Pets/Wildlife

Will Kuhns snapped this crow taking a dip in the Ballantrae neighborhood in Land O’ Lakes. American crows are large, intelligent, all-black birds with hoarse, cawing voices. They are common sights in treetops, fields and roadsides, and in habitats ranging from open woods and empty beaches to town centers. They usually feed on the ground and eat almost anything.

Five-year-old Shealina was adopted from Pasco County Animal Services a few years ago. She loves playing with her toys and lives with her proud parents, Frank and Nicole Magazu, in Land O’ Lakes.

This mama black-bellied whistling duck proudly showed off her babies — teaching them to swim and catch a few bugs along the way. Bonnie Caston said this is nature at its best in her backyard in Zephyrhills.

Piper is a pure-bred English Setter born in July 2023 in Maryland alongside a litter of six brothers and sisters. She officially moved to Florida in August 2023 with her human parents, and is looking forward to having warm-weather year-round. Piper’s interests include playing tug-of-war, chewing on her large collection of dog toys, snacking and napping. She hopes to someday be fully potty-trained, and wants to learn other commands when she gets older. Piper lives with her proud owner, Kevin Weiss, in Zephyrhills.

This juvenile male Northern Cardinal was spotted by David Maynard in a San Antonio backyard. Juvenile cardinals look similar to adults in size and shape but lack red plumage until around November (some six or seven months after the breeding season). The tail usually turns red first.

Pearl is a corgi and Henley was adopted from the Humane Society, but his parents just call him a mini golden retriever with a heart of gold. The two canines love playing together, chasing squirrels in the backyard and following their three ‘siblings’ around the house, just in case they drop a snack! Pearl and Henley live with the Hudson family — Derek, Aubrey, Maddox, Everett and Evelyn — in Land O’ Lakes.

Tom Hammen ‘snapped’ this photo of an alligator catching its breakfast, at the pond on 17th Street, off Lock Street, in Dade City. It appears to be a capybara caught in the gator’s jaws.

If Luna and Shadow aren’t chasing each other through the house, they like to lay outside by the pool and wait for little geckos and baby snakes so they can bring them indoors to play with. These two beauties live with Sabrina Schwiesow in Zephyrhills.

This doe and her fawn were spotted on the 11th fairway of the golf course at Lexington Oaks in Wesley Chapel. The photographer, Sandy Smith, thinks she may have interrupted their breakfast.

Cody loves to chase balls, visit the dog park at Del Webb Bexley, and sit on the bed and watch birds at the bird feeder (which is what he is doing in this photo.) Cody lives with his proud parents, Linda and Craig Nowicke, in Land O’ Lakes.