Pets/Wildlife

Nicole Magazu noticed this cormorant sitting on a light pole appearing to enjoy a beautiful, sunny day in Land O’ Lakes. Cormorants’ short wings make them incredibly agile swimmers. Some cormorants also are known for their ability to use rocks as tools to help them open the shells of prey they have captured.

 

Janet Rice, of Land O’ Lakes, snapped a photo of a black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar on her dill herb plant. Black swallowtails feed on a variety of plants, including carrots, parsley, dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s lace (also called wild carrot), milkweed, phlox and rue.

Shealina will be 6 years old in July and was adopted five years ago from Pasco County Animal Services. She is a very sweet cat and loves her toys. Shealina brings so much love to her family, Frank and Nicole Magazu, of Land O’ Lakes.

Paul Langevin, of Land O’ Lakes, snapped this photo of two hawks at the Can AM Flyers field in San Antonio. 

Kass Claggett spotted this black-crowned night heron in her backyard on Drexel Road in Land O’ Lakes. These herons often spend their days perched on tree limbs or concealed among foliage and branches. They forage in the evening and at night, in water, on mudflats, and on land. These are social birds that tend to roost and nest in groups, although they typically forage on their own.

Bonnie Caston caught this red-shouldered hawk trying to hide in a tree, away from the mockingbirds that were dive-bombing it, in her backyard in Zephyrhills.

June Robinson caught this barred owl atop her bird feeder in Lakeshore Ranch. It appears the owl is listening to a ‘cardinal’ secret!

Ranger and Bear, 1-year-old pugs, and their friend Beef, an English bulldog rescue, enjoy a pool day together. Ranger and Bear live with Robin and John Phillips in Land O’ Lakes, and Beef resides with Amber and Sean Phillips in Tarpon Springs.

Paul Dinwiddie, of Wesley Chapel, snapped this photo of a monarch butterfly in his vegetable garden. The monarch butterfly, or simply monarch, has other common names, depending on the region, including milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. The monarch is among the most recognized, studied and loved of all of North America’s insects. 

Daysun Stewart snapped this photo of two sandhill cranes in his backyard near a preserve. Sandhill cranes are large birds that live in open habitats, so they’re fairly easy to spot. Their bugling calls are unique and can be heard from miles away, which can help alert people to this species’ presence, particularly as they pass overhead on migration.