Florida Beach Blog

Originally set aside as a buffer zone for NASA’s operations at Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island has, quite frankly, gone to the birds - 310 species of them, as a matter of fact. More endangered and threatened species of all kinds visit or make their home on Merritt Island than any other continental wildlife refuge. They include bald eagles, wood storks, Florida scrub jays, peregrine falcons, and brown pelicans, as well as manatees and sea turtles on the non-avian side. Then there’s the inundation of non-endangered species. In winter, as many as 70,000 migratory waterfowl are on the refuge. There’s a lot of room for them, as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (140,000 acres) and Canaveral National Seashore (which adjoins it to the east) collectively preserve 239,000 acres of prime central Florida coast real estate.

The centerpiece of the refuge for visitors is Black Point Wildlife Drive. This unpaved, one-way road makes a seven-mile circuit through piney Flatwoods and along edges of diked impoundments that serve as habitat for waterfowl. You’ll want to move slowly, stopping to sight bald-eagle nest or skinny ospreys spearing a meal from the water. Better yet, bring bikes and meander along the drive at ground level. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times for wildlife viewing, and the winter months are optimum in terms of bird numbers. Linger a while and soak up some of nature’s slower rhythms; you won’t be sorry.

To get to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge from I-95, take Exit (S.R. 406) then follow S.R. 402 east (to the visitors center) or continue on S.R. 406 to Black Point Wildlife Drive.

For more information, contact Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 6504, Titusville, FL 32782, 321/861-0667, www.fws.gov/merrittisland.