Merritt Island

I took the family to the airport today, and then went over to the Atlantic Coast in order to have a meander through some of the salt marshes I have not visited before. I took about 100 pictures and six were passable, no more. Not one of my better days. This picture is remarkable only for the number of different birds here; Snowy, Great and reddish Egrets, various Ibis, some smaller waders I have yet to identify, and the prize, the Roseate Spoonbills. The Roseate Spoonbill is at once beautiful and bizarre. Its rose-colored plumage is striking even from a distance. Viewed more closely, the bald greenish head and unusual spoon-shaped bill of this elegantly plumed bird are apparent. Thanks to conservation efforts, the species has recovered significantly from near-decimation during the plume-hunting era. Only the northern edge of the Roseate Spoonbill's range lies within the United States. This neotropical bird can be found in many areas around the Gulf of Mexico, and breeds ion the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, and in the southern part of Florida. They are also found in Mexico, Central America, and South America, as well as across the West Indies and Greater Antilles.

Try it large for a slightly better view!