At Blowing Rocks Preserve, the shoreline feels ancient. Walking at low tide, I moved between sharp limestone and soft sand, where sea turtles return each summer to the same stretch of beach. Pelicans overhead, Ruddy Turnstones at the edge of the water.

Cumberland Island - maritime forests folding into dunes, dunes dissolving into marsh. But beneath its untouched beauty lies an uncertain future. A proposed land exchange challenges its protected status, and the island’s beloved yet ecologically disruptive horses fuel debate. As wilderness and human influence collide, Cumberland stands at a crossroads, its future shaped by the delicate balance between preservation and progress.

Amidst the landscape of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the American White Pelicans took center stage. They flew in the skies and congregated in the marshes, creating an ambiance of tranquility and camaraderie.

Returning to Merritt Island NWR felt like crashing a bird party during the winter migration season! From Wood Storks to the flamboyant Spoonbills, Pied-billed Grebes and White Pelicans, it was a wing-flapping fun.

Spotting a flock of elegant White Pelicans during their winter visit to Florida brought rare delight. These migratory birds exhibit unique feeding habits, preferring isolated areas away from open waters. The sighting of a pair of Great Horned Owls added a touch of enchantment, reaffirming the sanctuary status of Robinson Preserve.