Downpour

In the summer here, chances are pretty good it will rain every day in the afternoon. Recently, we've been having severe thunderstorms. In fact, I think the building where I work was struck by lightning last week. With the fire alarm piercing, we were forced outside near the driving rain where more lightning was streaking across the sky. No damage to the building; no injuries....and, I went on to take this photo of a different storm the following day as I navigated my way home through a curtain of rain.   As I sat at this traffic light watching the rain pelt the windshield, I was so excited (and appreciative) knowing I was just minutes from pulling into a (dry) attached garage.

Roadside Message

Spotted this sign in rural Sarasota. I was racing by so fast, I almost didn't see it. Happy Sunday!

Hunter and Hunted

Per the usual, there's a story behind this photo. I spotted this red shouldered hawk last night and noticed it was acting peculiar, standing on a wire over a ditch filled with water from the recent rains. What I didn't know was that it was in hunting mode. As I watched the bird for about 10 minutes, I had a creepy feeling there was a snake nearby. Suddenly, the hawk dropped down from its perch and snatched some soggy grass in its talons. As I snapped pictures, I realized the bird was clutching more than just grass. It had a squirming snake too! What an impressive hunter. The hawk sat on this fence post and displayed its prize for a short while before...well...it was dinner time. What a cool experience. And, this all happened along a busy road in Sarasota.

Wadin' & Waddlin'

That's Wadin' on the left...Waddlin' on the right. I spotted 'em mid-afternoon in the blazing hot sun. Two sandpipers who, I guess, needed to leave their problems behind and cool off.

Wheels Galore

I spotted this bicycle, tricycle and moped outside a Goodwill store in Sarasota. Ever since it opened about a year ago, I have difficulty finding a parking space to go to my dry cleaner next door. With the economy the way it is, Goodwill has become a very popular store --- no matter how you arrive.

Red Shoulder or Red Tail?

I was so excited to spot this hawk and set up my camera right as the sun was casting a beautiful ray of golden light, that I did not take note of the bird's shoulder...or its tail, for that matter. Now, I'm left wondering: is this a red-shouldered hawk or a red-tailed hawk? The Birds of Florida field guide, unfortunately, really isn't much help this time. So, once again, the SDP staff is at odds over a bird photo. As Editor-in-Chief, I'm leaning toward red-tailed hawk.  It just looks different than a red-shouldered hawk.  Whatever it was, it sure had an impressive stature.    

Going Down

I've been so busy lately (unfortunately with everything but photography), I forgot to post my monthly gas price pic. I remembered when I drove by the gas station yesterday afternoon and noticed prices had plummeted 7-cents over the past couple of days.   So, since I snapped this pic in July, we've seen an 8-cent decrease and stand at $3.51.  Remember earlier this summer when the political pundits were prognosticating gas prices falling below $3.50...and beyond?  For an interesting review of where we've been since I started this project in March, click the gas prices label below.