FLORIDA - PLANTS AND WILDLIFE - MARCH 2008

[alpines]

Not much changed there then !!!!!
Sherba sends her love.....Sue can come anytime !!!!!!

But on a serious note (what? me?) So happy you enjoyed your time over here....and yes, it's a shame we couldn't have met up. Can't offer you a pint at the local though. Berea's a 'dry' state. And I'm not talking climate, folks.
Of all the places, in all the world, I chose to live in a 'dry state'. Can you believe that?

[ranunculus]

We WERE very sad not to see you both....can't you make it for the East Lancashire Show at Bacup on the 12th April...we would appreciate your help in the kitchen?

Sorry folks, should have mentioned...the only 'concession' we made to the usual Florida tourist trail was a visit to Busch Gardens (the second word just about saved it from the same fate as Disneyland, etc. etc.), and (for a grumpy old sceptic I was pleasantly surprised)....the next couple of postings will feature images from this manufactured habitat....

[ranunculus]

On with Busch ....and out with Bush.....

[Gerdk]

Wonderful sets of pics, as usual!

Is the peacock forma alba a concession for those poor galanthophiles which  suffer from a shortage of white colour 

Gerd

[alpines]

You call those "Fancy Florida Fliers"...birds?
These are REAL birds !!!

Seriously, just looked out the front window and saw these vultures sitting on the fence posts, Now I know I wasn't feeling too good this morning...but I didn't know I was THAT ill. 

[Maggi Young]

Alan, are you sure those are vultures?  ::)They just look like well fed Moorhens to me, with those red faces. 


So, at last, Cliff, the long-awaited Ollie!! What a cutie he is... takes after his Grandma, I suppose 
Nothing smarter than a young chap properly attired for a life on the ocean wave 

[Paddy Tobin]

Alan,

You can go out and tell those vultures that Cliff is not dead yet, that he has returned to the UK and will not be providing a free dinner for any vultures in the near future.

Paddy

[ranunculus]

You call those "Fancy Florida Fliers"...birds?
These are REAL birds !!!

Seriously, just looked out the front window and saw these vultures sitting on the fence posts, Now I know I wasn't feeling too good this morning...but I didn't know I was THAT ill. 

Boy Oh Boy Mr. Grainger....are you psychic?

The next posting features TRUE vultures.....BLACK VULTURES.....and they rejected my ample frame....and little Ollie's thank goodness!

[Maggi Young]

Hate to tell you this, Cliff, but Alan's moorhens sorry, Turkey Vultures, are BIGGER than yours!

[ranunculus]

....But NOWHERE near as close Maggi.....!!!  (And these were AWAKE)!   

[Maggi Young]

True, true 

[alpines]

Psychic? I think the word you were looking for was Psychiatric !!!!!!
Vultures? Moorhens? Black Bluebirds!!!!! They still had the same effect. Just remind me.....do alpines like fertilizer??

[Paul T]

Cliff,

Fantastic pics as always.  I remember seeing Flamingos in the Waikiki Zoo in Hawaii when there on my honeymoon.... the colour in pictures just doesn't do them justice they're so bright.  Do you happen to know what the green and blue bird you posted a few pics on the bottom of the last page was?  The one with the bright beak and eye, and the white flash just behind the face.  I just love it, but haven't seen anything like it before so I had to ask.

Really wonderful pics Cliff.  So enjoyable to see these exotic locations!! 

[ranunculus]

Many thanks Paul....I'm afraid I didn't get the name of that particular bird, but I agree...what a cutie!  I'm sure Anthony or Carlo can put us on the right track?

[shelagh]

Was that 2nd picture from the Busch Garden a 'self portrait'?  Looks like you've been indulging in too much Florida Fudge Cake, that's quite a double chin you've got there Bookeroo