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Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Florida Vacation Photos: Part FOUR

This is the 4th in a series of vacation photos to Florida.

If you haven't seen the first three blogposts, drop down after this one and enjoy!

After we arrived in Florida, the weather cooled down from the 70's to the 60's and we got plenty of rain and fog.

But one of the nicest days came and we drove to St. John's Pass for the day.

We have been there before and it never disappoints for pictures of Pelicans, docks and little shops to browse in.
But for me, its always about the birds.


I LOVE Pelicans and all the tropical birds in Florida.


I loved this little tugboat, too:


Geez, too bad I couldn't enter my own photo contest, because dang, it has RUST on it.


Most of St. John's Pass is developed around the theme of Pirates.


They have pirate cruises, pirate restaurants, pirate shops....and of course, pirate boats!:


And gorgeous pelicans.


Everywhere!:


And perched on every free pole:




This looked like a baby Pelican who still has to grow into its beak, but I am not sure:
But did you SEE his cute little bird face?????


Some men were cleaning fish on the dock and throwing the remains into the water for the Pelicans. It was a feeding frenzy!:







Evidently, the bird network called out about the buffet, because they kept flying in to fight over the feast:



It was such fun watching them fight over the fish and splash about:




They have this HUGE wingspan. This guy was drying out his wings and just hanging out:

Awww.


The life of a Pelican!:
Although I don't think I would want to eat fish remains
all the time.....


How about YOU?????

34 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

Oh I so agree. Those pelicans are such glorious birds. Lovely holiday pictures.

Brian Miller said...

i dont know that i could eat fish all the time...but i could sit on the dock and watch the birds until the sun went down. nice pics!

Susan said...

Hi there! I found your blog through Wanda's Moments of Mine (actually posted that in a comment about the computer woes). I love your photos and writing. Lovely pics of Florida. The ones of the Mackinac Bridge give me nightmares! I was on it once and had to close my eyes all the way across! ((shudder))

I agree that there isn't much to see in our lovely Ohio if you're traveling on I-75. Come down sometime and I'll show you the real Ohio!

ashley folkema said...

How I love tugboats!

A New England Life said...

Look at all those Pelicans! I love 'em! And that little baby is just too darling. I would imagine there was a lot of clicking and clacking of the bills. That last shot is wonderful Joan!

Kearsie said...

Alls I know is, I'm hunting around for ideas on what to shoot for "something rusty" and alls I can think of is maybe one of my girls snapping a shot of me exercising.

Yes, I am kind of serious. No I don't use drugs. Sheesh.

Unknown said...

that first pelican photo is amazing--but then, all the other photos are great, too.

DJan said...

Those wingspans are amazing! Great pelican shots. I too have looked through all my pictures with nary a rust spot in sight, partly because up here in the PNW moss grows over everything!

The Retired One said...

Alan: Thanks so much. There will be more wild tropical birds in the next posts ahead.

Brian: Me too! Which I did. ha

Susan: Thanks so much and I am so glad you joined us on my blog! I know there are parts of Ohio I would love to see...we just blasted through on I-75 and it was pretty flat there. ha
I always wish I could take a few side roads when we go down on a big trip because whenever we do that, we find neat things in every state!

Ashley: Me too! They have a charm all of their own.

New England: There sure WAS clicking and clacking of bills! It reminded me of Edward Scissorhands when they were fighting over the fish! :-}

Kearsie: Oh there are still a ton of things for something rusty to think of shooting! Think of a car parts field, an old dock, old mailboxes, old docks, anywhere there are chains, the back of a dump truck, an old flag pole, an old weather vane on top of a barn, any old farm implement left in a field...there are tons of choices....but you exercising? Hmmm..now there is a concept. ha

Wanda..... said...

I loved All the Beautiful shots of the Pelicans, especially the 3 on the pier posts, the baby, the one with the wide wing-span, and the last...well like I said All of them!

L. D. said...

I really like the one close shot of the pelican in the water looking up. I see why you love to go there to take shots. I always wanted to go to Pelican Falls, Minnesota to see the white pelicans. We actually have brown and white pelicans that now migrate through here along the Des Moines river. I am enjoying everything but the fish guts.

Jeanette said...

Those pelicans are a lot better looking than sea gulls, or rat birds as we call them!

The Retired One said...

Eva: Thanks so much!

DJan: you are going to have to go hunting for a new shot then! Look at the ordinary things, you might find a great shot of a rusty mailbox, farm implement, flagpole, dump truck...you never know what you might find! :-}

Wanda: So glad you did. The birds were a major focus of the photography on this trip. I am so smitten with tropical birds!

L.D.: I took some white birds that looked like pelicans, but I wasn't sure if pelicans were white, too! You will have to tell me when I post the future pictures coming up...

Jeanette: I see beauty in the seagulls too...they make a mess but I still like them. There isn't a bird I don't like to photograph. ha

My name is Riet said...

