Day 86: March 26th - Ready to head north

Sunny, 78 degrees, moderate breeze

       We’ve had the honor of watching the majestic White pelican here in Central Florida for the past 2 ½ months.  On occasion, the birds are seen swimming along the Indian River as a lone migrant.  Other groups were seen in fairly large groups foraging along the shallow waters of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  The birds, among the largest in North America with 9+ foot wingspans,  have spent the winter here in Merritt Island and are now getting ready to head back to their breeding grounds in Manitoba and Wisconsin.

       They are seen here along the westbound lane of the highway heading from the Visitor’s Center towards Titusville.  There are literally hundreds of the pelicans all gathered and feeding on the entrapped fish found in the lower tidal pools of the refuge.

       

  
   
  


   
   The sight is truly amazing, with hundreds of pelicans soaring above the shallow impoundments of the refuge.    They are joined by Snowy egrets, Northern shovelers,  and White ibises in a sea of white along the shallow impoundment.  They will feed and then as quickly as they have assembled, they will head back towards their summer territory.  In another few days, they will be gone and we should not expect to see them until we (and they) return to the Sunshine State next year.  The staging of these mass numbers of pelicans in yet another sign that “spring has sprung” and the season of rebirth has indeed begun