Pets/Wildlife

Linda Hannah spotted this doe nursing her newborn twins under the shade of a tree, at The Groves in Land O’ Lakes.

One-year-old Pixie and 15-year-old Raven are the best of friends. Their owners, Cindy and Todd Thornton, have a history of fostering dogs. This puppy, though, was a ‘foster fail’ and Pixie now is part of the family. They weren’t sure how Raven would react to a 4-month-old puppy, but true to her nature (she is a certified therapy dog), she was accepting of the spunky pup. Pixie brought a new liveliness to Raven, who was starting to slow down in her old age. They love playing together and couldn’t be closer! Pixie and Raven live in Lutz with their proud parents.

This reflective photo of a roseate spoonbill was captured at a Zephyrhills park by Lynn Spradlin. Spradlin said: ‘I wish I’d had my good camera instead of my cellphone,’ but the composition came out quite nicely!

Diesel is a big hunter when he is outside on the patio. He likes to carry his toys up on the bed to show his love for his play things. Diesel lives with his family — Rick, Michelle and Wyatt Deaton in Wesley Chapel.

Kevin Perridge, of Land O’ Lakes, snapped this photo of a male and female Eastern bluebird. These bluebirds eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries. Bluebirds typically sit in the open on power lines or along fences, with an alert, vertical posture, according to AllAboutBirds.org. When these birds drop to the ground for an insect, they make a show of it, with fluttering wings and a fairly slow approach, followed by a quick return to the perch.

S’mores is 3 years old. He came home from Pasco County Animal Services when he was a puppy. He is a mixed breed who loves to play ball, go on walks, and get belly rubs. When he meets new people, his tail-wagging makes his whole body wiggle! S’mores enjoys living with the Fox family in Land O’ Lakes.

Betsy Crisp, of Land O’ Lakes, was delighted to see this male, red-bellied woodpecker (caught in the security camera) in her large oak tree, in her backyard.

Taco is a Laughing Kookaburra, a species from Australia, that hatched on June 16, 2016. Originally from Arizona, where he worked in educational animal shows, he moved across the country to Florida and is living in semi-retirement with a fellow Kook. Taco loves to perform flights, and eat all his favorite foods like mice and mealworms. He lives with his bird-nerd parents, Josh and Jenny Andress, in Lutz.

Lisa Vaile lives in Oak Creek, in Wesley Chapel, but takes her boat out often to a little island where a lot of birds live, including pelicans, snake birds, snowy egrets, herons, cormorants and more. Here, a snowy egret is poised for a photo and a great blue heron tends to its baby.

 

Ruby lives in Lake Forest, in Lutz, with her proud owner Shelley Stolbach, and dishes out unconditional love.