Category Archives: Gemini Springs

Gemini Springs, July 2011

We live very close to Gemini Springs, a Volusia County park. The 210-acre park is located along the DeBary Bayou, a swampy finger of water that feeds into Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. We can reach the park from our DeBary home via a leisurely bike ride of just over two miles.

I’ve been saving photos from my visits to Gemini Springs with the vague idea of making an epic blog post about this local patch. But as the folder of photos grows and grows, I am starting to think I should just let the photos speak for themselves. So this is the first post in a series, playing catch up with my July pictures from Gemini Springs. I hope you’ll enjoy this look at my new local birding spot.

Gemini Springs
Nature trail; July 9, 2011

Gemini Springs
DeBary Bayou; July 9, 2011

Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret; July 9, 2011

Gemini Springs
Fishing pier; July 9, 2011

Kayaking DeBary Bayou
Kayaking DeBary Bayou; July 19, 2011

Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Heron seen from the kayak; July 19, 2011

Green Heron
Green Heron seen from the kayak; July 19, 2011

American Crow
American Crow; July 31, 2011

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron; July 31, 2011

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Posted in Florida, Gemini Springs, Volusia Birding | Leave a comment

BPW: Clumsy Anhinga

While visiting Gemini Springs earlier this week, I stopped to watch an Anhinga preening and drying itself in a tree.

Gemini Springs
The Anhinga is in the upper right quadrant of this picture, in the highlighted circle

Anhinga

Anhinga

As I watched, I hoped it might decide to hunt so I could observe it in the water. I just love watching snake birds do their thing. But this beauty just keep on preening.

Anhinga

Anhinga

After about ten minutes, the Anhinga started awkwardly hopping downward towards the center of the tree. It seemed to be uncharacteristically clumsy and I wondered if it could be after some prey in the tree, like a frog.

I lost sight of the bird just as it approached the bottom of the tree, which was over the water. It seemed to vanish behind the leaves. Or did it fall into the water? I approached the tree from the grassy shore, but I couldn’t see the bird.

Just as I was considering stepping into the murky water to check on the fate of the Anhinga, I saw it on a lower branch, shaking water off its body.

It was covered in aquatic vegetation, so I think it did get into the water, maybe not on purpose.

Anhinga

Anhingas always seem so graceful to me, so it was surprising to see this apparently clumsy individual. Of course, I don’t know what happened during the time I lost sight of the bird. Maybe it acquired prey and was satisfied with a successful hunt. From my vantage point, though, it looked like a bit of slapstick.

I left the bird to another preening and drying-off session.

Anhinga

Bird Photography Weekly is a regular collection of user-submitted bird photos from all over the world. The new edition comes out every Sunday. Go have a look at this week’s submissions!

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Posted in Bird Photography Weekly, Florida, Gemini Springs, Volusia Birding | 3 Comments