Pets/Wildlife

This little blue heron was standing by a pond in Country Walk, in Wesley Chapel, when it approached Sharon Thompson, to take a look at her. The little blue heron is about 2 feet tall, and eats fish, crustaceans, amphibians, insects and reptiles. It stands in shallow water and waits for its prey to go by, and then it grabs its prey with its pointed bill.

Reba is a 2-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier that was rescued by the Cagle family last April as a stray. She loves people and animals alike. Although Reba loves to be around people and dogs, she never barks. She enjoys digging, running around with her tennis ball, and cuddling under the covers with anyone who is willing. Reba is a very good girl and lives with Josh and Alison Cagle, in San Antonio.

This wood stork’s fluffed-up chest feathers resemble a huge beard. Lillian Cucuzza, of Land O’ Lakes, had never seen a wood stork do this before and snapped the photo. Wood storks nest in tight colonies with egrets and herons and generally show little aggression, but if a bird or mammal threatens the stork, it may pull its neck in, fluff up their feathers, and walk toward the intruder.

Tank is a 5-year-old English bulldog that loves to sleep, eat, play, and repeat. His favorite food is whatever is for dinner. Tank likes to go for rides and to visit stores. He is always excited to meet new people and hates it when anybody is afraid of him. His favorite thing to do is to roughhouse with his human brother. Tank lives with his proud owner, Vondes Burnett, in Wesley Chapel.

Kelli Carmack caught this brown anole just poised and chilling out on a plant near her front porch in Land O’ Lakes.

This blue heron caught a large fish in the pond behind Steve Vinik’s house, in Lexington Oaks, in Wesley Chapel. To prepare the meal, the bird carried the fish in its mouth into the pond and moistened it in the water, then brought the fish up the bank and placed it in the grass. The heron would scissor it in its beak and attempt to toss it down its throat. This took several tries, Vinik said, but, in the end, the heron managed to get its lunch.

Shealina is 3 years old and was adopted from Pasco County Animal Shelter two years ago. ‘Shea’ loves to lay on the footstool in the screen porch, and look at the birds and ducks in the backyard. This lovely lady resides in Land O’ Lakes with her proud owners, Frank and Nicole Magazu.

Male red-winged blackbirds are hard to mistake — as they are glossy black with red-and-yellow shoulder badges. The males do everything they can to get noticed, sitting on high perches and belting out their ‘conk-la-ree’ song all day long. Females stay lower, skulking through vegetation for food and quietly weaving together their nests. Scott MacKay caught this red-winged blackbird taking off at his home in Concord Station in Land O’ Lakes.

Gaston is a 1 ½-year-old French bulldog that moved in September, to Wesley Chapel from Illinois. He’s still adjusting to Florida’s heat, but he’s living his best life — exploring and eating alfresco at all the restaurants in the area. Gaston lives with his proud owner Ariana Litt.