Gone to See Florida Fall 2014 Road Trip. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Turkey Vulture Eating What Appears to be a Heron chick on Biolab Road at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Turkey Vulture Having Brunch. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 500 mm, f/9, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)Turkey Vulture Having Brunch. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 500 mm, f/9, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Daily Electric Energy Used (41.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (21.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. Geothermal HVAC system on. A deficit of 19.7 kWh.
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 8: Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve.
I made a final drive through Black Point Wildlife Drive before heading north. A lot of birds were out in the early morning. Birds observed with images include Tricolored Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Lesser Scaup, American Avocet, Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, and Sandpiper (unknown species). Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post.
Tricolored Heron looking up through my sunroof. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Little Blue Heron. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Group of Lesser Scaup feeding. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)American Avocet. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Blue Winged Teal. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Lesser Yellowlegs. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Killdeer. Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec).. (David J Mathre)Sandpiper (unknown). Morning at Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 8: Canaveral National Seashore.
I arrived at Playalinda beach before sunrise. I noticed a Tern flying above a couple of guys surf fishing.
Tern and Surf Fishing at Dawn. Playalinda Beach in Canaveral National Seashore. Merritt Island, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon N1V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 500, 18.5 mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 8: Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve.
After sunrise at Playalinda beach, I went went for a drive on Biolab road. A lot of birds were out in the early morning sun. Birds observed with images include Great Blue Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Peregrine Falcon, Pied-beak Grebe, Ring-billed Gull, Great Egret, Northern Cardinal, American White Pelican, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Turkey Vulture, and Red Shouldered Hawk.
Three Roseate Spoonbills and a Great Blue Heron. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Blue Heron. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Peregrine Falcon. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Pied-beak Grebe. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 1100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Ring-billed Gull. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Northern Cardinal. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Five American White Pelicans and two Roseate Spoonbills flying in formation. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Line of American White Pelicans flying in a line. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Four Snowy Egrets flying in formation. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Tricolored Heron. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Turkey Vulture on a dead palm tree. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Red-shouldered Hawk perched on a dead tree. Early morning at Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 18-300mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Late afternoon drive on Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I only went back to check if the Osprey was still dining on the fish it caught earlier in the afternoon.
Osprey with a fish for dinner. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey with a fish for dinner. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey with a fish for dinner. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey in flight. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey in flight. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
