Brown Pelicans in flight at John's Pass-Watery Wednesday

I love Brown Pelicans. Captured these in flight at John's Pass in Maderia Beach, Florida.

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UPDATED to Boat Tailed Grackle not Rusty Blackbird

I ID'd this is a female Rusty Blackbird. That was the best I could do looking at my reference books. Lynne and Hap ID'd it for me, as a Boat Tailed Grackle. Another one for my lifer list.

These photographs were taken standing on John's Pass Boardwalk at Maderia Beach, Florida. These were taken while I was watching the dolphin playing in the ocean a very short distance from the birds.

Look at those feet.

I went to http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Boat-tailed_Grackle.html

and right there is a photograph that is this bird without a doubt. These photographs were taken on the Gulf Coast, and they have a photo of the Gulf Coast female. Thank you Lynne and Hap, I am sure I will know this bird the next time I see it.

Dolphin at John's Pass Boardwalk at Maderia Beach

These dolphin photographs were taken from the John's Pass boardwalk at Maderia Beach less than 2 weeks ago. We stay on St Pete Beach, but we go to John's Pass for the good food and the dolphins. I just cannot get the dolphin photos I want. The top one they almost came up for me. I mostly get tails in the air, like the one below.
This one you can see the head, but not to my satisfaction.

There were plenty there.

Can see the head again, just a little.

And backs and tails again. As always you can click to enlarge for viewing.

More Brown Pelicans at John's Pass Boardwalk

Love that wing span.

And then landing.

Then I got another one as he is coming in to land on one of the post.

And then as he is trying to steady himself on the post.

Brown Pelicans at John's Pass

Here I have my favorite poses, on the post.

Brown Pelicans at John's Pass Boardwalk

The fishing boats come in close to the boardwalk at John's Pass. The fishermen feed the scraps to the Pelicans and Herons.

I think this bottom photo is one of my favorite. Although I like the ones of them on the post.

Osprey off shore at John's Pass

I took this photograph of a Osprey from the boat on a sunset cruise. I may be wrong, it may not be an Osprey. If I am wrong, please correct me. I am still a very young birder.

UPDATE: Per the comments, I did correctly ID this bird as an Osprey.

Heron at John's Pass in Maderia Beach

We should be on our way to St Pete Beach now. Both of these photographs were taken at John's Pass Boardwalk in Maderia Beach. We stay in St Pete, but we go to John's Pass couple of times a week (love The Friendly Fisherman Restaurant). The top photo is a Great Blue Heron.

Not sure about the little fellow. Look at the dark spot on his lower jaw. Is this the way the immature Blue Heron look? I don't think so. Could it be a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron? His legs look different too.

Pray for our safe trip, and please remember Wendy while I am gone. Not sure I will have any internet service the whole week. If I do I will visit. I already have plenty of post for your viewing while I am gone. I will be looking forward to seeing the comments left when I return.

Double Crested Cormorant

Well, I have finished with the fall colors photographs I took through last week. I went back to the Smokies on Wednesday morning so I am sure I will sharing more fall colors photos when we return from vacation. But for now we are headed south in the morning. I decided I should go through all the photographs I took in June while we were in Florida. So I did, while we are in St Pete Beach you will be viewing photos from our June trip to St Pete.

When I went to the Florida Birding Festival in April 2008 everybody there got excited when they saw a speck in the distance they said were Cormorants. There was always great discussions about how to tell the difference in a Double Crested and a Great.

So in June when we saw these up close, I got excited too. (Trained well!!)

I know it has to be a Double Crested, my reference book says Great Cormorant are not in Florida.

We were on a sunset cruise when I took these. These were taken right before I took the manatee photo I posted in June. The manatee photo was not that great. Looked like that monster Ireland claims to have in their lake.

Maybe this trip I will get some more of these birds. Love getting excited about my photography.

Dolphin at John's Pass

Dolphins at John's Pass in Maderia Beach, June 2008. This first photo looks like a torpedo.

The one below was a real puzzle. That is just water, it just caught the light differently.

Is that a snout? Not sure. But he is blowing.

Then there were lots swimming. Sooooo hard to catch them as they come out of the water.

Almost got his snout. Just almost.

I also had to really look at the photo below. I wasn't sure what that was. Once you see it as a tail, it is like "how could you not tell?"Another tail. Oh well, there is always our next trip to St. Pete Beach.