January 27: Blue Heron Sewage Treatment Plant, Merritt Island, and moving on to Daytona

I started out my morning in a literal fog. I checked out of my motel and drove a few blocks to the Blue Heron Sewage Treatment facility, where birders are welcome! I added four new species there:

1. King Rail
2. Sora
3. Purple Gallinule
4. Swamp Sparrow

Then I stopped at Merritt Island's visitor center one last time before heading on to the Brevard County Community College to give my program about the herons viewed in Cornell's nest cam. It was the last regular program of the festival, at lunchtime when people were packing up, so I can blame that on the poor attendance--about a dozen people showed up in the rather large auditorium. Oh, well--I prefer intimate little gatherings anyway.

Then it was time to wend my way up toward Daytona so I wouldn't waste too many extra miles driving back and forth to New Smyrna Beach, where the pelagic trip would be leaving from. En route I FINALLY saw one Black Skimmer, and when I reached my hotel room, got my first gannet!

1. Northern Gannet
2. Black Skimmer

My year's total is now 173.