Tag Archives: Vacation

Home at Last – 6,161 Miles Later

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Jax Beach Sunrise while packing to go home

Jax Beach Sunrise while packing to go home

Yesterday, we drove the last 200 miles from Jacksonville, Florida to Winter Haven. Coming through the Orlando – Disney World traffic on Interstate 4, was almost as bad as the traffic in San Diego. Well, not really. They have in places seven and eight lanes going the same direction. (Glad Dan was driving!)

On the Last Photos of Our Vacation post yesterday, which I wrote the day before that, I thought I was through taking photos of our vacation. But when we started loading the car, saw the sunrise, I couldn’t resist taking a few more. (Give a lady a camera with “program mode” and no developing fees, she goes nuts with the “clicker button”.)

Jax Beach Sunrise while packing to go home

Yes, we are now officially home after 6,161 miles of blessings. What a beautiful country we are blessed to live in. I of course bird watched as Dan drove us home. We were pleasantly surprised and concerned to see 4 different families of Sandhill Cranes along the highway. There were three “dad, mom and a youngster”, and one “dad, mom and two youngsters” groups. 13 in all. Sandhills usually have two “colts” and most only have one survive. So the one group of four are fortunate.

It felt good to sleep in my own bed again. Not that any were bad, but there is something about getting back “home.” What will it be like when those of us who know the Lord as our Savior, arrive at our eternal home?

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. … But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13,14,16 KJV)

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
(John 3:15-17 KJV)

Some Golden Daybreak Jesus Will Come

Now the hard work begins – sorting, tossing out, naming photos, cleaning them up and shrinking them for the blog. STAY TUNED!

Thanks again for all the prayers for our safety.!!!!

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Last Photos of Our Vacation

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Laughing Gull at Hanna Park by Lee

Laughing Gull at Hanna Park by Lee

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. (Jer 17:7)

Yesterday we wrapped up our long vacation. We spent our last day birdwatching at the Hanna Park in Jacksonville, Florida. We have actually been on the road since May 3rd. A total of 32 days traveling. We left home and drove to San Diego, California (2,400+ miles) and back via a little different route. Our total trip amounted to just over 6,000 miles. We saw the Pacific and decided to end it at the Atlantic. We are calling this our belated 50th Anniversary Trip (2 years late).

With over 8,000 photos, I will have some tales to tell and birds to share (also lots of photos to toss) Some were taken while Dan was driving. Why is it just about the time you click the camera, a bump shows up?

Hanna Park by Lee

Hanna Park by Lee

I didn’t want to say too much while we gone for so long, but now I can start sharing our adventures. Also, apologies for not getting to your sites as frequently as prefered. The unread emails have been building up. Kept up as best I could, but still stayed behind. Also had many blogs pre-scheduled which helped.

Anyway, we have been to four zoos; Houston, San Diego, San Antonio, Jacksonville and two Living Desert Museum/Zoos. Plus lots of other interesting things and scenery. You already saw the Mississippi Welcome Center and the Large Roadrunner.

Sea Gull with feet in Atlantic at Hanna Park by Lee

Sea Gull with feet in Atlantic at Hanna Park by Lee

Our adventures were not just about birds. We saw 3 ships, Battleship Texas, USS Midway and USS Alabama, plus a couple of Aircraft Museums. We also had to readjust our schedule (never really had one) and route because of all the bad weather across Texas. Also had a Tornado Warning group sitting around the TV while in San Antonio. We were near the basement shelter, if needed. Added around 10 new Life Birds, but still analyzing photos for more.

Gull with feet in the Pacific by Lee

Gull with feet in the Pacific by Lee

The Lord has been very gracious to us while we were gone. We have had safe travels and avoided much of the bad weather. Many were praying for us while we have been traveling. Thank you for those prayers. We also met many nice people along the way. Some are now reading the blog.

As we traveled the Lord’s Hand in creation is so obvious. From birds, critters, plants and to the various terrains, there is so many blessings from Him. We are thankful to the Lord for His protection and blessings.

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psa 5:11-12)

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Jacksonville Zoo’s Cape Thick-knee

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Dan and I have been off on a trip to the mountains of Tennessee and made some interesting stops along the way. Haven’t always had an internet connection to be able to post new articles. Put the blog on “auto-pilot” before we left. (PS – We just got home and I thought I released this 2 days ago.)

We stopped at the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida to do some birdwatching. Have lots of photos to go through, but thought I would share a video I took of the Cape Thick-knee, as they call it. One reason I enjoyed these birds is because of the size of their eyes to their heads.  They were so friendly and quite vocal. This is just one of the times they were “sounding off.”

Checked with Wikipedia to see what they say about the Thick-knee. It is actually the Double-striped Thick-knee (Burhinus bistriatus). They are related to the stone-curlews. They are in the Burhinidae Family which has ten species of Thick-knees and Stone-curlews. According to the Chicago Zoo, their Cape Thick-knee is the Double-striped and Wikipedia says it is the Striped Thick-knee. I am not sure if what we saw is the one or two striped bird, so we will call it the Cape.

It is a resident breeder in Central and South America from southern Mexico south to Colombia, Venezuela and northern Brazil. It also occurs on Hispaniola and some of the Venezuelan islands, and is a very rare vagrant to Trinidad, Curaçao and the USA.

This is a largely nocturnal and crepuscular species of arid grassland, savanna, and other dry, open habitats. The nest is a bare scrape into which two olive-brown eggs are laid and incubated by both adults for 25–27 days to hatching. The downy young are precocial and soon leave the nest.

The Double-striped Thick-knee is a medium-large wader with a strong black and yellow bill, large yellow eyes, which give it a reptilian appearance, and cryptic plumage. The scientific genus name refers to the prominent joints in the long greenish-grey legs, and bistriatus to the two stripes of the head pattern.

The adult is about 46–50 cm long and weighs about 780-785 g. It has finely streaked grey-brown upperparts, and a paler brown neck and breast merging into the white belly. The head has a strong white supercilium bordered above by a black stripe. Juveniles are similar to adults, but have slightly darker brown upperparts and a whitish nape.

Double-striped Thick-knee is striking in flight, with a white patch on the dark upperwing, and a white underwing with a black rear edge. However, it avoids flying, relying on crouching and camouflage for concealment. The song, given at night, is a loud kee-kee-kee.

There are four subspecies, differing in size and plumage tone, but individual variation makes identification of races difficult.

The Double-striped Thick-knee eats large insects and other small vertebrate and invertebrate prey. It is sometimes semi-domestcated because of its useful function in controlling insects, and has benefited from the clearing of woodlands to create pasture.

See also:

Burhinidae – Stone-curlews, Thick-knees

Spotted Thick-knee – Wikipedia

Double-striped Thick-knee – Wikipedia

Cape Thick-knee – Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo

Wordless Birds

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