I just returned from five days in Florida with five photographer friends. We spent time at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Viera Wetlands, St. Augustine Alligator Farm and few small spots in between.

We saw a wide variety of birds, many of which we also see in South Carolina. The ones that we were familiar with looked slightly different in some way. This may be due to differences in breeding plumage or diet.

One of the first birds we encountered was the Tricolored Heron.

Numbers of these herons were patrolling the swamp areas around Merritt’s Black Point Wildlife Drive,  a 7-mile dike road around several shallow marsh impoundments and through pine flatwoods.

The slate-grey coloration of these  Tricolored Herons was much deeper and there seemed to be less iridescence than the SC varieties.