Sunday
I spent the morning in preparation for my trip, and then drove to the Orlando airport.

Back to Sweden
From Orlando I flew to JFK in New York, then another flight to Copenhagen, and finally a 30-minute train ride to Lund. Here, along with colleague and friend Kevin, we worked long hours on a client project. Friday was a travel day, getting back to Orlando around midnight. Sorry, no time for pics. :(

Raptors
Saturday morning, Auntie and I went to the Avian Reconditioning Center on the outskirts of Apopka. Here for a couple of hours I photographed a few of the twenty “permanent” inhabitants of the center--those birds unable to be released back into the wild. The Center is a non-profit, totally volunteer outfit committed to taking birds that have been injured or abused and rehabbing them back into the wild.













A Little Excitement
While shooting one of the owls, we heard a loud, primal scream followed by a high-speed swoop of wings--a red-shouldered hawk was attacking the owl! He/she must have seen the owl as a violation of territory (owls and hawks share the same geography, but owls rule the night and hawks are in charge during the day). I fired off a few shots and was able to capture this beauty in full swoop.



Check The Center out at www.arc4raptors.org. They are a class outfit that can use everyone’s support.

Pups Across America
"While I was gone, I found out what Jerry and Mitzy do--here they are caught just leaving the Ragged Ass Saloon on PIne Island. Jerry looks quite masculine on that Harley doesn't he?"



Next week I’m on the Island, so I’ll try and get some more shots.

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St. James City, FL > San Jose, CA

San Jose
Most of my week was spent going/being/returning from the San Jose area where I taught a class on services account management. I took my camera but took no pics. :(

Sunrise Cruise
Scott and Deb, Jan’s brother and sister-in-law, came down to Pine Island for their annual visit. Saturday morning we left at dawn for a sunrise cruise of Pine Island Sound. Perfect weather and calm seas surrounded us. Although we saw a couple of dolphins, none were in the mood to follow the boat. Here are pics of Jan and Deb.











Super Moon
Saturday afternoon I drove to Auntie’s house in Apopka. Since I fly out of Orlando Sunday, it made sense to spend the night at her house. We drove off to a new development where we walk our Pups and watched the “once-in-twenty years” big golden moon rise in the East. Quite impressive.



Balloon Caper
While we were waiting for the moon to launch, Auntie and I observed that a big balloon appeared to have been “relocated” from its original place of promotion to hanging on a sign in the development. Although I was totally against doing anything that might shy from being squeaky clean, Auntie was set on swiping the before-swiped balloon. Reluctantly I agreed to assist her and we cut the balloon and about 30 feet of cord free and tied it to the back of our car (it was too big to fit inside). I’ve sworn not to divulge the fate of the balloon, but someone came home to a surprise. Here is a shot of Auntie and the swiped balloon.



Pups Across America
Here is a pic of Sailor Jerry and First Mate Mitzy from the Saturday morning cruise--and a shot of Gato Danny too.







Next week it is back to Sweden—see you then.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island

St. James City > Atlanta > Copenhagen

Cold Copenhagen
Mid-day Monday I flew out of Ft. Myers airport eventually arriving in chilly Copenhagen early Tuesday afternoon. A cab to a hotel then a meeting with my colleague and friend Kevin from Stockholm. Here we caught up on old times and prepared for our upcoming client meeting.

Wednesday morning I braved the cold and took a few photos first thing in the morning. (Yes, that is ice you are seeing on the water.)





Snowy Sweden


Copenhagen > Lund

After breakfast we took the 30-minute train ride from Copenhagen over the bridge to Sweden to Malmo and beyond to Lund. Here we walked from our train station to our hotel and settled into our rooms. The young woman behind the desk was very gracious, giving me a complimentary upgrade when I asked if there was a room with a view for photographs.



Missing Floor
It was indeed a nice, spacious fifth-floor room with windows that opened up providing a view of the city. Interestingly, though, was that the elevator only went to the fourth floor, so there you had to get off, walk down the hallway and take stairs up the remaining flight--no big deal once I first found the stairway!

Lund
Wednesday morning was brisk, but I wandered out in the streets of this college town in an attempt to capture some nice images. Here are a few shots plus one that I painted.







Travel Day
Friday after a quick breakfast, I retraced my tracks, taking the train to Copenhagen, then flying back home arriving around 10:00 that night.

Saturday Block Party
In the afternoon was our annual Date Street Block Party hosted by our neighbors, Patty and Bill. (Here is a shot of gracias Patty welcoming her neighbors.) We have a wonderful street full of people and this yearly event is always fun and loaded with wonderful food. If you’d like to see the pics I took of participants, click here. Note that you are welcome to download any or all of the full-size images.



Pups Across America
Here is a pic of Mitzy early in the week exploring the wilds of the Island.



Next week it is off to Silicon Valley--see you then.

Amazing! Another week of near-perfect weather on the Island…ho, hum…

Baby Eagle
As I’ve mentioned in the past, there is an active eagle’s nest at the Saint James Preserve, and it boasts two young ones. I’ve enjoyed watching them as they explore their territory and “learn the ropes” of being an eagle. Here is a shot of one of them—his brown and white chest reminds me of the mail of a knight—such a regal young fellow.



Mature Eagle
Another nest in our neighborhood has two babies as well. Here is one of the parents taking a break from the nest and checking me out as I take a few photos.



Gato Don
When we moved back to the States from Mexico a dozen years ago we brought three Mexican cats back with us. Don doesn’t see so well, and might be a tad addle-pated, but he is definitely now the head of the household (the Kids tiptoe around him). Here he is dominating our bed.



Feed Store Vet
Once a month on a Sunday the mobile vet clinic parks at the Pine Island Feed Store to take patients. Here is a Pup and his Dad on a rocking chair patiently waiting their turn.



Here is Jerry atop a stack of feedbags looking as though he owns the place, and another one with Jerry and Peaches kissing. (BTW, the Kids successfully received their booster shots.)





Jan’s Egret Table
I’m very happy to report that Jan’s painted table (picture in last week’s blog) that she donated to the Calusa Land Trust brought $700 at the Duck Race live auction! Those monies go to buying and preserving environmentally sensitive lands on Pine Island. Good job, Girlfriend!

Pups Across America
Here is a very unfeminine shot of Mitzy getting a bath and one of the Kids out in the early morning light.





Also, here is a shot of Blue, a half-Husky, half-Wolf pup who was rescued after Hurricane Katrina. He is lying in the street, basking in the sun outside the Fish House that his Dad runs.



Finally, here is a pic of Conner, the Golden Retriever. What an elegant lad don’t you think?



Come back next week for some more pics from OFF THE ISLAND.