's the original. taken last night, 8.31.12  at  8:55pm

(i DID give a wink to Neil A.)

plumbago blooming in yard!!

last weekend was kind of crazy. and a little heart-thumping.

sam looked out the back door and saw milo in a stand-off with a snake.

we have lots of snakes around here, but this was the first time i'd seen a

Diamondback Rattler this close to home.

this big.  and in the yard.

milo and the rattler standing their ground.

un-moving.

without getting too close...sam got rid of the rattler and scared milo away.

she's such a brave...and hard headed...cat.

no matter how many times i tell her...

"stay away from the snakes with the big triangular heads!!" 

it go in one ear, and out the other!

it's nice to have that zoom option on your camera.

of course after seeing this big fat rattler...i'm a little more leery of wandering in the woods out back.

from now on i'll always wear my boots! and carry a big stick.

gardenia blooming in yard!  yummy scent!

last weekend, before the milo & snake thing...

sam and i rode the 4-wheeler across the street, into the field.

no special reason...just to feel the breeze and explore.

sometimes i find bones. not this trip though.

the 'mud pit' had water in it due to all the recent rain.

this is the first time i've seen a Little Blue Heron!!

(right?  you birders out there...is my ID correct?)

we were half expecting to see another Rattler over there, but we didn't.

there were so many dragonflies...some were BRIGHT red!!

unfortunately...they were just way too fast...by the time i zoomed in...poof! gone!

but i did get one of the dragonflies in another part of the field.

away from the water...where they don't dart around so fast.

on our way back home...a grasshopper doing stretches in the vines along the trail (see his back leg?)

back home...

a Red-Spotted Purple on the old hummer feeder.

another dragonfly...

and a Red-shouldered Hawk...hanging out in a tree.

if you're lucky enough to have monday off...for Labor Day...have a relaxing time!

and if you're working...well, i hope your work hours go quick...and your off hours, slow!

thanks for stopping by!

stay cool. be safe.

laura