Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Hike

Three GO members braved a chilly day...well, at 55F it was chilly for Florida...to hike five miles on the Cruikshank Trail at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  This refuge came about accidentally, as NASA had purchased the land to be part of the Space Center.  It was never used for anything other than mosquito control, which was done with dikes to keep the water levels down.  At some point in the 1960's people realized that this area was a wildlife treasure, being a key habitat for native and migratory species, and the National Refuge was born.  At this time of the year, the Refuge is full of wintering birds, and at every turn of the trail we encountered a fair amount of them.  Thanks to GO member Brent Herring's astute eyesight, and orthinological erudition, this is a partial list of the birds we encountered:  white pelican, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern shoveler, hooded merganser, northern pintail, great blue heron, great egret, little blue heron, tricoloered heron, green heron, reddish egret, cattle egret, white ibis, wood stork, bluck vulture, turkey vulture, osprey, and last but not least, the roseate spoonbill.  Although the bird sightings, of course, took most of our time, we cannot overlook the couple of gigantic alligators we encountered sunning themselves on high ground.  Fortunately at that point we were safely inside the car, on our way back to the mainland.  The one species we missed seeing in the refuge was the Manatee, which apparently heads further south at this time of the year, but hopefully will be back in the refuge in great numbers by March.  So, perhaps another GO trip then?

We will be hiking the Cruickshank Trail at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  This is a fairly easy five mile loop trail which borders the Black Point Marsh.  This trail passes three different water habitats:  salt marsh; marsh stream; and inland lagoon, to offer a wide variety of wildlife.  At this time of the year expect to see a relatively high concentration of waterfowl and songbirds in the area such as blue-winged teals, pintails, yellow rumpled warblers, tree swallows, and bald eagles.  Turtles and alligators are also likely to be seen sunning themselves along the banks, though manatees may have gone south at this time of the year for warmer waters.  Bring a hat, water, sturdy walking shoes, some snacks, and insect repellent, as mosquitoes and ticks may be around.

Please note that the Refuge has a $5.00 fee per car for entering the Black Point Wildlife Drive, on which we will be driving in order to get to the trailhead, so plan on carpooling from the Visitor Center, to minimize the cost.

If you would like more information, check the NWR website:  www.fws.gov/merrittisland