MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE RESERVE
TRIP REPORT, JANUARY 12, 2019
We had some doubts about how the government shutdown would impact our use of the facilities at Merritt Island, but the birds had no such qualms, showing up en masse for our enjoyment.
The stars of the day were the American Avocet, feeding and moving together in a flock of over 50 birds. The Reddish Egrets proved more elusive; although, with some patience, one did make a nice showing for the photographers in the group. Several species of ducks were in residence; Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler were present in large numbers. Scope views helped us to identify less common ducks such as Redhead and Canvasback. Twenty-one participants observed 62 species at Merritt Island. We ended the day at Viera Wetlands, adding 9 more species to the day, including American Bittern, Purple Gallinule and Black-crowned Night-Heron.
Report by Doris Brookens
Group photo by Adela Blacka, bird photos by Hart Rufe except as noted. Full checklists for Merritt Island NWR and Viera Wetlands are available in eBird.
Total of 71 Species
Ducks: Blue-winged Teal; Northern Shoveler; American Wigeon; Mottled Duck; Northern Pintail; Canvasback; Redhead; Ring-necked Duck; Hooded Merganser
Grebes: Pied-billed Grebe
Pigeons and Doves: Rock Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove
Cranes and Rails: Clapper Rail; Sora; Common Gallinule; American Coot; Purple Gallinule; Sandhill Crane
Shorebirds: American Avocet; Killdeer; Wilson's Snipe; Greater Yellowlegs; Lesser Yellowlegs
Gulls, Terns and Skimmers: Laughing Gull; Ring-billed Gull; Great Black-backed Gull; Caspian Tern; Forster’s Tern
Loons: Common Loon
Pelicans, Cormorants and Allies: Wood Stork; Anhinga; Double-crested Cormorant; American White Pelican
Wading Birds: Great Blue Heron; Great Egret; Snowy Egret; Little Blue Heron; Tricolored Heron; Reddish Egret; Cattle Egret; Green Heron; White Ibis; Glossy Ibis; Roseate Spoonbill; Black-crowned Night-Heron; American Bittern
Vultures: Black Vulture; Turkey Vulture
Hawks: Osprey; Northern Harrier; Bald Eagle; Red-shouldered Hawk; Red-tailed Hawk
Kingfishers: Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers: Red-bellied Woodpecker; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Falcons: American Kestrel
Flycatchers: Eastern Phoebe
Shrikes and Vireos: Loggerhead Shrike
Jays and Crows: Fish Crow
Swallows: Tree Swallow
Wrens and Gnatcatchers: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Thrushes: American Robin
Mimids and Starlings: Gray Catbird; European Starling
Blackbirds: Red-winged Blackbird; Boat-tailed Grackle; Common Grackle
Warblers: Palm Warbler; Yellow-rumped Warbler