Blogging Again

Over the past several months, numerous people have asked that we start blogging again. We blogged for 10 years and I sometimes I miss it. This is to let you know that we are starting back up.

I want to start by saying the collies are doing well. Now that it is December and the weather is cooler, they are happy and spending more time outside. We have an abundance of squirrels right now which keeps the dogs busy. While outside, their favorite place is in front of the gate which gives them a good view of the world in front of the house where the delivery trucks, bicyclists, cats, and muscovy ducks keep them entertained.

Regis continues to work on his boat. Isn’t that what boats are for? He is taking me out regularly to do bird counts on the Tolomato River. I bring friends along when they are available. It is a joy to get out on the water and live in the moment. We have an abundance of American oystercatchers along the river and many are banded. I try to photograph every banded bird and submit any pics I get to the American Oystercatcher Working Group database. When I do, I get to see where the bird was first captured and banded and any sightings since then. One of my favorite sightings was a chick I photographed on May 28, 2021 the day after it was banded. I later saw the bird again on September 17, 2025.

I was the compiler for the St. Augustine Christmas Bird Count. Sixty-four of us counted birds in the St. Augustine Circle on December 14. I was on a boat and we saw many oystercatchers and tried to get pictures of all of them. It was a great day with great people.

I recently kayaked on Moultrie Creek with two of my fellow lazy kayakers. I photographed a royal tern while it was diving for a fish and when I got home was thrilled to see it was banded and I can read the band.

This black-bellied plover is searching for food at low tide. In breeding plumage, the males have a distinctive black belly.

I watched a white ibis eat a crab. It works the crab until it has no more legs and then swallows the rest whole.

This short-billed dowitcher has food in its bill.

This great blue heron is showing off its beautiful long feathers on its chest.