Eastern Red Screech Owl

I have a little red screech owl living in my redbellied woodpecker house. The owl seems to have
no trouble getting in and out of the opening. Last night I sat until either the mate or the owl came out and was flying around the yard. I cannot tell if its the male coming up to the opening and
feeding the female because by then it is so dark I can barely see the shapes. I want to put a web cam up there but do not know how to do that.

I am ennamoured of a screech owl. First they have the most haunting whoooo, it is ghostly
sounding, kind of like a wail. whoooooooo whooooooo whoooooo. It trails off. Then following
that comes the most beautiful trill or warble. almost like a love song. You could write music
to it. I can see why the screech owls who foretold a death in the family because it is so eery.
For whatever reason I love these owls. I hope they have a successful nesting. Last night I heard
more than one screech owl singing so I know she has a mate or choice of mates. I took this
first photograph with my panasonic camera and my son took the second one with his huge
canon lens. I do not want to take anymore as the flash could hurt her eyes. Enjoy. More
pictures will follow.

Wales

I believe there is a fairyland and it resides in Llanrwst and Gwydyr Forest. I have never
seen such beautiful country or ancient homes. I imagine Robin Hood has retired there.
And King Arthur also. And Mab Queen of the fairys. I am going to England in May and oh how I wish I would have time to see Wales. Still waiting on our passport renewals to come back. I imagine after homeland security started forcing everyone to have a passport to leave your backyard, they were flooded with requests. Sigh. I hope mine gets here before July. July will
be too hot. Or is there such a thing as hot in England. Enjoy. I believe this overlooks the Forest.

La Chua Trail in Payen Prairie State Park , Gainesville, Fl.

I have two blogs or journals and it is very hard to keep up with both of them. My son took

me on a hike on La Chua Trail. It is not for the fainthearted. I say that because the alligators

are right along the foot path. I almost stepped on this guy. And this great blue heron was eating a baby alligator. I was dragged here by my son for the birdering but the gators seemed to outnumber the birds.

Some Days You Get a Gift, Some You Don't

So, today I ran around taking pictures of this guy, and gal, maybe. There were two. Who
knows which was which. We have had some very cold weather move in from the West
and it has brought with it a bigger variety of migratory birds. I love that. Made my day.

Tomorrow will be thirty degrees F or -3 C. And the next day even colder. I love it. I love
cold weather. Sorry, I live in Florida but I should live in Maine. And my dog would love it
better in Maine too. And I bet I would see even more warblers in Maine. Also I spent much
time today trying to convince two squirrels that I did not put up my screech owl house just
for them. I got my passport photographs and I am ready for my trip to England. This time
I really do have horrible passport photo's. Ten years ago I would have to say I actually
liked my passport photograph. I went to a photographer that time, this time I just
went to Walgreens. Maybe the photographer touched them up. Who knows.

I have been online looking up fold up kayaks, inflatable kayaks and fold up canoes. I am
getting something. I might try the one that has a free 3month trial money back guarantee.
Now that I have had a taste of being out on the water, I want more. Ok. Time to
take the big dog out. So, says the Boss.

Yikes!

On Tuesday I went out in my sons kayak. After we came back in, he went back out but this
time went down the river in the other direction. When he came back he said he had taken
a photograph of a large gator on the banks of the river. I am sooo glad I did not see any alligators while I was in the kayak. I would have freaked out. I am deathly afraid of alligators. And we
have had quite a few people in Florida who have lost their lives to them, or legs or arms. But
most of those people were in the water or close to being in the water. That is why I was so nervous about possibly tipping the kayak over. I have not accomplished much today. It was been a very boring day. I did get some new woodpecker nut blocks and I am eternally grateful to my
dear husband who knew I needed some. Without them I do not get my woodpecker fix.
Anyway. Enjoy the gator picture. Photographer, Paul Pfau. He is quite a professional.
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/

Yak Love

I love kayaking. Took my first kayak paddle yesterday at Blue Springs State Park. It was
awesome. Once I got over my fear of rolling over into an alligators mouth. We kayaked up the
St. Johns River from the end of Blue Springs (where we were camping) And we went into a little
cove like inlet where there were at least one hundred ibis feeding. When we disturbed them they all flew up in the air over our heads. It was a moment!! I learned to paddle with my arms, not my whole body. Otherwise you risk rocking the whole kayak. And I learned paddling a kayak makes
a lot of muscles hurt that you never knew you had. I want to do it again and maybe buy my own
kayak. My son brought his kayak up to our campsite so I could go out with a pro for moral support. We saw some Manatee at the Blue Springs. They are very strange looking and they make this funny noise like a small whale when they take a breath of air. And they like to do belly rolls. These fish cling to their bodies and they roll over to dislodge them. It was soo coool.

A Moose or a Reindeer?

I got this new fiber optic figure. I am not sure if it's a moose or a reindeer.
But since it is a christmas decoration, I think reindeer.

What do you think, moose or reindeer.

I have another shot of him with no lights. Maybe you can see him better in that one.
But I like this one with the lights on.

Today has been like spring. Windows open but not too hot. But of course it is January but nature does not seem to know that yet. Well, my dinner is ready
so I must go. here is the other shot.