A Snowbird in Paradise

She thinks we can't see her...

We were sitting down by the lake having morning coffee with "the kids" visiting from Michigan when we heard the unmistakable call...CLOSE.  There was the pair of Sand Hill Cranes in the field across the street from the house.  They have been in the area for a week or more but never on this block.

Why did the crane cross the road?

"Hey, you, behind the tree..."

I grabbed my camera as fast as I could.  Fortunately the zoom lens was already on so I saved a couple of moments there.  From a "blind" behind a palm tree I started snapping and they started coming closer.  By the time they stepped into the road in front of the house I didn't need the zoom fully extended.

"I see you!!!"

"Hey, you, behind the tree..."

They kept coming and I changed positions as they entered the front yard.  For 4 years we have had a pair of metal, decorative Sand Hill Cranes in the planting in front.  The REAL Sand Hills went for it and I got the pictures I wanted of the real and statue cranes.

Do they think the statues are real?

Do they even SEE the statues?

You can see their size here The big birds wandered past the truck and on to other parts of the neighborhood.

For some reason I love the huge birds in Florida.  For all of my life my parents' bird station, and then my own  in Michigan attracted wonderful little birds...LITTLE birds.  I knew about these large birds in Florida and saw an occasional one from afar in Michigan but some of these birds come right up to you with no fear.  I love taking their photos but love digitally scrapping them even more.

Here are this year's favorite bird photos so far.

Wood Stork

 This handsome fellow was the first bird I hand-fed eight years ago.  He was also the first bird I photographed with my new Canon Digital DSLR camera.  Yes, I can get very close to him without spooking him, but, no, I do not let him eat from my hand.  I am “respectful” of that long, sharp beak.  It could do some damage.

Florida White Pelican

White Ibis

 Usually, the past 8 years, we would see one or two Ibis mixed in with a flock of Cattle Birds but this year we have a flock that ranges from 10 to 25 Ibis and no Cattle Birds.  I started feeding the Ibis each morning and now they come knocking, or at least come close to the screen house.  I was surprised to hear their “grunt” when fighting for bits of food.  The fellow I photographed alone hangs back and just refuses to allow me to feed him.  We like keeping these birds around because they shove their bills into the sand/soil getting out all the insects.  The more they do that the better for us.

Great White Egret

A Sebastian friend posted to Facebook for all Sebastian folks to look out to the West.  This is what we all saw.  It went from this to deeper colors as the sun set further but also became darker and harder to get good photos.

Coffee Shop Actions blogger, Rita, has started posting her favorite photo of the week every Friday.  I like that idea and will try to keep up.

My second-cousin-once-removed, Jennifer and me.

 Through matching tree entries in Ancestry.com, Jennifer and I discovered "missing" branches of our families.  Her grandfather, and my mother's brothers had been so close once.  Her great-grandmother and my grandfather were close siblings.  The two families had their children's photos taken together, and my mother remembered the 7 children being together often...then when Mother was about 7 or 8 they didn't seem to spend any more time together.  Why?  I had not been able to locate information on the internet and that branch of the family tree was just gone.

The story was this:  My grandfather's sister, Jen's great-grandmother, died in her early 40s leaving her minister husband with 3 youngsters.  Eventually he remarried but the link between the two families was gone and never was restored...until now!!!

Jen had a photo of the old family home where her great-grandmother and my grandfather were raised.  How precious THAT was!  I passed on the originals of about 8 photos of her ancestors that belong rightfully to her and her sister.  We exchanged information about our respective branches.

A lovely afternoon!!!

As much as I love watching birds and flowers, waiting and anticipating heightens the entire experience.


Take the Osprey.  THE moment is when the parents help the babies fledge.  Watching the parents nest, wondering when the eggs will hatch; trying to figure out the babies' stage of growth...all of that enhances the moments of flight so much more than driving along the highway and just seeing some young in flight.

Is there a baby in the nest or not?

Since our late neighbor started my interest in orchids I have stumbled along, reading articles and books that didn't really help.  So much conflicting advice.  We transport the orchids back and forth from Florida to Michigan because we have to and so far the plants don't seem to have suffered, however, is there a better way?  Am I potting them right?  Should I be bringing them in at night?

I have two  plants promising to bloom so I can't be TOO far off in caring for them, but nevertheless, I signed up for an Orchid Potting Class on a Saturday coming up.  I love the facility and they have a great reputation; Orchid Island Botanicals.  I am SOOO looking forward to this class and more, I hope.

This was just a tight bud a week ago

More little orchids to come

Is there anything prettier?

I wonder if there is a new baby here

As we headed out to a late breakfast I spotted this stork on the peak of a neighbor's house.  He just looked secure and comfortable.  The first bird I photographed down here and hand fed was such a stork.  Probably this same fellow.

Former Waffle House

We were headed to our favorite Waffle House.  Yes, I admit it...I am hooked on their waffles.  We drove up the highway way past where we usually see the big yellow Waffle House sign.  Then we went back down the same road and there it was...closed and all signs of yellow on the building and sign were gone.

We settled for the IHOP across the street but it was less than satisfactory.  I won't rant here but we will not be back there.

A Bromeliad

The freezing temps late December and two more times to date have taken quite a toll on the plant life.  The mango trees are way-dead.  The Schefflera "tree" outside the bedroom window is so bare-naked I am embarrassed to look at it.  Not a leaf!  But there is a wee bit coming out on one of the branches so I will keep an eye on it.  I hope that tree comes back.  This summer some family staying at the house reported that the tree was covered with long stems of red flowers.  We have never seen it in bloom.

Begonias

Last year I planted a flat of these around the chimney for color.  "Annuals" I carefully explained to him...they won't be here next year.  But they ARE.  Not all of them but the protection of the chimney paid off.  I only need to plant about a third of a flat to fill it in.

