We always hope for a special sighting when we go to Blue Run Park in Dunnellon.
There's a good chance we'll see lots of neat birds but it's fun to see something out of the ordinary.
Lately, it's been River Otters.
They are a challenge to photograph because the swim under water for a long distance and you never know where they'll 'pop up'!
But they are so cute and fun to see!
A few years ago we watched some Red-shouldered Hawks in a nest. The baby photos were some of my favorites. Old photos in the post HERE.
And we still see the pair near the nest.
We love seeing them all grown up and beautiful.
So perfectly groomed....not a 'hair' out of place.
Oh but this one is having a wild feather day! heehee!
We saw one medium sized Alligator swimming along.
And at the very end of the hike a special bird.
Cedar Waxwing
A beautiful day at the Park! When visitors come, we always take them to Blue Run Park. It's the perfect place to see wildlife and birds.
50 comments:
that hawk with the 'wild' feather could be named Alfalfa from Our Gang in the distant past. awesome photos and there is a lot of blue in Blue Run. LOVE that adorable otter...
...oh good, you have a gator today. Take care and stay well.
My brother loves otters and is always taking pictures of them at the zoo. So great to see them in the wild. Love the picture of the bird with his one feather out of place. So cute. Hope you have a great weekend!
I love otter watching. They are such characters!
What a great close-up of the hawk! And that waxwing is a beauty!
Sweet! Love the otters, so cute. Those are amazing pictures of all the birds.
Everything was going great until that medium sized alligator swam past. *shudder*
Honey, you got some really difficult shots here! River otters are heard but rarely seen. I love it! I'm wishing you a great weekend. Aloha from Honolulu!
Great photos!
I especially like the Red-shouldered Hawk photos.
I nearly lost a finger trying to stroke an otter in a wildlife park, he bit me and hung on eventually dropping off. I still love them though
wow...wow...wow!! the hawk images are gorgeous, really spectacular!! and that waxwing, outstanding...what a great outing you had!!!
blue rum park, outstanding, now i want to go there!!!
You get to see the most amazing wildlife! We sometimes see the cedar waxwings here, which was surprising to me to see you have them there! I loved the bird with its feather sticking up, so fun!
Cedar waxwings are outstanding birds. I can count on one hand the times I've seen one. Lucky you.
The hawk looks regal and amazing
Loved the hawk with the little feather! :). What a great closeup!!
Always awesome!! Wow!!
The cedar waxwing is so pretty.
Your photos make me feel like I am seeing everything just as you saw it!
Cedar waxwings come through here during migration and strips our Yaupon Holly tree in a matter of minutes!!! I've seen them do this several times and it's always amazing! A real feeding frenzy!
Gorgeous photos!
I kind of have a thing for hawks!
These are great photos.
Very nice that there are also Otters.
The Red-shouldered Buzzard is really beautifully photographed, my compliments.
Greetings Irma
Un gran paseo con preciosos avistamientos. Me encantaría pasear por ahí. Un abrazo y feliz fin de semana.
Love the photo of the hawk with the stray feather. How wonderful to see so many different things.
Otters would make my day any day, and with a side order of Cedar Waxwings it becomes an extra special outing.
Hello Diane,
It is cool to see the otters, they are cute critters. Your Hawk photos are awesome and I love the pretty Cedar Waxwings. Pretty views of the park!
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.
Hari OM
My word - what wonderful sights! YAM xx
Super pictures of the Red-shouldered Hawks Diane. And yes, it must be fun seeing the river otters and trying to guess where they will appear next. Enjoy your weekend and the Florida sun.
How wonderful to spot the otter. I always think that Cedar Waxwings are formal little creatures. They look so properly 'dressed'. ;-)
Florida in winter. Nothing like it!