Beautiful pictures of those pelicans We have been to Florida many times and in Miami and the florida Keys where my husband went fishing when they returned from sea the pelicans were waiting for their fish like on your pictures. Brings back so many memories

Bernie said...

The pelicans are lovely, I love the baby picture, and the last one with the huge wing span, oh heck Joan I love them all....:-) Hugs

JG said...

Glad you had good weather and so much fun over on the coast. You left just in time. Highs are in the 40s today here in Tampa. Brrr. I had to wear gloves and a hat to go for my walk this morning. It was about 35 out. Reading your wintertime vacation story makes me thankful for my little spot in the sun.

Lucy said...

We sit in the Santa Maria in St Augustine and they give you stale bread to feed the fish and birds out the windows. Even if I don't really like their food, it's well worth paying just to sit way out over the water and feed the Pelicans. They are so cool and thanks for letting me remember!

Jientje said...

That next to last picture just took my breath away? Awww, indeed!

LOOK!!! A RUSTY chain!!!

The Retired One said...

Riet: Yes, they sure looked like they love that when we were there...they are gorgeous birds.

Bernie: so glad you are enjoying them..I have so many pictures of the birds there,I hope folks won't get bored..but they fascinate me.

Jeff: It was already getting cold when we were there...we had lots of days of fog and in the 50's or rain...but it was warmer than Michigan this time of year. I hear it is cooler now again. I feel bad for you. At least here we are used to the cold and snow and have great heaters, etc. and dress for the cold. Hope it is over soon for you!

Lucy and Dick: You are welcome. I love seeing them every time we visit Florida...

Jientje: Thanks so much..yes there is rust in a few of those pictures..the tugboat had some on it too! Hope you are getting ideas to enter the photo contest!

jessica said...

That baby pelican kinda looks like a little turkey vulture. Not sure, though. But we do like the pelicans down here, too. "A wonderful bird is the pelican. Its beak can hold more than its bellican." Some old poet wrote that but I don't know which one. We are NOT liking this cold weather at all!

Shelley said...

Loved all your pelican photos! Florida is suppose to be such a wonderful place to bird. Right now I am itching to go down there - not sure it we'll make it there this winter. But I can always dream! And look at your photos!! :-)

S-V-H said...

You pelicans are gorgeous, Joan! You must have a great camera....LOL... that's what people think often, right? You have great eyes and push the shutter in the right moment! Do you use a tripod?

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Beautiful pictures of St. John's Pass. Love all of your pictures of the pelicans. And to answer your question: NO---don't think I would enjoy eating the throw away parts of fish!!!!! Gag! Guess that is why I am not a Pelican. ha

Hugs,
Betsy

Loree said...

I loved the pelcians down in Cabo San Lucas. They seemed used to having people swim around them. I have not yet lived my dream of swimming with dolphins but I can say that I have swum with pelicans.

Rick (Ratty) said...

These pictures you got of the pelicans are absolutely amazing! I tried to pick which one I like best, but I just can't do it. They're all too good.

The Retired One said...

Jessica: It might be a baby Cormorant, I hadn't noticed that before! I know you have not been lucky this year with your Florida weather...ever since we were down there, they STILL haven't had their usual warmth. But hey, you don't have to snowblow there. ha

Shelley: and plenty of photos you will see. ha I went a little nuts with the photos there this year, especially the wild birds because I am so smitten with them there. Plenty of blogposts still coming!

Susanne: I LOVE LOVE my camera. I do not use a tripod, and it is a point and shoot, can you believe it?
It has a fantastic zoom which helps me get those closeups of the birds I love so much.

Betsy: thanks so much, Betsy. I am afraid you will have to suffer through some more pictures of pelicans, because I am madly in love with them!

Loree: Yes, I want to swim with dolphins someday too! We have been to Mexico several times, but not Cabo San Lucas...do you like it there? Where do you stay?

Ratty: Thanks so much! I took wayyyy to many pix of them because I am mesmerized by them.

Merisi said...

What a beautiful change of scenery,
the baby Pelicano is so very cute!

Happy New Year!

The Retired One said...

Merisi: Thanks so much! And I hope 2010 is your best year EVER....

Sara said...

I love the pirate theme, must have been pretty entertaining!

The Retired One said...

Sara: I do too! It was fun being there...all the scenery and the restaurants and shops are pretty neat there.

SquirrelQueen said...

The pelican are so cool, I love to watch them fly low over the water near sunset. They have a very prehistoric look. The baby does look like some sort of cormorant.
Great photos, I love the last one.

The Retired One said...

SquirrelQueen: They DO look prehistoric..maybe that is why I love them so much! I think after looking at the baby bird, you are correct..it must be a baby cormorant.

grannyann said...

Your pelican photos are outstanding.

The Retired One said...

Grannyann: Thanks so much! I LOVE those birds!

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I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

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