It took some serious staring: the larger rafts of ducks were at the edge of comfortable binocular range. But the species we were most interested in seeing were Canvasbacks, which had also been reported there. The Ruddy Ducks from my adventure with Camille were still there, joined by many Redheads and American Wigeons. It was along these Vistas that up to 10 species of ducks were reported during the previous week. The road toward Playalinda Beach has several pull-offs (called Vistas) that look out over ponds and wetlands.
We then went into the Cape Canaveral National Seashore. Through most of the afternoon, my poor, fickle camera made photographs quite difficult, so I apologize for the relative lack of photos. Our next stop was Black Point Drive, where we finally did get some more ducks, including American Wigeons, Blue-winged Teals, and even some Northern Pintails. In the end, we identified the sparrow as a Vesper, by process of elimination based on field marks and habitat. And this bird, from the Valiant Air Command: The Valiant Air Command is a local warbird/military plane restoration group and museum with many vintage and historic aircraft on display, with some functional articles, like this B-25 “Mitchell” bomber, named “Killer B”. While trying to get another look at the sparrow, we happened on a mixed group of birds, including a couple of American Goldfinches, a Blue-headed Vireo and some warblers. In a larger sense, chasing can mean driving or travelling long distances to attempt to see a specific bird species, but perhaps that sort of chasing deserves its own post. It means making a concerted effort to find where the bird may have flushed or flown to, using observation and smart conjecture, based on known species or genus behaviors and the available options. In birding terms, chasing doesn’t usually mean actually running after the bird in sight. We managed to scare up a Vesper Sparrow on the far end of Tico road, but the look was brief, so we pulled off the road to “chase” it down the fence line. Its presence may have been partially responsible for the relative lack of small birds along the fence-line. A young Red-shouldered Hawk was calmly looking about. The fence around the airport was strangely devoid of its usual Loggerhead Shrikes, but there were a few American Kestrels and other birds of prey. While it was probably early for the flycatcher, it was fun to ride along the perimeter road (imaginatively called Perimeter Road) around the airport, then up Tico road (imaginatively named for TItusville/COcoa – the previous name of the airport). We headed to Space Coast Regional Airport first, since there are often various sparrows seen there, as well as the occasional Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. A day after chasing a Brant and Neotropic Cormorant, I met with the Muros late in the morning and we formulated a plan to try and maximize the chances of getting Bella some life birds, namely sparrows and ducks. Public beaches utilizing a warning system must adhere to the state’s uniform warning flag program.I’ll wrap up my end-of Autumn posts (as we reach the end of astronomical or “official” autumn) my MINWR adventure with Sarah and Bella Muro.
#Map of canaveral national seashore free#
The communities that receive the free warning flags and interpretive signs are responsible for the installation, proper use, and maintenance of the flags and signs. To the extent of available funds, the warning flags and interpretive signs are provided free of charge to local governments that provide public beach access.
The program also includes the placement of interpretive signs along the beach to explain the meaning each flag used in the warning system. The beach warning flag program uses the colors adopted by the International Lifesaving Federation, with symbols added to clarify the meaning of the flags. Differences in flag colors, size and symbols can confuse beach goers, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of efforts to improve public safety. Many residents and visitors travel to different parts of the state to enjoy our wonderful public beaches. Warning flags are posted by many coastal communities, but, the flags used to identify different tide and surf conditions vary from place to place. Why does Florida need a uniform warning flag system?
Purple flag means dangerous marine life spotted.Ībsence of flags does not assure safe waters. Green flag is low hazard meaning calm conditions, exercise caution. Yellow flag is medium hazard meaning moderate surf and/or currents. Red flag is high hazard meaning high surf and/or strong currents. Double red flags means water is closed to the public.
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