A day at RGM Wetlands

 I spent the morning at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera Florida.

How many things can you identify?

Okay, there was nothing to identify here. When you enter RGM wetlands and look left (South), this is what you see. That is the way I headed...

Immediately along the lake, I saw these unique flowers growing. I have identified them as a Narrow-leaf White-top Sedge. I had never seen them before out here.

American Alligator relaxing in the grass. His back leg was sticking out at a weird angle. About six to seven feet long, I decided I did not need a picture of his head...

This Great Blue Heron was crossing the road and squawking the whole time. I am not sure if he was yelling at me for approaching or just letting other birds know he was there. In the distance, you can see two photographers and a small flock of Vultures.

As I approached the vultures, two of them were lying on the ground. As I got near, one stood up but this one seemed not to care. I asked these two politely if I could take their photo. They said nothing...

As the road starts to turn to the left, a man in a golf cart pointed out the deer to me. This was located on the Southeast side of the park. I knew there were deer out here but I had never seen them before. There was a total of four white-tailed deer.

Three of the deer were just passing through but this one was enjoying the green grass. It was still there eating as I continued on the road.

Although the sign is for people driving the dirt roads, I thought it was a great warning sign for the six foot alligator at the water's edge.

This white ibis was keeping his eye on me and the alligator was keeping his eye on the bird.

I saw this manmade jet fly over, it was one of a pair...

Yep, a painted bunting male eating seeds in the shade of a palmetto bush. I wish the light was better but at least I caught a few shots. My first time seeing this bird in the Wetlands.

Not positive, but I think this is a savannah sparrow. It was darting around the ground and sporadically jump onto these flowered plants.

A red-winged blackbird let me know he was there so I took a photograph...

This lone flower attracted a Monarch Butterfly, often seen here in Florida.

Not the greatest of pictures, but this Halloween Pennant Dragonfly was scurrying around the ground.

This alligator found a great spot to watch life go by, he is having his pipe dream...

Showing his smile full of teeth, this alligator was over eight feet long, I gave it plenty of room...

I think this is a palm warbler but I could be completely wrong. It is very small, maybe 3 inches, and had a real interest in me. I was standing real still for a bit and it landed right next to my feet and then took off just as quickly.

A red-shoulder Hawk was taking a break on one of the dead trees in the wetlands...

Looks like a pie-billed grebe, a type of duck...

Unusual, a Sandhill Crane by itself, usually they are in pairs. I did get a photo of another pair later on my walk...

An osprey, hunting over one of the many lakes, it is wetlands...

An anhinga drying it's wings. The anhinga has a pointed beak while the cormorant has a hooked beak...

Common Gallinule was previously known as a moorhen. It was split from the common moorhen by the American Ornithologists' Union in July 2011.

This glossy ibis was shining like a rainbow as it preened itself. My camera always seems to deaden the gloss of this beautiful bird...

There were a few pairs of Blue-winged Teals around the Wetlands, must be mating/nesting time.

These American Coots were near the previous ducks. All of them like to show there butts as they dive for food. I could do a whole talk just on bird behinds; "Behind the great birds of America".

A little Blue Heron flying away from me...

One of my favorites and hard to find, the Green Heron. I love their colors and intensity while fishing.

I started talking to a couple who winter here in the Melbourne area and go home to the Rochester New York area for the summer. We were talking about places to see Roseate Spoonbills. As we were talking, this one flew by, it must have heard us. 

As I was leaving the wetlands to go back to my car, this loggerhead shrike landed in the bush near the exit. I guess it was sad to see me go...

I hope you have enjoyed the variety of things you can see at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera Florida. Stop by sometime, it is free and a great walk...