Skip to content
Roger Simmons Roger Simmons

Birds, Words, Pics + TV

  • Home
  • All Posts
    • Orlando Wetlands
    • Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
    • Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
    • Joe Overstreet Road
    • UCF Arboretum
    • Fort DeSoto Park
  • My Bird Catalog
    • All Birds Catalog
    • American Flamingos
    • Bald Eagles
    • Barred Owls
    • Belted Kingfishers
    • Black-and-White Warblers
    • Eastern Bluebirds
    • Florida Scrub-Jays
    • Green Herons
    • Little Blue Herons
    • Northern Parulas
    • Ospreys
    • Reddish Egrets
    • Red-Shouldered Hawks
    • Roseate Spoonbills
    • Sandhill Cranes
    • Whooping Crane
  • Orlando TV News/History
    • Orlando TV Schedules
    • Florida TV History
  • About this Site
Roger Simmons
Roger Simmons

Birds, Words, Pics + TV

Pelicans, terns mark change of seasons on Merritt Island

Roger Simmons, December 26, 2024December 26, 2024

As I near the end of my second year of birding, I’m noticing how birds are part of seasonal changes. Like the return of American White Pelicans, Forster’s Terns and Caspian Terns to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge for the start of winter.

I took trip along Black Point Wildlife Drive and Shiloh Marsh Road a few days before Christmas, and they were packed with so many birds who have arrived for the winter. The pelicans and terns stood out to me, but there were also snipes and an incredible number of ducks who have joined the year-round residents.

Hundreds of birds were all fishing or resting in one big pond at Black Point when something startled them — and they all took off flying at the same time. It was an incredible sight to see so many different birds in the air at once.

American White Pelicans, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
American White Pelicans, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, and other birds, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
American White Pelicans, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
American White Pelican, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
White Ibis, Glossy Ibis and Tricolored Heron, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024. Note how many have little fish in their beaks.
Caspian Tern, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Forster’s Terns, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Forster’s Tern, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Forster’s Terns diving for fish, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Forster’s Tern, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Forster’s Tern, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Roseate Spoonbill, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Roseate Spoonbill, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Wilson’s Snipe, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Long-billed Dowitchers, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Least Sandpiper, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Killdeer, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
American Kestrel, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, December 2024.
Share on Social Media
x facebook reddit email
All Birds Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge American KestrelAmerican White PelicanCaspian TernForster's TernKilldeerLeast SandpiperLong-billed DowitcherRoseate SpoonbillsWilson's Snipe

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

Across Florida

My red, white and blue birds on Memorial Day

May 29, 2023June 13, 2023

I spent Memorial Day morning at Fish Hawk Creek Preserve South in Hillsborough County, and I was able to photograph a very patriotic trio of new-to-me birds.

Read More
All

One day, two trips and lots of birds at Orlando Wetlands

October 22, 2023October 22, 2023

I woke up fairly early and decided to head to the Orlando Wetlands. It was a cool, cloudy morning – but apparently I was in a fog. I was so disappointed in my photos I had to go back again later and try again.

Read More
All

Thank goodness for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at Orlando Wetlands

August 18, 2024August 21, 2024

When there isn’t much else to photograph at the Orlando Wetlands, these Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have made trips to Christmas worthwhile.

Read More

Latest Posts

  • Enjoying a quiet morning at Orlando Wetlands
  • Bird baby boom takes over St. Augustine
  • Crowded House: 3 juvenile Eastern Screech Owls in one nest
  • Spring migration ends but old favorites remain
  • Seeing shorebirds by the seashore in St. Augustine

Top Locations

Orlando Wetlands

Posts about visits to Orlando Wetlands


UCF Arboretum

Posts about visits to UCF Arboretum


Merritt Island

Posts about visits to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge


Lake Apopka

Posts about visits to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive


Fort DeSoto

Posts about visits to Fort DeSoto Park


Galleries

Roger's Favorites

An ever-changing collection of my favorite pictures


American Flamingos

Photos of American Flamingos in Indian River


Belted Kingfishers

Photos of Belted Kingfishers across Central Florida.


Oystercatchers

Pictures of American Oystercatchers at Fort DeSoto Park


Spoonbills

Pictures of Roseate Spoonbills in Central Florida


Whooping Crane

Pictures of one of the last Whooping Cranes in Florida


MORE GALLERIES


Topics

American Kestrel Anhinga Awards Bald Eagles Barn Swallow Barred Owl Belted Kingfisher Black-and-White Warbler Black-Crowned Night-Heron Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Common Gallinule Common Yellowthroat Digital TV Eastern Bluebird Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Limpkin Little Blue Heron Northern Cardinal Northern Mockingbird Northern Parula Orlando Wetlands Park Osprey Palm Warbler Prairie Warbler Red-bellied Woodpecker Red-shouldered Hawk Red-Winged Blackbird Reddish Egret Roseate Spoonbills Sandhill Crane Savannah Sparrow Snowy Egret Tricolored Heron Tufted Titmouse WESH-2 WFTV-9 White Ibis WKCF-18 WKMG-6 WMFE-24 WOFL-35 Wood Stork WRDQ-27

©2025 Roger Simmons | All Rights Reserved