BirdPage by Cindy McIntyre, Waldoboro, Maine 
Merritt Island, Florida - March 5, 2008
near Cape Canaveral

 
These were the "cool" birds for me - roseate spoonbill...            white pelican...                                                        and the Florida Scrub Jay

I also liked the Black Vulture, which was very approachable and even kinda cute

   
The Florida Scrub Jay numbers around 10,000 in Florida due to habitat loss.  I was utterly charmed by these guys, who, like their gray jay cousins,  probably would have taken a peanut from my hand if I'd have offered it. 

Northern Shovelers                                                                                Osprey

White Pelicans nest in the midwest and west, but were here by the hundreds, if not thousands, for the winter.

Bird in flight on the top left is a wood stork - but he blends right in with the pelicans.                                  Great Egret on a dry bed in the mangrove swamp.

                       
These guys were always moving from one little pond to another.

  
Turkey Vulture                                                                Armadillo (alive!)

Lesser Scaup, female                                                            Palm Warbler

Greater Yellowlegs                                                                       Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs

  
Reddish Egret is known for its hunting "dance" - running and darting across the water after its prey.

 
Sometimes it holds its wings overhead like an umbrella, probably to coax fish into its shade, or to reduce reflection.  The Great Blue Heron is much more sedate.

This Tricolor Heron is also an animated hunter, pushing past sunset for one last morsel.

  Please respect my copyright by not copying these images or using them on your computer or website without permission or payment of a licensing fee.  All images copyrighted by Cindy McIntyre 2008.  Contact me:  cindy@cindymcintyre.com