Birding in the Land of Rockets

After a four year absence, the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival returned for its 25th year as a five-day event in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was a great opportunity for birders of all skills to meet, listen to informative talks, take field trips with accomplished birders, visit with exhibitors and check out the latest in birding optics such as binoculars and spotting scopes.

The Cape Canaveral area is well-known for its space launch activities but lesser known as an area with pockets of nature preserves and large tracts of undeveloped land such as the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refugee that support birds and wildlife. It also has extensive coastal lagoons and Port Canaveral which “is ranked as the world’s busiest cruise port in multi-day embarkations”.

Busy post: A SpaceX at-sea landing ship for returning rocket boosters with a cruise ship in the background

I will have a few more posts about my visit as there were plenty of birds to see on this trip. In the meantime, here are a few photos to get started.

Ruddy Turnstones in winter plumage on the beach

Two species: Brown Pelicans with our freshwater pelicans, the American Whites, in the background

Lots of Anhingas

Plenty of Ibis with a Roseate Spoonbill flying by

Not just birds but wildlife too - a Gopher Tortoise

Of course a Space Coast Festival would not be complete without a rocket launch too!

A nighttime SpaceX Falcon 9 launch