Blue Run is a beautiful spot. Thank you for sharing your terrific photographs! Otters are always so interesting. We always know spring is not too far away when the Waxwings show up.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Love the hawk, even on his bad feathers' day.😄😄😄
What a fantastic sighting of the otter. The hawk with the tiny feather is stunning. Have a wonderful weekend.
So nice to see the otters ...
Love that hawk, a wonderful photograph.
Enjoy this last January weekend, it's February on Wednesday!
All the best Jan
Beautiful photos. Birds are so gorgeous and river otters are just so cute.
Diane - what a spectacular blessing to see river otters! It gives me faith that not all is lost with our environment! I have not seen otters around here for a couple of years ... sad. The rest of your photos are also gorgeous, especially the Waxwing!
Hi Diane, Your comment about the River Otters leaves me with a smile. Here in Seattle, we have Harbor Seals that glide along under the water of Puget Sound and look very much like your River Otters when they poke their head out of the water. I recently spotted a pair on my walk and spent a good 5 minutes, stopped, with the camera ready to capture them. It was impossible not knowing where they would next surface and their behavior made me wonder if they were acting just to annoy the human with a camera. 😊 You have a neat post here indeed. Image #6 is awesome! Have a happy week ahead! John PS How do I get into your “Fun to Visit” places on the left side of the page? 😊
Ha ha the hawk with the wild feather day.
Good morning Diane:=) It's 6.30 am here in Portugal and still dark outside. I'm wondering what kind of day it will be. certainly not as warm or sunny as where you live. It's been pretty cold too, and I don't get to walk in the great outdoors until Spring. I love visiting, because you always have some wonderful wildlife photos. It's no wonder you take visitors to the Blue Run Park. Seeing an otter, Red Shouldered Hawk, and Waxwings all on the same outing would have been like a dream come true for me. By the way, your photos of the Red Shouldered Hawk are first class, and you always manage to bring an element of fun to your post. I laughed at the tiny feather.:=)
Have a nice day Diane.
All the best.
I love waxwings, but we don't see them here too often. When we do, it's a special treat. Loving the hawk portrait today!!
It was great having you link in this week at IRBB! Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
Great photos. Here, cedar waxwings usually feed on shriveled crabapple trees in spring.
I love the wild feather portrait. Great capture. Great post.
Very cool photos. We have otters here in Tulsa at a nature park. I'm told the only reliable time to see them is at daybreak but they appear other times as well.
Very nice photos.
Blue Run Park -- you're right. It's guaranteed for good wildlife sightings.
As for otters, they are fascinating. We watched some years ago in Alaska. They are so cute!
The close-ups of the Red Shouldered Hawk are very nice.
I will pass on the gator.
Great post!
That Cedar Waxwing is so pretty. His feathers looks so soft and smooth on his neck and belly. And that's a great photo of the close-up Hawk. The little Otters are cute, as they swim happily in the water. Sounds like you had a pleasant day on this hike.
Have a lovely Sunday, Diane.
~Sheri
Wonderful series of nature photos ~ Otters are so playful ~ would imagine it is difficult to get photos but you did ~ Bravo! Xo
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The Cedar Waxwing is quite a beauty. I've never seen one . Lovely photos as usual. I've also never seen a river otter- thanks so much for sharing your adventures in Florida.
Great captures on your visit to the Blue Run Park. Love the 1st pic of the beautiful lake. Like the hawk having a wild feather day.
lovely Red-shouldered Hawks ...
I didn't see it in nature long time.
Have a wonderful Monday
I've only seen Cedar Waxwings twice since living in Tennessee, so they are a bit special for me. Your photos are all lovely.
River otters (and sea otters too) are so darn cute! Love all the birds, but especially the Cedar Waxwings -- they're just special.
What a funny post. Especially the frizzy feathers of the bird ... I`must laugh loud, Diane. Wonderful. That`s the reason why blogging bring people togehter and have some fun. Thank you dearest Blogfriend.
And thank you to being part again of MosaicMonday.
Many Hugs by Heidrun
Post a Comment