Today we paid our second visit to Merritt Island, with after our failure last visit, Scrub-Jay being top of the agenda. A quick visit to the visitor center to check out the feeders incase a Painted Bunting was present drew a blank, but a Gray Catbird was showing well in the car park.
We then moved on to the Pine Flatwoods Trail where the first highlight was this Pileated Woodpecker which gave excellent views on the trackside trees.
Then after more searching we finally found our target when a group of three Florida Scrub-Jays appeared on the track in front of us and showed well on and off as they moved amongst the trees.
A Peregrine was watched drifting over and a Downy Woodpecker was also noted, and finally a Northern Flicker was picked up in flight and then watched briefly as it landed in a distant tree before moving off again.
We then moved on to the Manatee Observation deck where up to half a dozen were seen loafing in the water, occasionally rising to the surface. A Brown Pelican flew-by, and a Royal Tern was feeding up and down the river.
We then took a drive along Bio Lab Road with new birds for the trip here being Stilt and Least Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, American Wigeon and Laughing Gulls. Other birds of note included Roseate Spoonbill, Mottled Ducks, Black Skimmers and Royal and Caspian Terns. Dowitchers, Yellowlegs, Willets etc were feeding on the pools, along with Blue-winged Teals and Lesser Scaups plus the usual Herons, Egrets and Ibis etc. Although they were seen everywhere you could never tire of seeing Ospreys with this one giving superb close views as it devoured a fish.
We then headed down to Playalinda Beach where a Northern Cardinal was showing well in one of the car parks.
On the beach a couple of American Herring Gulls were loafing on the beach along with Royal Terns, Ring-billed Gulls and Willet.
Laughing Gulls and White Pelicans were drifting along, and on the beach itself Turnstones and Sanderling were also present along with the only Bonapartes Gull of the trip. Offshore Northern Gannets were noted.
Then whilst walking back to the car came the non-avian, and one of the overall highlights of the trip with the discovery of an ultra cute Racoon in the undergrowth below the elevated board walk.
Final highlight of the day was watching this Great Blue Heron catching and devouring a fish.
