Waiting for mealtime

 This lurking gator looks almost close enough to touch...he was.

A Wood Stork watches and waits for this Great Blue Heron to drop the fish.

Cormorants will use all sorts of devices to find fish.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Thursday we took a trip to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park near Gainesville.  There's a nice 3-mile (round trip) trail out into the wetlands.  There were plenty of birds and more alligators than I've seen in a long time.  I gave up counting when I reached 30.  Some, if you were very, very foolish, were close enough you could walk over and tough them.  Not recommended.

Train ride

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - From the archives. May 5, 2010.   Durango to Silverton (Colorado). Chugging along.

Attempted mugging

Sea Gull chasing Royal Tern with food

ORMOND BEACH - - Sometimes it's easier to try and steal food than to dive for it.

Take out meals

Sea Gulls frame a fishing trawler on its way out to sea

This Osprey had a big fish, but couldn't find a quiet place to finish eating.

   First you glide high above the water looking, then you                                                                                                      dive.  If you're lucky you end up with something tasty for your                                                                                         trouble.

Small eels make up a good part of the Royal Tern diet.

ORMOND BEACH, FL -- On Sunday morning we headed north to Matanzas Inlet, about 35 miles away.  We had lunch at a restaurant there yesterday and the bird activity nearby was good enough to lure us back for another look.
    Fortunately, yesterday's strong winds had backed off to merely breezy.  We headed out early to th area before the sun go too high to make photos harsh and back lit.
    There was a bit of a feeding frenzy going on with the high tide outgoing.  The fishing boats were out as were the Osprey and Royal Terns.

Gliding

Look closely:  Blue Heron dive bombs on to the floating greenery sending a seagull packing.

Typical lakeside (Woodruff) setting with a Great Blue Heron on the wing.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Sometmes you have to take a boat ride to find good photo subjects.  We did just that on a visit to De Leon Springs State Park. 

Early blooms

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Despite a week of gloomy / rainy / cool weather the azalea bushes in our front yard are blooming.  Note the drops of moisture clinging to some of the petals.