My wife and I are annual visitors to Canaveral/Merritt Island and can attest it is an awesome place for birding and natural beauty in general. We drive the Blackpoint at least once every December and often twice during our visit. It is best appreciated at a near crawl for much of the trip as there are so many nuances to the experience that can be otherwise missed. (just leave room for the numerous less-than-patient drivers to get around you and proceed on their way...at times, there does seem to be an abundance of those who expect a more Disney-like experience and lack the ability to carefully find the thrill rather than be hit over the head with it at a dazzling pace.) We originally visited this area for the Kennedy Space Center, but were drawn further in, first by the excellent beaches and then more so in discovering the numerous nature trails and sanctuaries. There are exceptional opportunities for viewing from canoe or kayak as well. Your video is excellent and the photography quality is enviable. Very enjoyable.
Thanks for watching and your comment. Yep, it's a great spot. Fairly quiet when we were there, thankfully. Certainly a place worth revisiting if we are ever back in the area.
Great Video. If you want to get some cool birds east of the Mississippi, I would recommend Sax Zim Bog in Minnesota. In the winter you could get Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Boreal Chickadee, Snowy owl, etc. In the summer you could Great Gray Owl and Connecticut Warbler, etc.
Another great video! I was at Merritt Island back in March and it was awesome! Too bad you couldn't see the Flamingos. I saw them when I was there, but at quite a distance! Still a very cool lifer. Congrats on the Sora and the Clapper Rail! I've never seen either! I have occasionally tried to find Soras here in Ontario, but so far without luck!
Funnily enough, I saw my 2nd Sora in Ontario not long after we got back from Florida (at Point Pelee) - so it is possible! Hopefully we don't end the year on 299 birds with a missing flamingo 😂
lol congrats on 1st Have you covered much of Florida? Spoiler alert: We don't make it to the panhandle. Just not enough time. But we'd like to have hit a few spots up there.
@@BritHikesOntario I have really not covered much at all. I basically birded a day around Orlando and over to Merritt Island in the middle of a Disneyworld trip with family.
My wife and I are annual visitors to Canaveral/Merritt Island and can attest it is an awesome place for birding and natural beauty in general. We drive the Blackpoint at least once every December and often twice during our visit. It is best appreciated at a near crawl for much of the trip as there are so many nuances to the experience that can be otherwise missed. (just leave room for the numerous less-than-patient drivers to get around you and proceed on their way...at times, there does seem to be an abundance of those who expect a more Disney-like experience and lack the ability to carefully find the thrill rather than be hit over the head with it at a dazzling pace.)
We originally visited this area for the Kennedy Space Center, but were drawn further in, first by the excellent beaches and then more so in discovering the numerous nature trails and sanctuaries. There are exceptional opportunities for viewing from canoe or kayak as well. Your video is excellent and the photography quality is enviable. Very enjoyable.
Thanks for watching and your comment. Yep, it's a great spot. Fairly quiet when we were there, thankfully. Certainly a place worth revisiting if we are ever back in the area.
2 lifers in one day and the Sora was special. Well done guys.
Thanks Marcus 😊
Great Video. If you want to get some cool birds east of the Mississippi, I would recommend Sax Zim Bog in Minnesota. In the winter you could get Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Boreal Chickadee, Snowy owl, etc. In the summer you could Great Gray Owl and Connecticut Warbler, etc.
We've been considering this and it may happen later this year
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always 🐦❤️
Thanks Miguel 😊
So ever since Hurricane Ian we have had Flamingos at Merritt island reserve ... on the Indian River at Haulover Canal , if you're still around ....
Unfortunately not, but we'd be open to revisiting Florida. Plenty of places we didn't make it to. Thanks for the tip 👍
That was great footage of the sora. I remember seeing one at a lake in Florida during the winter.
Thanks Nathan 😊
Wonderful
What month were you there? The juvenile Green Herons are a treat!
We were in Florida for a couple of weeks towards the end of April. I show the exact date at the beginning of each stop.
Thanks for watching 😊👍
Great video again !
Thank you!
Yet another great video with more birds I'd like to see 🙂
What's the camera and lens setup that you use for your pictures and videos?
Thanks Andy
Using a Nikon Z6ii with an F mount Nikkor 200-500 attached using the FTZ adapter.
Congrats on your 2 lifers! 😊
Hello Stu and Sarah,
Just wondering how long you spent in Florida (maybe you're still there?)? Great videos.
Hi Sam, we are back in Ontario now. We spent just over two weeks in Florida. Went birding most days with 2 or 3 days doing other things.
@@BritHikesOntario Thanks, that's a great amount of time for birding! Good luck on 300.
love the Sora! and the Northern Parula. nice vid.
Thanks for watching Nigel, hope you are both well.
Another great video! I was at Merritt Island back in March and it was awesome! Too bad you couldn't see the Flamingos. I saw them when I was there, but at quite a distance! Still a very cool lifer. Congrats on the Sora and the Clapper Rail! I've never seen either! I have occasionally tried to find Soras here in Ontario, but so far without luck!
Funnily enough, I saw my 2nd Sora in Ontario not long after we got back from Florida (at Point Pelee) - so it is possible!
Hopefully we don't end the year on 299 birds with a missing flamingo 😂
@@BritHikesOntario Haha true! I'll have to keep searching!
First! And you're finally birding part of Florida that I've visited. I got my lifer Florida Jay there.
lol congrats on 1st
Have you covered much of Florida? Spoiler alert: We don't make it to the panhandle. Just not enough time. But we'd like to have hit a few spots up there.
@@BritHikesOntario I have really not covered much at all. I basically birded a day around Orlando and over to Merritt Island in the middle of a Disneyworld trip with family.
😊💕🦩🌴🐊🌳👍