Champions Gate Daily Photo

Don't Laugh, This Is Serious

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:50:00 +0000

I'm going to be away for a little while, not sure when I'll be back, but I wanted to leave you with a little chuckle. Return often.

Breakfast With A Hawk

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:06:00 +0000

(46 second video)

I didn't mean to interrupt the hawk's breakfast, but apparently he didn't like me standing there shooting him while he was enjoying his frog. As you can see in the below photo, he ripped the frog's head off and tossed it aside (lower left of photo), then proceeded to eat the frog from the top down. Do you think he was saving the legs for last because they are the tastiest?

Sundown Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:17:00 +0000

Bike For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:29:00 +0000

Window Cam, One

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:32:00 +0000

I looked out my living room window early this morning, just to check out what kind of a day it was, and along came several balloons. I took five one-minute videos through the window, before I ran out the door and chased the balloons over to the Champions Gate Golf Club - their favorite destination - where I shot the above photo.

Mmmm, maybe I should have named this blog The Hot Air Balloon Daily Photo Blog.

Three Balloons

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:22:00 +0000

No Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:58:00 +0000

I spotted several hot air balloons floating south of the Clock Tower Plaza, so I shot them, then decided to take a video of one of them. I got a little impatient and spun around, thinking the balloon was moving too slow, but it did move quite a distance in that minute, as you can see.

Easter Morning Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:58:00 +0000

I went to the Market Street Cafe in Celebration, Florida for breakfast on Easter morning and shot these on the way over.

See skies from around the world at the Sky Watch blog.

Big, Strong and Vulnerable

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

[One Minute Video]

The weather was pretty bad here today - lots of thunderstorms, tornado warnings, even some hail. When it calmed down a bit, I stopped by the Kissimmee lake front and caught a few pictures of my favorite Great Blue Heron. That was an Anhinga that buzzed him. I was hoping he'd come back for a second shot, but he flew off to annoy some other bird, lol.

A Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:53:00 +0000

The sun going down behind the Champions Gate Golf Club on April 4, 2009.

Champ's 360

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:51:00 +0000

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.

~ Addison, Ode (1712)

Happy Easter!

Big Little

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:01:00 +0000

Odd fact: I have never been inside the Omni Hotel at Champions Gate, but I've taken hundreds of photos of it.

Grilled Jumbo Italians

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:01:00 +0000

I stopped by the Annual Spring Art Festival in Celebration, Florida yesterday morning and got a few shots of the festivities. As soon as I spotted these vendors I whipped out my easel and palette* and captured this scene so I could create this watercolor when I got back to my studio. Imagine, all those artists displaying their beautiful creations and this is what caught my eye, lol.

*digital camera

Gator Hunter Supreme

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Clock Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:14:00 +0000

I apologize for my absence this week - I've been traveling to and from the west coast of Florida for business purposes and haven't had the time or energy to post anything.

The first photo shows the Clock Tower peeking through the newly sprouted Crepe Myrtle. The Clock Tower Plaza looks so beautiful when the crepes are in bloom. Something tells me that the time on the clock will be fixed one of these days. LOL

The second photo shows a beautiful morning sky and my trusty little pick-up truck. I just passed the 360,000 mile mark yesterday. I love my little Toyota!

Mute Swan

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

I spotted this swan in the lake as I drove along Lakeshore Drive this morning, so I found a place to park and got out quickly and shot it. The swan didn't make a sound as I followed him/her around until I was fortunate enough to get this shot. LOL

This is the first time I've seen a swan on Lake Toho and I found it odd that it was alone. Normally swans travel in pairs. I found the following facts on All About Birds:

A native of northern and central Eurasia, the Mute Swan was introduced into North America to grace the ponds of parks and estates. Escaped individuals have established breeding populations in several areas, where their aggressive behavior threatens native waterfowl.

* Large, all-white waterfowl.
* Long, curved neck.
* Orange bill and black face.
* Size: 127-152 cm (50-60 in)
* Wingspan: 208-238 cm (82-94 in)
* Weight: 5500-14300 g (194.15-504.79 ounces)

Sexes look alike, male slightly larger and with larger knob on bill.

Not mute. Calls quiet and do not carry. A snorting "heorrr." Hisses aggressively. Wings make singing noise in flight.

As an introduced species it is of concern because of its effects on native wildlife. Its aggressive nature can disrupt the nesting of native waterfowl. It is protected in some states, but not others. Some states are attempting to control Mute Swan numbers.

* The Mute Swan is reported to mate for life. However, changing of mates does occur infrequently, and swans will remate if their partner dies. If a male loses his mate and pairs with a young female, she joins him on his territory. If he mates with an older female, they go to hers. If a female loses her mate, she remates quickly and usually chooses a younger male.

They seem so civilized! You can get more info at the above link.

Gedouttahere, George!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

The little yellow one in the front never woke up. LOL

American White Pelican

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:38:00 +0000

I went to Lake Toho in Kissimmee again this morning looking for the perfect sunrise, and was fortunate to find this flock of American White Pelicans, along with a flock of Cormorants, floating a short distance off shore. I saw them last week also, but they were much further out and were flying from spot to spot fishing. I searched for information about the bird on All About Birds and found the following facts:

* Large, white waterbird.

* Long bill with extensible pouch.

* Legs short.

* Body large and heavy.

* Feet webbed.

* Wings long and broad, with black trailing edge.

* Tail short.

* Size: 127-165 cm (50-65 in)

* Wingspan: 244-290 cm (96-114 in)

* Weight: 4500-9000 g (158.85-317.7 ounces)

The White Pelican does not dive for fish as the Brown Pelican does. Instead, it dips its head underwater to scoop up fish. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish.

Spreading The Word

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

I swear I didn't pay her to write that on the board!

Lighthouse on Toho

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:33:00 +0000

See more skies from around the world at the Sky Watch blog!

Bird

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Sunrise Duck

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Ducky Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Celebration Today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

I went to Celebration, which is about five miles from Champions Gate, to catch the sunrise this morning. The first thing I saw was a couple of hot air balloons directly over the golf course and headed in the direction of Champions Gate. This shot was taken at the lake front in downtown, and by the time I shot it the two balloons you see were probably over Champions Gate.

This is a view of the Celebration Hotel (on the left) and the shops that line Bloom Street in Downtown Celebration. See another shot on the Celebration Daily Photo blog.

Kissimmee Sunrise

noreply@blogger.com (Champ Townboy) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:45:00 +0000

I caught the sunrise at the Kissimmee Lighthouse on Lake Toho early this morning.