Haulover Canal and more

A very good afternoon for dolphins at at a Haulover Canal, after work, Saturday,September 21, 2013.
Beginning with the very first picture, below.

 The photos got better.

Made a stop at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center an got a Duck Stamp. A bot late, they are good from June to June.  I will get good value for my $15.00.  That stop, plus a previous one at Taco Bell, meant it was almost 1:30 when I got on the Indian River.

The drawbridge over the Canal, which has been closed to traffic for a couple months, has re-opened. That meant, other than the detour to the Visitor Center, I took my usual route to the launch site at the end of the dirt road on the north side of the Canal.

 One dolphin, many photos.

Mullet Head Island

Young brown pelicans

Cormorant on flight deck

 The Refuge Blue Goose signs make fine perches

 Only two white pelicans today.  Paddled back across the River.

 I had not been in the second dead end canal, south of Haulover Canal, for a while.

Wonder how this channel marker got there. Not much else in the canal

Into the canal I always visit.  Almost did not go in, as I have not seen a manatee here for ages.

Goo thing I went in. One manatee.

 Back to the River, and into the channel that empties into,

"Dolphin Cove"

One hungry dolphin

 My watertight camera case is broke, but usable. Metal pins go through the housing to press

the on/off and shutter buttons on the camera.  Plastic covers that make the pins easier to press, an allow them to pop back up for the next photo, have come off.  So, I take a photo, then have to grip the pin between thumb an forefinger, often snapping an unintentional photo in the process, to be able to take another photo.

So, to get better dolphin photos, I took the camera out of the case.  So, the dolphin decided to fish under the kayak.  Charging, spinning, coming back for another run.  Thrilling, as a speeding dolphin creates a good sized wake.  I put the camera back in the case.  I ordered a  new one, Friday, night.

 Just three, maybe four, manatees in the Bairs Cove boat ramp area.

Sedate, perhaps mating season is over.

  A dolphin lead me through the drawbridge.  Unable to get a picture.  I am not sure, but if any work was done to the bridge while it was closed, I can't see it.  I think the bridge was closed, actually, left open, to reduce traffic on State Road 3 during a repaving project.

Rough on Mosquito Lagoon  I did not venture beyond the end of the Canal.

 The rocks on the south side of the Canal entrance, from where I viewed several Space Shuttle launches, were underwater.

Blimp coverage of Dave's Yak Tales

Blow up the above pic and you might see a dolphin. Towards the right pillar.

  A better view. I also saw manatees transiting the Canal

Went back to Bairs Cove to see if I could get better, manatee pics, but a dolphin came in, and I followed it to "Dolphin Cove"  Which I put in quotes as it is a name I have given this spot.

Belted kingfisher

 Need ID help on this one

 Snowy egret

 Ruddy turnstones

Landed at 4:50.  About 10 minutes to soon, as 4 dolphins swam past the launch site. I went to take pictures, and my battery died.

A lone dorsal.  By the time I replaced the battery, they were far up the Canal.

Scrub Ridge Trail

 No scrub jays.  Banana spider and butterfly.

On to Blackpoint Wildlife Drive.

The newly purchased Duck Stamp let me in without paying the $5.00 fee.

Last photo of the day, 6:52.  I hope to get some sunset pics on the Indian River, before crossing to the mainland, but a cloud bank obscured the sun.