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Posted by Alex Harper on 16:22:32 12/26/05
In Reply to: Brevard County 12/25 posted by Alex Harper
I just got back from Brevard County now, and am still excited about todays birding. David Simpson and Andy Bankert picked me up from my hotel at 7:45 and we headed to Titusville. It was a cold morning up there, with the brisk wind chill making it feel like it was in the 40s. Searching through hundreds of Lesser Scaups, we found one Greater Scaup rather close to shore. That's one lifer so far. Kennedy Park in Titusville produced Common Loon and my life Horned Grebe, and Parrish Park had a few shorebirds, including Red Knot and Dunlin.
Quickly driving into Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve, we briskly ran through the Oak Hammock Trail in search of my year Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It didn't take long to find two birds, including one sitting in the sunlight with it's crest raised. On our way to Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, we searched for Florida Scrub Jays. At least four were seen. Another year bird!
Onto Blackpoint Drive, and the wind was strong. I was wearing just a sweater over my shirt and basketball shorts. The wind was shaking the tripods, too. Nevertheless, the two were able to get on my state Buffleheads and Canvasbacks. There were at least fifteen to twenty Canvasbacks out there. No Redheads though. Other ducks seen:
Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, and my year Hooded Merganser.
Reddish Egret, Bald Eagle, Limpkin, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, six gull species, American Robin, and Eastern Meadowlark were all seen today. Large milkshakes from Steak and Shake in Merritt Island were our liberations for a good day of birding. I had Two life birds, two state birds, and four state birds on the trip. Over ninety species were seen, and I could still get to one-hundred but I'm just too tired.
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