A female or immature Northern Shoveler was feeding on her own, with a nice reflection from my angle.
One of the dabbling ducks, Shovelers feed on aquatic invertebrates and seeds, usually sweeping their beak side to side. In deeper water they will perform the full body dunk.
They are identified by their distinctive wide bill.
Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 1, 2024
Good ones 👍👍. I do love these ducks.
🦆🦆🦆
I always seem to see these guys at Merritt Island. ☺️ Were you there recently? At the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival by chance? I think it just started there.
Yes, we were there over New Years weekend.
There were surprisingly few ducks, at least around the wildlife drive. A few Shovelers and some Blue Wing Teals. But tons of coots.
We have been there during that festival, I don’t remember what year, and it was a bit crazy with the number of people 😛.
We were just there this weekend. Since the festival moved after a two-year hiatus to a different venue, a reservation for our favorite “regular” hotel was easily available.☺️
Nice, I hope you enjoyed! If you don’t mind me asking, where do you like to stay? We’ve stayed at Marriott’s Town Place Suites several times and this time rented a VRBO in Mims.
We usually stay at the Fairfield Inn on Helen Hauser Boulevard, Titusville, just off I-95, right behind the Cracker Barrel restaurant. It’s so convenient to both Merritt Island and to Orlando Wetlands – max 15 or so minutes to either place.
Thanks. That’s a convenient location at that intersection, the Town Place Suites is on the other side of Route 50 right there.
Yes, I looked it up right after you mentioned it, and remembered that I stayed either there or another place on that side when Fairfield Inn was full. ☺️