It’s funny how you can pass by something hundreds of times and not know what you are really missing.
Our friend, Debbie Burns, asked us to take some photos of the birds of prey she helps handle at a local nature park. She explained how close to Indian Rocks Beach the park was, but we just couldn’t picture it.
Wednesday afternoon, we arrived to meet Debbie and her husband Alan and couldn’t believe that many years ago we had been in that very parking lot to take the dogs for a walk in a park, but left when we saw no dogs were allowed. You cannot see any buildings form the parking lot, so we had no idea what we were missing.
The first thing we saw were dozens of turtles sunning themselves at the pond’s edge as we walked into the park. Debbie and Alan led us to the park visitor center where we had a nice time looking at the aquariums of snakes, frogs, and baby turtles.
We were then led right outside the visitor center, where Debbie and Alan introduced us to the beautiful birds of prey they work with. They have been volunteering at the park for about two years, helping with the care of the birds housed there. All the birds have injuries that prevent them from being released back to the wild.
We were first introduced to Franklin and Eleanor, the Great Horned Owls. A metal rod had to be implanted into Franklin’s wing because of his extensive injuries. Eleanor cannot see and much of the time feels the safest in the corner of the enclosure. We were able to witness Eleanor’s feeding time. She certainly enjoyed her lunch of white mice.
Jasper and Shay are the resident Red-Shouldered Hawks. Jasper is a young one at only about 10 months, while Shay shows her true colors of an adult being 3-4 years old.
Probably the star of the park is Matilda, the Barred Owl. She certainly didn’t want to come out of her enclosure. I teased Debbie asking her who would have more patience, her or Matilda. After awhile of coaxing, Matilda finally allowed Debbie to take her out to get her picture taken.
Last, but not least, we met Goliath and Samson, the little Eastern Screech Owls. Goliath had a rough ride. He was brought to the park when a local had discovered the little owl under the hood of his car…after driving quite a distance! The funny thing about Goliath is that she is a GIRL. They named her before knowing her sex. It just makes her that much more adorable. No, poor Samson, has had a rough life. This little, scrappy looking fellow had to have his wing amputated recently.
This park is truly a hidden gem. The nature trails are fabulous and it is so wonderful that there is a place that the injured birds are able to be cared for. The park opened in 1990, and recently there was a threat of closing it down. Luckily, the local residents were able to save it. The park has only two paid employees and couldn’t run successfully without the help of volunteers like Debbie and Alan. Any school in Pinellas County may request one of five education seminars that the park offers. Many times, the birds are a part of the seminar. The vet at Busch Gardens in Tampa is gracious enough to volunteer time and supplies to care for the birds.
Coming in the very near future is the addition of Bald Eagles. They are waiting for the necessary paperwork to go through, so hopefully the next time we are in the area, we’ll be able get up close to our national bird.
We thank Debbie and Alan for introducing us to these wonderful birds and spending a nice quiet afternoon in a park that cannot be overlooked when visiting the area.
