Merritt Island NWR

After we picked up Peg at Port Canaveral from her Blue Grass and Bahamas cruise, we toured Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. At first, the usual suspects of herons and egrets, with some roseate spoonbills and glossy ibis thrown in. Rafts of coots and a few common gallinules. Some not particularly big gators. At one spot, one white pelican amongst the dowitchers and skimmers.  I saw a Virginia rail when we stopped at one of the bird blinds. When we drove down Marsh Pond Road, we saw one black scoter,  a new bird for both Peg and me, and rare this far south.

I had looked at eBird hot spots for the 4 flamingos blown in by Hurricane Ian. Less than 20 hours before, they were reported near the Haulover Canal. We tried along the south shore but couldn’t see where the canal met the river. Back into the car to drive along the other side. There at the end were 2 birders with scopes. The flamingos were visible with our binoculars over at an island. Success! Next to them were several hundred white pelicans and a flock of double crested cormorants. We chatted with the birders, who had driven from Maryland to attend the Space Coast Birding Festival. We recommended they stop at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm on their way back to see the nesting herons, spoonbills, and wood storks.

A man was standing next to a trailer full of kayaks and a sign advertising bioluminescent tours. Next time.

We headed home.

In the morning, Peg and I went to the Marriott to meet Sally at the Florida Flute Association's annual festival. Her flute ensemble played a couple of pieces in the lobby, then we were free to roam. We attended a master class, heard the South Florida and the FSU flute choirs, watched short films while flutists played, and listened to US Army master sergeants play flute with harp accompaniment. Back in the lobby, a couple played new music for flute and guitar, followed by African and Latin American flute performers. After dinner at Lebanese restaurant Habibi, we ended the day at the flute teachers’ flute choir and the key note performance. All good, however enough flute to last me for the year.