"Better than 40 Below" |
January 30, 2008 – Titusville, FL Up at 6:00 AM, on the road at 7:20 AM to Playalinda Beach in Merritt Island NWR and Cape Canaveral National Seashore. Made a few stops along the way. I don’t think it’s possible for a serious birder to drive from Titusville to Merritt Island NWR without a few stops along the way. We got Florida Scrub Jay 20 meters before the pay station for Cape Canaveral National Seashore: excellent views, but too dim for decent photos. Lots of gulls and terns, including some sub-adults for the challenge. Surprising numbers of people for a cool, windy day. Mostly but not all surf fishermen. From there we took Bio Lab Road to the state highway south of Oakhill. Then through New Smyrna to the boardwalk trail to the south jetty in a futile effort to get a Purple Sandpiper. We then doubled back to the north unit of Cape Canaveral Nat’l Seashore. Fat nudists beyond a flock mixed tern species: not a sight for the faint of heart. Finished the day at Turtle Mound in faltering light. No luck with owls. Dinner at Boston’s Fish House in New Smyrna. Okay but not great. Some light rain on I-95 back to Titusville, but otherwise fine weather, if cool, all day.
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