Xmas Eve at Merritt island - some more pics

EricD · Dec 28, 2010

5 more critters I found that same day at the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge.....Located on and near Kennedy space center

1 Bobcat

2 Juvi Black Crown Night Heron

3 one big ass Otter

4 Kingfisher

5 Ringbilled Gull?

j-dogg · Dec 29, 2010

Duuude, I have been going out there off and on to shoot the trains that run through that area, I have a mountain bike I built up specifically for the Preserve I load up all my gear in a bag and ride out.

I put in at the entrance off of US1 take the dirt road in up to the gate that has the dirt road that leads into the fish camp, the fish camp has a railroad bridge that runs through it, god there is so much history in that area people don't realize it. That dirt road I'm talking about is the original Highway US1 before the current one was built. If you make it up to the bridge, you will notice the concrete retainers are much wider than the track, it was built in the early 1900's as a double track system now it's single track.

I have spent entire days in that place I could easily camp out there a night or two when the weather warms up a tad. I spent a whole day out there shooting trains they had a passenger special that rolled though. Some parts of that Preserve made it on my Kodachrome project. I haven't been in a while though.

This was the special I shot.

These are Fiddler Crabs they respond to movement so you gotta do your best Michelangelo to get a good shot of them. They're teeny little fellas probably no larger than a car key.

One of these days when I've got money again we gotta hook up and shoot out there, I don't know where any of the good spots are other than the railroad bridge and fish camp. I didn't venture too far into the Preserve on that dirt road I have a Ford Probe not exactly what comes to mind when you think of "off-roading prowess"