Sand Hill Cranes

We were driving along the parking lot near some stores checking to see what was new and what was closed.  He said, "Shhhh!  Take out your camera and get ready."  He inched to the end of the parking and around to the side.  "Behind those bushes" he directed.  And there was a pair of Sand Hill Cranes.  We see them every year, and have had them in the yard and on our seawall, but getting a close photo has been a challenge.  I learned a lot about the differences between Florida Sand Hill Cranes (which stay here year around, mating and rearing young) and migratory Sand Hill Cranes which migrate here AFTER nesting and raising the young in the North.  The only way we are sure is when we see a pair with babies.  Florida Sand Hills are even more heavily protected than regular Sand Hills.  Good thing, because during mating season their insistent call can carry over a mile and clear your sinuses.

See the little flower bud?

Another angle

I love my orchids!  We transport them back and forth from Michigan to Florida.  They do get rather neglected in Michigan but I carefully removed them from the planting medium, lay them on newspaper in a covered plastic box and brought them back down here in the cab of the F150.  They sat here for a few days since we had company in the house at first and...well...no excuse, really.  After a few days I did get them planted and outside on any days over 50 and sunny.  His sister said she heard that watering them with ice was a great way to go.  Since water sifts right through the planting medium without even wetting it, and soaking the pots every day was not happening, I tried the ice thing.  I kept the ice away from the plants and aerials but I noticed the bark planting medium was staying damp.

Then today I saw the first flower stalk!!!  I will be taking photos as soon as a flower opens...you bet!!!  I have three pots with about 8 plants.  The individual plants are hard to count when they start multiplying.  I will have to do more research as to what species they are and remember the long names.

I took this photo around noon on Sunday, January 23.  Since 2003 we have been following this nest, including the year a pair of Great Horned Owls took the nest and raised a pair of young.  This nest is so high the Osprey must be able to see the Atlantic, the Beach, the Sandbar Beaches, the Indian River, and who-knows how far beyond.  I would love to see what they can see.

My shadow at the Wabasso Beach Boardwalk

Friends and family, with only a few exceptions, are buried knee-deep in snow, sniffles, and cold.  Those who aren't sick are trying to care for those who are.

Do I feel guilty?  No.  We suffered through Northern Winter for well over 65 years and now I will be darned if I will feel guilty.

So today, with the temps reaching 80 in our town we hopped in the truck and went the less-than-10-minute-drive to Wabasso Beach and boardwalk.

Looking toward the North

Looking toward the South

I just wish you could HEAR it. And we busily sent cellphone  pictures to friends and family in the snow.

Comorant drying its wings

I figured there were no new birds to snap, but opportunities are there, still.

The Osprey at the top of the extremely tall cell tower.

This is about the 6th year of nesting in the big cell tower.  The third year the nest was occupied by a pair of Great Horned Owls but they haven't been back since.  The osprey are always fun to watch as they feed, and finally teach the youngsters (usually 2) to fly.

Sunset last night

Heavy clouds today.

This is a little out of order, but I lost the photos.  I mean they were NOT in either camera nor on either computer.  Today, 7 days later, I found them on an external hard drive in a weirdly named folder.  I have NO idea...

I guess Guy leaves a poster wherever he has been.

It all started when we saw an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives that featured a "dive" on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida called Singletons Seafood Shack.

Our lunch destination

Hey!  That would be right on our way to our Winter home from Michigan!!!  So the address was entered into the GPS.  We were within sight of Jacksonville, FL around lunch time the second day of our trip.  We followed the GPS and found ourselves at a ferryboat landing.  BUT the ferry was out of service and undergoing repairs.  Now what?  The GPS wasn't much help.  We drove around looking for something that might help and located a ranger in a State park.  He gave us some good directions but it entailed going back to Jacksonville to cross the St. Johns River via a bridge, then driving back up the other side...all told about an hour.

A Naval Ship Yard

We saw some interesting ships in the Naval Station and wondered if all the helicopter security might have to do with the beautiful exotic-looking stealth battleship docked there. 

Beautiful exotic looking Stealth Ship

Finally we found the seafood restaurant by the ranger's directions, certainly not with the GPS, this time.

There's our truck...proves we were there.

I am not a seafood lover but the smoked fish dip and cracker appetizer was to DIE for!  We carefully saved the left-over and bought two more to share with friends at our destination.

The decidedly UN-fancy front porch

The original owner liked building model ships and had a regular museum.

He had a long conversation when he paid and learned some interesting facts.

More of the models.

Yes...Snowbird-Time.  Some of the "Birds" left the North as early as the first of October, but I love the fall, and then there are the holidays with our grandchildren...so we wait until the first week of January.  I had to take a photo of the garden in the North as of January 1, just so I could remember how dull and ugly things are.

West side

East side

This year the ride down was uneventful, good weather, no traffic to speak of.  The gas mileage was very good on the new Ford F-150 truck.  We eliminated one whole gas stop.

We always keep track of the weather in both places so we were aware of the two killing freezes in Florida this year.  What we found surprising was the totally naked "Umbrella Tree". There are tips of green so I expect it to leaf out again soon.  Someone told me you can't kill those things.

We have never seen this tree naked before.

The little grove of banana trees that took a hit last year and rebounded, this year looks extremely sad.

No bananas this year!

Still...with all of our kids fighting snow, cold, and illness we can't complain.  We heard a hint at 80 degrees early next week.

Sleeveless and comfortable!

Finally, today, we took our first drive down Indian River Drive to look at changes.  Oh my!!!  The old grill that has been closed for a couple of years is now looking busy and all spruced up.

Mulligans

And this...I have NO idea!!!

I have nothing to say.