Merritt Island NWR Field Trip Thanks of appreciation go out to the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge for donating two passenger vans for the Society to use on the field trip. More thanks of appreciation to the Merritt Island NWR for donating a third van. These generous donations provided for the group's ease and comfort which helped to make the trip a great success. |
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Pelican Island Audubon Society members go over the day's itinerary for the field trip to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The group met before dawn to van pool to the refuge. |
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The shrill cries of warblers filled the air from the surrounding canopy while our host, Dorn Whitmore of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, showed the group a satellite image of the refuge. The refuge lies in and alongside NASA's Kennedy Space Center. |
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A scrub jay, part of a large, gregarious, people friendly colony, came close looking for a peanut handout. |
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A space shuttle launch pad towers over the surrounding scrub habitat in this view from an elevated position. |
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A bird draws the group's attention. |
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The tour leader, Bob Adair, executive director of The Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability, explains the Center's citrus grove operations in the Merritt Island refuge. |
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The Center manages approximately 700 acres of citrus groves in the refuge which are used as a test bed for environmentally friendly agricultural techniques. |
Images and text by Bob Montanaro. |
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All images and
text copyright 2005 Pelican Island Audubon Society. Web Outreach: Bob Montanaro |
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