September 24th, 2024

I don't usually give you guys two photo safari reports back to back, but I have to write this one up before I start forgetting the details!  Yikes!  This getting old business is wild sometimes.

OK, this outing was our first hike after my big fall (last report) and as you can see from the photo Joy took of me shooting,  taking pictures was a two handed deal for me. I quickly figured out that if I held the camera in my left hand, I could still push the button,  adjust the settings, etc with my right coz that only takes one finger!  The Pointer Finger hard at work!!

We went to another local preserve but one we rarely hike called the Lemon Bay Preserve. It's actually right here in Venice  (off island but still Venice) but for some unkown reason, we tend to go elsewhere most of the time.  We are so very glad that we chose Lemon Bay this particular hike and here is why:

Wow!  This handsome fellow was one of the very first things we saw as we headed down our first  randomly chosen!  He was trotting along ahead of us, in no particular rush, and did not dart off into the undergrowth which is what Joy and I expected.  I know that he was aware of us behind him because at one point he turned his head and saw us.  But it was just sort of an acknowledgement, "S'up" and our presence didn't seem to bother him.  Naturally we stayed back, kept a respectful distance and were quiet so I don't' think we were threatening to him in anyway.  Of course, push come to shove, I also know that if there were a fight between us, he would win hands down and he knows that too.  

At any rate, it was a stellar start to this particular Photo Safari and obviously this one will be called the Bobcat Hike in his honour.

We kind of hit the highlight of the hike right off the bat with the Bobkitty so while we saw and photographed a lot of other things, nothing nearly as cool as that first sighting.

We always try to head out fairly early in the day which means we get that gorgeous early morning light:

Also due to the early hour,  there were a remarkable number of birds.  Most of them were zooming around getting breakfast and whatever else it is that birds do to get started on their days, which means I probably am not going to get their photos.  I'm not good at moving targets, unlike Joy. But I still got quite a few birdie shots:

I always manage to get a few botanicals because why boys and girls?  That's right, because they don't' move and therefore I am able to capture them!  

Let's see a bunny, a dragonfly and a squirrel

And I think that's about it.  We didn't stay as long as we sometimes do but we made the most of every minute we were there!

Sooo thank you for reading the Bobcat Hike.  I hope you enjoyed this Photo Safari. 

Just as an aside, we are expecting some sort of storm on Thursday this week that nobody, including the experts, seems to be absolutely certain about.  Could be just a bunch of rain, could be a tropical storm, could be the dirty side of a low level hurricane that lands far north of us, could be a much bigger hurricane, could be anything in the middle there or nothing at all.  I have heard every single one of those possibilities, from the experts, who are as muddled as the rest of us, just in a more educated sort of way.  The best part about whatever it is, seems to be that it will be a quick storm, in and out. Less than a full day from top to bottom and I'm good with that.

The point being that even a low level storm can knock out power so if you dont' hear from me later this week, assume that to be the case and I promise that as soon as I can come back and report on the storm, I shall.

Meanwhile, hugs all 'round. Be safe, Be Happy!