Every winter, my wife and I try to sneak away from the chilly Virginia weather for a few days of warmth and—of course—birding! This year, we kicked off the New Year with a quick trip to Florida before a work commitment. It had been a decade since we'd explored the Space Coast and even longer since we’d visited in winter, so we were eager to see what we could find.
A Day at Merritt Island
Our first full day was spent at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and it didn’t take long before the birding magic began. Driving in, we spotted a loggerhead shrike perched on a power line. These little guys are a rare sight back home, but a regular find in Florida.
We made our way to the Black Point Wildlife Drive, where the morning was wonderful. Right at the entrance, a mixed flock of long-billed and short-billed dowitchers gathered, giving us a chance to finally feel confident distinguishing between the two. Studying up the might before paid off and we added a lifer to start the day.
There was also this gorgeous snowy egret walking through the pond close to us. I love their yellow slipper.
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| Snow Egret |
Rounding a bend, we stumbled upon a scene straight out of a wildlife documentary: a massive congregation of great egrets, snowy egrets, white and glossy ibis, great blue herons, and—stealing the show—the roseate spoonbills. It was mesmerizing watching them take flight in bursts, their pink feathers glowing in the sunlight.
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| Ibis, egrets, and spoonbills |
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| a friendly pair of glossy ibis and roseate spoonbill |
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| Spoonbill and egret in flight |
For the last picture above, the great egret and been flying over and the spoonbill took off and flying faster, passed the egret.
Further along, a large flock of ducks had gathered, including a blue-winged teal and an exciting find—a Eurasian wigeon mixed in with the American wigeons. These unexpected sightings are what make birding so rewarding!
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| Blue-winged teal |
We took a break from the car to walk one of the short trails and spotted two Florida specialties: an anhinga and a reddish egret. The egret put on quite the performance, dashing through the water in its signature, erratic hunting style. Always a treat to watch!
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| Anhinga drying off after a dive |
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| Reddish egret |
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| Green heron watching for lunch |
Searching for Manatees and Flamingos
After lunch, we swung by the visitor center for a stroll, though it was pretty quiet. Then, we set off to Haulover Canal in search of manatees. A few made an appearance, but they were mostly teasing us with quick glimpses before disappearing again. On the river side of the canal, we also tried (and failed) to spot a reported American flamingo—no luck this time!
A Second Visit & A Colorful Surprise
A few days later, after a failed attempt to see manatees at Blue Springs (a two-hour car line? No thanks!), we returned to Merritt Island for another round of birding. This time, the visitor center feeders had a special treat—painted buntings!
Merritt Island never disappoints. This refuge is truly one of the crown jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge system, and it was definitely a highlight of our trip. (Well, at least until our last day, but that’s a story for another time...)
[Editorial help from ChatGPT; all photos taken by Bryan Barmore]
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