Pets/Wildlife

Ray Martinez Jr., snapped this photo in his Lutz backyard of a male and female red-bellied woodpecker at their nest. If you live near any wooded patches, you may be able to attract them using feeders filled with suet, peanuts and sometimes sunflower seeds. The red-bellied woodpecker will even drink nectar from hummingbird feeders. Dead trees may encourage the birds to forage naturally or even nest in your yard, and they may feed on berry trees.

Jagger is a 4-year-old lab, greyhound, charpe mix, and also is a rescue dog. To beat the heat, Jagger just may need a bigger pool at his home. His proud owners are Randy and Pan Ayers of Land O’ Lakes, and Laurel Ayers of Wesley Chapel.

There are two types of vultures in Florida: the black vulture and the turkey vulture. Both are often called buzzards or carrion crows, but are not related to either family. A group of vultures is called a committee, venue or volt. In flight, a flock of vultures is a kettle, and when the birds are feeding together at a carcass, the group is called a wake. Sharon Thompson of Wesley Chapel caught this ‘wake’ cleaning things up on Mansfield Boulevard, off State Road 56.

Max is a 9-month-old Blue Chihuahua. He has a blue tint in his fur, especially around his ears, and an exquisitely curled tail. Max loves playing catch and tag with his toy monkey while running at stealth speed. He takes anything into his lair under the dining room table, such as paper, socks and plastic. Max’s favorite pastime is finding the biggest piece of mulch to chew on, in the front garden. He even gets jealous during hug time, which causes him to shriek and jump. Max’s proud owner is Katie Wyka, of Land O’ Lakes.

Marisol Fontanez snapped this blue jay fittingly perched on a fence at the Blue Jay Mobile Home Park in Dade City. Blue jays are large, crested songbirds that like to mimic the call of hawks, especially red-shouldered hawks.

Emmie is a happy, healthy maltese rescue who enjoys her new life and home. After rummaging around in her bed one day, Emmie emerged looking like this! Emmie lives with Tom and Ann Kolessar, in Lutz.

Fran Sieradzki snapped this photo of a limpkin behind her home in Seven Oaks, in Wesley Chapel. The limpkin, also called carrao, courlan or crying bird, looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to a crane. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina.

Lilo is a 5-year-old Siamese mix. She was found on the side of a road in Tampa at 2 weeks old, and had to be bottle fed every few hours. Lilo spends her days trying to catch frogs in the lake, catching lizards (just to bring them inside and letting them go, creating lizard-catching games for the owners), and sleeping with her dirty paws on her owner’s pillows. Lilo’s favorite companion is the family dog who somewhat tolerates this notion. Lilo’s proud owner is Victoria Germuska, of Land O’ Lakes.

As Lillian Cucuzza was pulling into her driveway in Land O’ Lakes one afternoon, she saw a shadow pass over. Above her were two swallow-tailed kites flying very low over her neighbor’s house. This bird of prey, with its deeply forked tail, is sometimes called ‘the coolest bird on the planet’ (AllAboutBirds.com). Kites glide and soar through the air on thermals and updrafts. They feed on insects by capturing them with their feet in flight and then eat them ‘on the fly.’

Sagan is shown here with his best friend, Oscar. Sagan is a rescue and likes to take walks on his leash. He protects the pool cage from frogs and lizards, and loves to have his belly rubbed. Sagan gives cuddles and kisses, wrestles, and carries his buddy Oscar around the house. His proud owners are Sheri and John Thrasher, of Wesley Chapel.