Lesser Yellowlegs breeds in open boreal forest with scattered shallow wetlands. Winters in wide variety of shallow fresh and saltwater habitats. They eat aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, particularly flies and beetles. Occasionally small fish and seeds.

The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) is a tern-like seabird, one of three very similar birds species in the skimmer family. It breeds in North and South America. Northern populations winter in the warmer waters of the Caribbean and the tropical and subtropical Pacific coasts, but the South American races make only shorter movements in response to annual floods which extend their feeding areas in the river shallows.

The remarkable bill of the Black Skimmer sets it apart from all other American birds. The large red and black bill is knife-thin and the lower mandible is longer than the upper. The bird drags the lower bill through the water as it flies along, hoping to catch small fish.

Both the male and female Lesser Yellowlegs provide parental care to the young, but the female tends to leave the breeding area before the chicks can fly, thus leaving the male to defend the young until fledging.

The Lesser Yellowlegs is a slender, long-legged shorebird that readily shows off the brightly colored legs that give it its name. It is an active feeder, often running through the shallow water to chase its prey. These two are chasing each other.

The Roseate Spoonbill is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. This species feeds in shallow fresh or coastal waters by swinging its bill from side to side as it steadily walks through the water, often in groups. The spoon-shaped bill allows it to sift easily through mud. It feeds on crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, newts and very small fish ignored by larger waders. In the United States a popular place to observe Roseate Spoonbills is "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Roseate Spoonbills must compete for food with Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Tricolored Herons, and American White Pelicans.

The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) is considered one of the most active herons, and is often seen on the move. It stalks its prey visually in shallow water far more actively than other herons and egrets, frequently running energetically and using the shadow of its wings to reduce glare on the water once it is in position to spear a fish; the result is a fascinating dance. Due to its bold, rapacious yet graceful feeding behavior, author Pete Dunne nicknamed the Reddish Egret "the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the Flats".[7] It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects. The bird's usual cry is a low, guttural croak.

Sunset over Blackpoint Drive in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 as an overlay of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. Consisting of 140,000 acres, the Refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals.

Sunset at Blockpoint Drive on Merritt Island National Wildlife Sanctuary in East Central Florida. The refuge traces its beginnings to the development of the nation’s Space Program. In 1962, NASA acquired 140,000 acres of land, water, and marshes adjacent to Cape Canaveral to establish the John F. Kennedy Space Center. NASA built a launch complex and other space-related facilities, but development of most of the area was not necessary. In 1963. the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed an agreement to establish the refuge and in 1975 a second agreement established Canaveral National Seashore. Today, the Department of Interior manages most of the unused portions of the Kennedy Space Center as a National Wildlife Refuge and National Seashore.

Winter Sunset over Blackpoint Drive in the Merritt Island Wildlife Sanctuary, East Central Florida bordering on the Cape Canaveral NASA facility. About 12,000 years ago, the first people reached Florida after crossing the Siberian land bridge and migrating across North America. At that time, the Florida peninsula would have been about twice as large as it is today with sea levels 20 to 30 feet below the present location. Archeological evidence shows that Paleo-Indian's would have shared Florida with large animals such as mastodon, giant armadillo, camel, bison, and mammoths. However, it is likely they consumed mostly plants, nuts, mammals such as rabbit, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, and deer along with fish and marine life. Thus the hunting and fishing as a means of subsistence in Florida began with the first inhabitants. From this time forward, history of the Space Coast – both cultural and natural - has been rich and diverse.

Small Island and mirgratory ducks bedding down for the evening on Blackpoint Drive at the Merritt Island Wildlife Sanctuary Florida. At sundown I spotted this little island in a shady pond which included several little similar islands, but these various ducks all seemed to prefer the one island. My 84 year old mother commented from my truck that it must be a meeting place. I thought the image looked rather pretty with the evening light, especially when viewed in a larger size.

Wetlands of Blackpoint Drive in Florida

Penty of water stayed late this year, 2012, allowing for an early and successful migration. Shot with a Nikon D800 and a full frame diagonal fisheye. Because of the successful migration, there were many people back into the roosting areas. I am hoping the birds are not disturbed.

Blackpoint Drive in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Florida wetlands and part of the salt and fresh water estuary behind the barrier islands from the Atlantic Ocean. The salt water comes from the air and water flowing in Ponce Inlet 40 miles away. The fresh water comes primarily from rain water. Mangrove trees can get nutrients from saltwater by filtering out the salt. This is the primary flora.

Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Wetlands as Hurricane Sandy delivered the rain and the migratory season begins.

Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Wetlands as Hurricane Sandy delivered the rain and the migratory season begins. I put this one up to show issues with composite images and subject movement with the creation of artifacts.

Blackpoint Drive during the height of the rainy season in Florida. The wetlands have been flush with water though it hasn't been as wet as some years. Maybe additional tropical storm activity will fill the aquifer.

Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral, Florida

Blackpoint Drive on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Central Florida. This is the rainy season where some of the dry grasses are in water. You can see alligator paths from the water out. If those were pigs, there'd be more soil exposed in the path and rootings nearby. Alligators often create and keep open paths through the wetlands from pond to pond. Other wetland wildlife like wild pigs, raccoons and other animals make use of those paths which are an essential part of the wetland habitat.

Blackpoint Drive at Merrit Island Wildlife Refuge. Cabbage Palms and Mangrove Wetland habitat. Fresh water, brine and salty mixture with no tidal influence. You can tell from the plant life, this can be briny water. Mangrove is the only plant whose root system can extract fresh water from salty water. Those are the long redish or black roots entering the water you see under the green part of the plant. Though sturdy, mangrove are susceptible to humans in that people sometimes trim their tops for better views. This wipes out an entire grove and all the animal and fish life far and wide.