Haulover Canal

Getting to this Tale on August 2. Looking at the cover pic for the first time since I posted it 6 weeks ago and said, "wow".

On the Indian River at 12:54. After a Saturday morning at work.

 

 Dolphin

 

 Mullett Head Island

 

 

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, on the Gulf coast, where I am this weekend(Aug 2), may be more famous, but the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge more than holds its own with the number and diversity of wildlife.

 

Feeding time

 I read on the Ding Darling FB page that there are only 260 nesting pairs of reddish egrets in Florida.

Which surprised me as I see so many at Mullet Head.

 

 

 

Another reddish egret

 I wonder if white pelican chicks are brown.

 

 

 

 One of the many reasons I love kayaking is seeing things I have not seen before.  Like a snowy egret.

 Swimming

I know it was not wading

 Could see it kicking.

 

Back towards shore, into the side canals to look for manatees

 Found a couple.

And, fiddler crabs.

 

To Bairs Cove for more manatees

 

 In the Canal, headed towards Mosquito Lagoon

 

 

Mosquito Lagoon

 

 

 Frolicking manatees

 

video

 

 

 

 Weather moving in.

Yakdave mobile

 

Landed at 4:45

 I have been driving past the Bio Lab boat ramp for 25 years.  Checked it out for the first time.

 A bumpy road to beaten up ramp

Launch towers. I need to find out if these are active. It would be a great spot to view a launch. Or maybe these are just communication towers.

On to Black Point Wildlife Drive.

 

Nesting stilt

 

 

 

 

 

 Distant white pelicans. Surprised to see them this time of year

 Close up. Lizard.

 

 

 No caption required

 

 

 

I think this was at a red light.

 I know this was at the Publix on Orlando Ave. in Winter Park