I attended the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival for the second time this year, one of the largest birding festivals in the U.S. Much of the Festival takes place close to one of my favorite birding spots, Merritt Island NWR, near Kennedy Space Center and Titusville, Florida.
One of the birds frequently seen along Black Point Wildlife Drive at Merritt Island is the graceful Snowy Egret. Snowies are elegant wading birds with ‘long, wispy’ white plumage, black legs, and ‘brilliant yellow feet’. 
Tragically, millions of these beauties were slaughtered for their feathers during the plume trade a little over a century ago. “In 1886 these plumes were valued at $32 per ounce, which was twice the price of gold at the time.” (All About Birds-Snowy Egret)
Thankfully, the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act afforded many protections to wild birds. As a result, Snowy Egrets are a common sight in Florida year round today – “protection brought a rapid recovery of numbers, and the Snowy Egret is now more widespread and common than ever.” (Audubon.org)
To find out more about the history of the plume trade and those who fought to end it, see: How Two Women Ended the Deadly Feather Trade, 2013, and Keeping Feathers Off Hats and On Birds, 2018
Beautiful and fascinating stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed it, Berny!
LikeLike
Thank goodness for people prepared to stand up for what’s right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true…. that was a real era of advocacy – the beginning of the national wildlife refuge system, the national parks, the Audubon Society, and so many social advocacy efforts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nice shots against the dark background! William — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104 The Message
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you a William. It was a beautiful early morning on Merritt Island.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful shots of a beautiful bird BJ, thankfully the shots are with a camera and not a rifle, and how wonderful this bird is now protected.and has not become extinct as so many have already.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, AB – agreed. I find the Snowy Egrets just irresistible – and they’re very photogenic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderfully captured! How could anyone had want to kill these birds for their feathers so long ago, so terrible. Thankful this was stopped and the birds could do what they do best, live on to give us beauty and happiness!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve always thought the same thing Donna. It’s hard to fathom that shooting these stunning birds – and in such vast numbers! – was commonplace only a little over a century ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice shots. I had heard parts of Black Point were closed this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ted. I’m not sure about the closure, but perhaps earlier in the season or more recently in the past month and a half? The whole drive was open when I was there in late January. In fact the BioLab Drive had just re-opened, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful images of a Beautiful Bird!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Reed. Yes, this was definitely a very lovely bird! I just couldn’t keep myself from taking several shots as he sat there ☺️
LikeLike
They are spectacular birds well captured and presented.
Thanks for presenting them for us here!
LikeLike
Beautiful shots of a beautiful bird, Carol. I don’t believe that we see them up here often. I’ve only seen a couple years ago at Brigantine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Steve! According to iBird Plus, the Snowy : ‘Breeds from Oregon and California east to southern New England, mainly along coastlines. Spends winters regularly from California, Arizona, and Virginia south to the West Indies, throughout Mexico, and into South America’
LikeLike
Yes, they are just to our south in Connecticut. Some adventurous individual may come up here, just a hundred miles as the egret flies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beauty! Love the golden slippers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, so unique, and they move with a special grace. But, as you can hear on the audio from this link, just like other herons and egrets, their voices are less than genteel!😉 http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/snowyegret.htm
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like them all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful photos! What a fine outcome too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, thank goodness that era was long ago. But we still have to be vigilant advocates for Nature, including birds, of course 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are beautiful birds! Who could harm these creatures? Excellent shots, Carol. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, HJ. Yes. Hard to fathom, isn’t it?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have not had the good fortune of birding in Florida yet, but hope to one of these days. The festival might be a good way to learn from local guides.
LikeLike
This festival includes experts and very talented guides from our region as well as from all over the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. There are guided trips daily to some of the area’s best birding spots for the duration of the festival!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds tantalizing. One of these days, I hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person