As I drove out of the parking lot just before sunrise, the full super wolf moon was beginning to set. It was quite a magnificent sight! I drove to the entrance of the Black Point Wildlife Drive which is a seven mile auto loop at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and spent the next three and a half hours creeping along the auto loop, stopping twice for short hikes and frequently getting out of the car to get a better view.
I wondered what it would be like doing the loop all on my own - driving, spotting birds, photographing, etc. all at the same time without a second set of eyes and overall it was a great experience. I got a good laugh at the way my car kept rolling up my windows every time I walked two feet away from it and more than once I forgot to put it in park before opening the door to get out, although fortunately, my car was one step ahead of me each time.
I probably spent more time than I would have if I were not alone which was really nice. At one point on one of the short hikes, I caught a glimpse of a flock of Black Skimmers in the distance so I just stood there and waited for a while to see if they would come any closer and they did! I spent more time listening to the birds and got to know a few of their calls. The Pied-billed Grebes' call still echoes in my head.
Tricolored Heron - these herons were plentiful along this drive!
Then I stopped at the Native Bar & Grill in Titusville for lunch. The food wasn't bad but the Key Lime Mojito was amazing.
I went back to the hotel after this excursion for a short nap and then I decided to look up where Orlando Wetlands is. I had seen posts about Roseate Spoonbills there from birders online and several of the people on the auto loop were talking about how great of a birding experience it is there now. It turns out it was only about 10 miles from my hotel so I hopped back in my car for some more birding and am so glad I did!
Around this time in my walk along the boardwalk, I felt something wet land on my nose. When I went to wipe it away, I discovered it was bird shit and there was also a bit on my camera. I laughed so hard! I guess this is the hazard that comes with birdwatching! I told myself it must mean they like me as this is the second time this has happened to me in less than twelve months. Others I've told the story to, claim it means good luck.
If you look closely, you will see a large alligator on the shore behind me. He was a big one!
As the afternoon wore on, the clouds started coming and I knew rain was coming so I headed back to my car. I stopped at a charging station outside of a Target to ready my car for the long drive home the next day and stop in for a few snacks to tide me over for the evening. And then I retired for the rest of the day in the hotel and went to bed early as I was tired.
It was such an amazing day and trip overall. Over three days, I took 1,940 photos and saw 50 different species of birds (one of them I think was new to me) plus baby white-tailed deer, American Alligators and turtles. I probably spent at least 12 hours out in nature, visiting four different birding sites (one of which was new to me).
The next morning, I was up about 5:30 a.m., down at breakfast around 6:00 a.m., and on the road before 6:30 a.m. The drive home was uneventful and I managed to end up at some of the newer fastest superchargers on the way home which was nice. I got home a little before 4:00 p.m. and was able to snag a charging spot in my apartment complex although the chargers weren't working at the moment - probably people who tried to draw too much power and tripped the circuit breaker. Maintenance had them back on the next morning so I could plug in and charge up.
Not wanting to cook that night and wanting some motivation to work through my photos, I walked next door with my laptop to a Greek restaurant that I really enjoy and ordered dinner and drinks while I edited.
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