Sunshine Skyway Bridge at sunrise

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is the world's largest bridge with a cable stayed main span.

I have added a link about this bridge for those interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge

February 2009, early one morning we were going to

Fort DeSoto Park to see the birds.

Right after we paid our entrance fee (30 cents)

and started into the park, this is what we saw, as we

crossed the first bridge.

We stopped at the end of the bridge and hurried back to the center of the bridge

so I could try and capture the sunrise in time.

The first 3 photos were taken from that bridge.

Then we went straight to the south beach.

The last 3 photos were taken from the south beach at Fort DeSoto Park.

Please visit Skywatch Friday to see sky photographs from all over the world.

Mergansers - Common and Red Breasted

Mergansers - Common or Red Breasted. The first 3 photos were taken at the pond on Tierra Verde,

close to St Pete Beach in Florida.
I originally had all these photos grouped together.

But on closer inspection, I think I have the Red Breasted
in the top 3 photos, and the Common in the bottom 3 photos.

The bottom 3 photos were taken at Fort DeSoto Park,
also near St Pete Beach in Florida.

They were taken 3 days apart. Tierra Verde is the small

strip of land you travel to the Fort DeSoto Park.

I know the quality could be better, but I would still appreciate
any clarification of the correct identifications of these Mergansers.

Brown Pelicans at Fort DeSoto Park

I love Brown Pelicans, but it is hard to get a good photo of them in the water. Usually catch them sitting on a post. If they are in the water they are way out there. Or looking down at them from one of the boardwalks.

While we were in Florida this past February we went to Fort DeSoto Park (2005 number one beach in the USA) a couple of times. While walking the north beach at Fort DeSoto we came across some Pelicans very close to the shore. So I was able to get some eye level shots of them.

Herring Gull

This is an adult Herring Gull, with a Royal Tern behind it. Couldn't crop out the Tern without cutting the gull's tail. Enlarge to see the red (or pink) on the beak. Thought something was wrong with the photograph, then saw the same in the reference books.

The Herring Gull is larger than the other gulls on the Florida gulf coast. They draw the attention just by size. This photo was taken at Fort DeSoto Park last week. Fort DeSoto Park was voted the 2005 #1 beach in North America.