Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Morning drive through Biolab road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post. Back they you could drive both directions on Biolab road. Now it is one-way. The road is not as well maintained as Black Point Wildlife Drive, but there is less traffic other than the north end where several folks will be parked and fishing in the pond. Birds observed (with images) include Pied-billed Grebe, Greater Yellowlegs, Gulls (not identified), Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Osprey, and Belted Kingfisher. I found the best way to get an image of a Kingfisher is to observe the two or three places that it perches before going out to fish. The Kingfisher typically uses the same perch, so I then set up a camera focus on that spot, and wait for it to come back.
Pied-billed Grebe. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 140 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)Greater Yellowlegs. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)Three Gulls. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)Double-crested Cormorant. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Large Group of American White Pelicans in a feeding frenzy. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Blue Heron in flight. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 450, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Three Snowy Egrets, Four Little Blue Herons, and Redish Egret. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 450, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Tricolored Heron. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)White Ibis. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey with a fish for breakfast and two Roseate Spoonbills on a dead tree. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon N1 camera, FT1 adapter, and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)Belted Kingfisher. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
While driving from the Black Point Wildlife Drive exit to Biolab Road, I noticed the Red-Shouldered Hawk that I observed the previous day just north of the Wilson corner intersection.
Red-shouldered Hawk perched on a dead tree just north of the Wilson’s Corner intersection. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Midday drive through Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post. Birds observed (with images) include: American Coot, Anhinga, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and Roseate Spoonbill.
American Coots. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Anhinga spreading its wings to dry off. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with a 2.0 TC-E III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Snowy Egret in Flight. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with a 2.0 TC-E III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Little Blue Heron feeding. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 400 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Tricolored Heron. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Roseate Spoonbill feeding. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 400 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Afternoon drive through Biolab road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Birds observed (with images) include: Gulls (unidentified), Caspian Tern (winter plumage?), Black Skimmer, Wood Stork, Double-crested Cormorant, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, and Osprey. Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post.
Collection of Gulls (not identified), Black Skimmer, and Caspian Tern (winter plumage?). Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)Caspian Tern (winter plumage?). Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Wood Stork in flight. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Double-crested Cormorant. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Black Vulture on a dead palm tree. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)Turkey Vulture with a dead fish. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)Osprey with fish for lunch. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/3.2, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 6: Merritt Island National Wildlife Preserve.
I drove across the state arriving in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge before the sun went down. The first stop was Black Point Wildlife Drive. Observed the following birds: Roseate Spoonbill, Greater Yellowlegs, White Ibis, American Coot, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Snowy Egret. I then proceeded to Biolab Road. On the way I spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk. On Biolab Road I observed a Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, and Wood Stork.
Roseate Spoonbill. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Greater Yellowlegs. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)White Ibis. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)American Coot. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Northern Pintail and Blue-winged Teal. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Snowy Egret. Biolab Road, 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’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)Red-shouldered Hawk. Courtenay Highway, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)Red-shouldered Hawk. Courtenay Highway, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Blue Heron. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 720, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 720, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)Wood Storkd. Biolab Road, 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’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
