Animals at Chesnut Park

This squirrel was taking a nap in the sun. He didn't move when I walked by but eventually he left when more people came by.

The only shot of a deer far off in the woods. I stood there for at least 15 minutes hoping they would wander closer to the boardwalk. Just as they were about to hit a clear spot in the woods a bunch of loud people came walking by and spooked the deer and off they went deeper in the woods.

I think this is a yellow rumped warbler.

Male cardinal sitting pretty. They love to pose.

Pileated woodpecker.

I try and get out fairly early in the morning. I hit Chesnut Park around 8:30 am. I know that's late by most birder standards but I need my sleep. It was a little cool out (cool for us Floridians anyway) and there really wasn't too many people out. I try and walk quietly so I can hear the birds calling. I don't know any of the tiny birds by sound but at least I know they are there and where to look for them. I know the bigger bird sounds such as red bellied woodpeckers, pileateds, hawks, cardinals and herons (I love the way great blue herons honk when they fly off). I hear some little peeps high in the trees and quietly wait for them to get close. Just as a raise my camera and try and get a shot, here come a bunch of loud walkers. The ones in the back want the ones in the front to hear what they are saying. Off flies the little birdies before I get a shot.  Later down the boardwalk it happens again only this time its a group of nordic walkers banging their walking sticks loudly on the boardwalk. Or better, someone walks by with their barking dog when there are large signs that say "No dogs on the boardwalk." I do love Chesnut Park. It has a lot of great wildlife for such a busy park. It's the only place close to my house where I can see deer and not get shot at. But it can really challange a photographer's patience.

Please don't shoot the deer, except with a camera!

Now I know where some of the deer hang out. At least for the last two trips to Chesnut Park. As I drove into the park early on a recent Saturday morning, I saw them wandering around in a wooded field. I parked and walked into the field which is heavily shaded. I didn't get too close but eventually the deer wandered pretty close over to me. At one point I had to walk back because they had gotten to close for me to get any shots. With no sun it was a challenge to get them but I used my flash and cranked up the ISO. I think it was on 800 here. I watched them eat for a while and then headed over to the boardwalk.

Oh, deer me!

 

Finally! After going to Chesnut Park in north Pinellas county so many times in the last 2 years, I get some pictures of the deer. It was 8:30 in the morning and I was pulling into a parking spot when they came running by. They stopped at the edge of the woods right in front of me. At first I thought they would run into the swampy woods before I could even get my camera out. Four of the six did but two hung around along the edge for a while. I opened my car door and stood next to it and took the above quickly. Eventually, they all headed into the woods. I looked for them on the boardwalk but never did see them again. Last week, one of my coworkers said she saw 17 deer on the baseball field while biking one afternoon. One of these days I'm going to head up there later in the day to see what else I can find that I don't see in the mornings.

Cows and a deer - more non-bird pictures

A few non-bird animals to post that I saw during my travels on my few days off recently.  I headed down to Myakka River State Park for the first time. It had rained recently and the lake was flooded. I saw absolutely no birds. Not even on the nature trail. I climbed the canopy walk and still no birds. I did see a deer on the main road and pulled over to take a picture. The deer has some beautiful lashes around the eyes. What a bust trip that was. With gas prices so high now I don't know when I'll make that hour and a half long trip again. On the way back, I stopped at the Celery Fields in Sarasota. It's an old celery farm that has been restored as a wetland. The water was high there as well. I stopped before you get back on the interstate and took a few pictures of a cow close to the fence. I'm not sure what that big metal thing was. I'm assuming it's some kind of feeder. Any ideas?

Chesnut Park birds and animals.

I was walking along the boardwalk and heard a scream. I backed up thinking "that's a hawk close by". I look all around and found the above screaming right above my head.

All of a sudden he notices me. He looks at me like "where'd you come from" and took off.

I found this male anhinga posing on a stump. I like the way his white feathers stick out on his head.

I found this green heron poking around in the reeds.

My goal every time I go to Chesnut Park it to get pictures of the wild deer that live there. This is all I got. I saw it right as it was dashing under the boardwalk and ran deep in the woods. My husband said "Why do you keep taking pictures of deer butts?" Cause that's all I keep seeing. One of these days though...

This small alligator seemed to be smiling at me. Alligators are like dolphins in that they seem to both have a permanent smile on their faces.

Fun Animals at Chesnut Park

Loud mouth red shouldered hawk.

Butterflies were everywhere in the park.

Yes, this is the back end of a deer. See below for story.

Small alligator close to the boardwalk.



The above turtle was laying in the middle of the road that runs through the park. I took a quick picture then picked him up and moved him over in the grass.

Last Saturday was beautiful. It felt cooler in the morning so I headed out to John Chesnut Park in north Pinellas county. I had only been there once before and didn't see too much on that first visit. I really wanted to see deer. Several people have told me they had seen deer there. After 2 hours of walking through the park I stopped by the boardwalk that runs along the boat launch. A nice lady stopped me and said "There's 2 deer in the swamp here below the boardwalk." As I walked over and saw the deer a guy with a big dog walked over as well. The dog started barking very loud just as I started to take the picture. All I got was the back end of the deer. The thing that makes me really mad is there is a big sign at the entrance to that boardwalk that says "no dogs allowed".  Why do people have no respect? I guess another trip to this park is in my near future.