Sunset at The Zoo

The Central Florida Zoo has extended hours on the last Friday of the month through out the summer. I only found out about it at the last minute and decided to go on a whim.

Some caterpillars clinging to a vine.

One of the zoo keepers explaining the logistics of caring for the curious bears. 

A Florida Pine Snake.

The Everglades Rat Snake.

An enormous Gaboon Viper. This venomous snake comes from Western Africa and can weigh up to forty pounds. Its head was the size of my fist. In their natural habitat they hide on the forest floor and wait patiently for prey to get within striking distance.

The Aruba Island Rattlesnake, the rarest rattlesnake in the world due to habitat destruction.

The Desert Horned Viper, a venomous sidewinder from North Africa and the Middle East.

An Emerald Tree Boa from the Amazon Basin. 

Some beautiful succulent plants around the zoo. 

The giraffes reaching for a piece of lettuce from an eager child.

Susie Slithers

A while back Rochelle and her husband Justin decided to get a ball python. Her daughter named her Susie Slithers. Here she is enjoying a little adventure outside of her enclosure and around the kitchen table. 

Grounded: The Art of Looking Down (Part 12)

Solo trip to watch the sunrise at Cocoa Beach.

Visiting St. Pete Beach. 

Liz, mom, and Jenny watching the sunset.

Me and mom.

Watching a baby Ringneck snake find its way back to the grass.

Standing over some unusual street art in Paris.

Jenny and I admiring the floor of St. Chapelle.

Enjoying a break on the dock outside work with my sparkly sneakers. 

Sunrise at Cocoa Beach

It had been a while since I had been to the east coast. I decided to get up early to greet the day.

Driving to Cocoa Beach singing along with my favorite Dean Martin songs.

A flock of birds soaring with the moon. 

A paddleboarder in the early morning light.

A sunrise that resembled a meteor strike. 

The little flecks of water on the sand made the beach glitter in the early morning light.

Surfers gathering near the pier.

As I was heading back to my car I spotted this highly venomous Coral Snake crossing my path. I was able to capture this shot just before he disappeared into the brush. 

The San Diego Zoo

Photos from my visit to the San Diego Zoo.

Sleepy little koala. 

Adorable serval entranced by a leaf falling from a tree. 

A beetle struggling to navigate a narrow branch. 

A stick bug. 

The elephant enclosure. 

A sun bear. 

Giant panda. 

The Andean bear - the only bear that lives in the southern hemisphere. 

The Andean bear was one of my favorites! It was very active and had beautiful markings on its face. I even captured this  bear resting with its head on its paws. 

This orangutan had just woken up from a nap and pulled his blanket over his head. 

An albino python. 

A curious Malayan tiger. 

Lowry Park Zoo

Lowry Park Zoo is a wonderful zoo located in Tampa. I always have a fantastic time and one of my favorite places to take photos is within the free-flight aviary located just inside the entrance. 

A pair of Pied Imperial Pigeons from Southeast Asia.

A Sun Bittern from Central and South America showing off its beautifully patterned feathers.

A breeding pair of Red Legged Seriemas from Brazil with their two chicks. 

A young Orangutan munching on some leafs. 

An adolescent Orangutan joins the younger one who was eating. I was able to capture this dynamic pose of the older one reaching for the Orangutan below. 

One of my favorite animals from the zoo - a Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby. Just adorable!

The incredible thing about the Wallaby's was that they were held in an enclosure that the guests could walk through. You were able to be inches away from them as long as you did not touch them. The enclosure also had two attendants standing by the entrance and exit. Apparently the Wallaby's were a little too curious about the rest of the zoo. 

An Alligator Snapping Turtle. 

A resting Pine Snake. 

A Bald Eagle framed beautifully by the branches of the tree. 

A decorative bust in the Asian Gardens.