David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Two Brown Pelicans, one flying and one in the Water. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1600 sec).
Three White Pelicans in Flight. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec).
Two Roseate Spoonbills in a Formation of Pelicans. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec).
Before starting my drive back to New Jersey, I spent the morning on Merritt Island. First for sunrise at Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore, then for a drive through Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge — both along Biolab Road and Black Point Wildlife Drive. The previous day there was heavy fog in the morning so I didn’t go to Playalinda beach. This beach is favored by surf fishermen. While driving north I also stopped at the Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida.
Rather that using the big telephoto lenses, all of the images on this day were taken with a Nikon D700 with a 28-300 mm VR lens, a Leica X2, or a Nikon 1 V2 and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens. All hand-held, no tripod.
I spent the day at the Merritt Island National Refuge, driving the Black Point Wildlife Drive and Biolab road. It is a target rich environment for birds and alligators. Well worth spending the day. Make sure you have mosquito repellant.
