Pets/Wildlife

John Oddo, of San Antonio, captured these incredible photos of a bald eagle at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club. These regal birds of prey measure 30 inches to 40 inches from head to tail, with a 7-foot  to 8-foot wingspan, and weigh from 8 pounds to 14 pounds. The distinctive white head and tail feathers appear when the eagles mature at 4 or 5 years old. Bald eagles are believed to live 30 years or longer in the wild.

Don Keeley and his pet skunk, Tazer, live in Zephyrhills and they both love the U.S.A.! Pet skunks can be trained to sleep during the night and be active during the day. When not sleeping, skunks need lots of love and attention.

Lorna Baker had fun watching the acrobatics of this red-bellied woodpecker on the bird feeder in her backyard, in Meadow Pointe in Wesley Chapel. Red-bellied woodpeckers are primarily a bird of the southeast, but in recent years have expanded their range to the north, as they adjust to life in suburbs and city parks. Despite its name, the belly is not often visible in the field.

These two felines — Peeta and Katniss — are 3-year-old siblings. They enjoy sharing toys and treats, and love washing each other’s faces, playing tag, wrestling, and curling up together for naps. Peeta and Katniss are the proud owners of Cathy and Roger Quackenbush of Land O’ Lakes.

Dennis Smith, of Land O’ Lakes, snapped a photo of this beauty — a pileated woodpecker — just one of four that he said has been coming to his yard to eat berries from a cherry laurel tree.

Scout has a very affectionate personality and must sit on her parents’ laps at all times, from the couch, to the kitchen table, to the office chair. She was adopted from the Tampa Bay Humane Society in 2018 and has been making her parents laugh since day one. One of her favorite ‘toys’ is the weekly Laker newspaper, where she likes to either lay on it, or use it as a surfboard and surf across the floor or couch. Scout lives with her proud parents, Shari and Dan Bresin, in Land O Lakes.

Beth Musgrove, of Zephyrhills, found a katydid on her car and said it refused to cooperate with the paparazzi that was taking its photo. Katydids are a family of insects that may also be called long-horned grasshoppers because of their super long antennae and are also known as leaf-hoppers. Many katydids resemble green leaves.

Hazel is a 5 year old chocolate Labrador. She is a wonderful family pet who loves to swim, play frisbee and even sing along with the piano. She is friendly toward all people and animals, and even has a sign hanging by her room that truthfully says, ‘Beware of dog kisses!’ Hazel lives with Elisabeth Cordrey in Land O’ Lakes.

Bonnie Caston, of Zephyrhills, has been watching a pair of American Kestrels in her backyard, and patiently waiting for the arrival of little ones. She snapped this photo as a young one that still has peach fuzz on its head decided to fledge the nest. The kestrel parents were keeping a close eye on their offspring.