Deck shots

 Snowy Egret

An uncommon visitor in our yard

One litter will be delivered 2-25 and a 2nd one 5 days later if all goes on schedule

Anemone “migration"

Wanderlust might be a more accurate description of the movements of our big anemone.  Every year it decides to travel a bit for npc known reason to us.  Temperature, salinity, nitrates, lighting and all other variables we measure remain unchanged.

The typical “look” of our tank

The usual position of the anemone 2-19-18.

The next morning

Overnight it moved almost 3 feet !  (2-20-18)

By the next morning it had “jumped” (actually it slid along the glass support strut between the front and back of the aquarium) from the back glass to the front glass so now we are looking at its “butt” instead of its beautiful tentacles.

At least our mated pair of Percula Clownfish often sashayed around the edge of its butt. (2-23-18)

On 2-25-18 the anemone is sliding along the glass support strut  toward the back of the tank.

Monday, 7 am, the anemone has moved again and has now dropped down into a really perfect position on the face of a piece of coral. (2-26-18)

By 7 pm on Monday (2-26-18) the anemone has left the piece of coral and appears to be heading home.

And by 8 pm on Tuesday, 2-27, it is right back where the journey started on 2-19!

Signs by a not-so-bright

Ospreys on Crescent Lake, St Petersburg: 2-26-18

We observed a very unusual hunting technique of Ospreys on nearby Crescent Lake.  Typical foraging techniques include diving for fish from 20, 30, 40 feet or even higher.  One of the Ospreys here repeatedly flew only one to two feet above the surface and then smashed into the water after fish.  It was unsuccessful at least seven times.

They dive headfirst toward the water and at the last minute turn so their talons enter the water and hopefully for them (not so much so for the fish!) come up with a fish which they then orient forward to make flying with it as aerodynamic as possible for the Osprey.

Interesting Signs

Humpbacks in the Silver Bank

 



Amazingly graceful and powerful when a school bus-sized whale exits the water in a breach

Aquarium shots

Mama Clownfish

Smaller male on left

The anemone has moved from the back of the tank to the front glass so we now look at its “butt."

Long-Spined Sea Urchin

Naso Tang

Banana Wrasse, a new tank member 

Beautiful coloration

Painted Triggerfish