I recently visited the Merritt Island Wildlife refuge for the first time hoping to see the migrating birds. There was not as many as I hoped for but it was probably due to the wet and rainy conditions we had here in Florida during the winter. Not much of a dry season this year but I plan on heading back during the next migration.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located along Florida’s coast about 60 miles east of the city of Orlando, was established by agreement as an overlay of the NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. The refuge lies within one of the most productive estuaries in the country. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 for the protection of migratory birds. Consisting of 140,000 acres, the refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, managed impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. These habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals and 15 federally listed species. When NASA purchased the land that is now the Refuge, several families lived here and farmed the lands. Remnants of old foundations and canals are visible at various locations, especially near Haulover Canal. With an excellent long-term working relationship among NASA, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, this unique area is a shining example of how nature and technology can peacefully co-exist.(Info provided by FWS.gov)
Check out this article about some great locations for photographing wildlife in the Everglades National Park system.
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