by terranovabay
Turkey Vulture in the style of The X-Files. Vulture photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Categories: Eccentricities • Tags: Cathartes aura, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, The X-Files, Turkey Vulture
by terranovabay
White Ibis forage in the cloudy cold at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Eudocimus albus, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, White Ibis
by terranovabay
A Tricolored Heron braves the cold and cloudy weather at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Egretta tricolor, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Tricolored Heron
by terranovabay
A Turkey Vulture at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge does not look to be enjoying the freezing temperatures over the past few days in Florida.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Cathartes aura, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Turkey Vulture
by terranovabay
Roseate Spoonbills at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge protect themselves from a cold wind in the lee of the mangroves in this mosquito impoundment. These Spoonbills and White Ibis brace against the brisk wind blowing across the mosquito impoundment far from any shelter. Note the unconventional seagull taking the full force of the wind on its side.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Platalea ajaja, Roseate Spoonbill
by terranovabay
A combination of the weather and a rich foraging environment in a mosquito impoundment led to the discovery of this large flock of birds at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. A cold front moving through the area brought a brisk, chill wind gusting from the north that the birds found protection from by hugging the northern shoreline for the windbreak the mangroves provided. Besides the wind and cold temperature, the birds — and photographer — had to contend with a […]
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Florida, Great Egrets, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, White Pelicans, Wood Storks
by terranovabay
The American White Pelican on winter break visits Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. This large migratory bird likes to fly in groups. Group behavior is the key, since they are also cooperative feeders, floating around together coordinating driving fish into shallow water where they then scoop the fish up with their large bills. A couple of examples of skimming atop the surface of the water during landing before sinking down onto the surface. Fishing as a group activity.
Categories: Nature • Tags: American White Pelican, Brevard County, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, Pelican, White Pelican
by terranovabay
The eponymous spoonbill and garish pink plumage make identifying the Roseate Spoonbill in the field fairly easy. And finding Spoonbills is also fairly easy at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where all these photos were taken.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Platalea ajaja, Roseate Spoonbill
by terranovabay
Okay, this bird is actually called the Common Gallinule here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. but it was not all that long ago that it was called by the much more aesthetically pleasing Moorhen. Scientific purists thought it would be less confusing to the list keepers of the Animal Kingdom, and most likely they are correct in that it is more accurate, but to me the old name is just fine. Most times you see Moorhens they are […]
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Common Gallinule, Common Moorhen, Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Moorhen, swamp chicken
by terranovabay
A very cute Pied-billed Grebe does a very good Das Boot impression at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Check out the sequence of images as the Grebe submerges underwater like a feathered submarine. Grebes spend a lot of time underwater going after prey. These very skittish birds also, generally, don’t stick around very long for the camera to get photos of them so this was quite a treat.
Categories: Nature • Tags: Brevard County, Das Boot, Florida, Grebe, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, MINWR, Pied-billed Grebe, submarine
