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: 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.
Afternoon drive on Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Birds observed (with images) include: Northern Pintail, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, and Turkey Vulture. Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post.
Pair of Northern Pintails. 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, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)Pied-billed Grebe. 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, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)Great Egret. 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, 1/1600 sec). (David J Mathre)Little Blue Heron. 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, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)Tricolored Heron. Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon N1V2 camera, FT2 adapter, and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)White Ibis. 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, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)Turkey Vulture soaring. 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, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
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.
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)
