Reprinted from Pelican Island Audubon Society.

A selection of wildlife and scenery images from the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge tram tour led by refuge volunteers Dick & Lorna Thibeault on 4 December 2025. This was a private tour just for Pelican Island Audubon Society members and we appreciate the refuge’s generosity in offering it to us. All images below by Bob Montanaro.

Although the tour had filled up months in advance, surprisingly only two participants actually showed up dropping the planned two tram tour down to just one. Despite the small group, the tour went on, though as a more relaxed and less formal outing. It was a sunny day and we saw lots of wildlife and scenery so too bad to everyone who decided not to come out. A picture of the group: from left, Melissa & Harry Ellison and refuge volunteers Lorna & Dick Thibeault.

The image of Paul Kroegel, the refuge’s first warden hired by the National Audubon Society to protect the rookery on Pelican Island before it became the nation’s first wildlife refuge in 1903, looks on as Dick recounts the history of the refuge.

An Eastern Cottontail Rabbit huddles against the back of the restrooms at the Pelican Island Orientation Area just before sunrise.

An Eastern Gray Squirrel, star of backyards and bird feeders everywhere, eating breakfast in the grass at the orientation area.

As the Sun rose and warmed the area while waiting for the tour to begin, birds became very active in the trees surrounding the orientation area. Here one of at least three Red-bellied Woodpeckers noisily went around foraging through the trees for breakfast.

A Cuban Brown Anole finds a nice spot on a palm tree to warm itself in the heat of the rising Sun.

A relatively quiet moment of calm for this Blue Jay who was part of a raucous group who came foraging through the trees.

A puffed up Palm Warbler was actively preening in the foliage near the kiosk on the Centennial Trail near the pond.

A Spiny-backed Orb Weaver spider near the pond along the Centennial Trail.

A view from the Centennial Trail boardwalk.

Having temporarily abandoned the tram, the group makes its way up the Centennial Trail boardwalk to the observation tower overlooking Pelican Island.

The morning glare silhouettes Pelican Island in the Indian River Lagoon in this view from the observation tower. This small rookery island in 1903 was the seed from which sprang the entire National Wildlife Refuge System which now encompasses over 570 refuges throughout the United States devoted to the protection of wildlife and the ecosystems that they thrive in.

A reverse view from the observation tower showing part of the Centennial Trail boardwalk and the surrounding area.

Another view from the Centennial Trail boardwalk.

Great Egret flying by.

We saw numerous White Pelicans flying overhead, mostly in formation as they headed off to unknown destinations.

A Cormorant speeding by.

A Turkey Vulture soaring lazily over the refuge.

Another stop on the tour was the Wildlife Observation Deck on the Joe Michael Memorial Trail.

A view from the Wildlife Observation Deck. The water in the mosquito impoundment was very high so not many wading birds were making use of the area save for a few around the edges.

One of at least three Tricolored Herons seen from the deck.

A Triclored Heron strikes at prey in the water.

A Tricolored Heron winging by.

The tram’s next stop was at Jungle Bird Pond, where we saw this immature Little Blue Heron.

An Osprey scans the water below at Jungle Bird Pond looking for an unwary fish to rise close to the surface for the Osprey to pounce on.

From Jungle Bird Pond the tram returned to the orientation area parking lot and the tour ended. This tram tour is a regular event at the refuge during the winter season and is worth getting up early for!