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!
Glad you enjoyed it, Berny!
Thank goodness for people prepared to stand up for what’s right.
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!
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
Thank you a William. It was a beautiful early morning on Merritt Island.
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.
Thanks, AB – agreed. I find the Snowy Egrets just irresistible – and they’re very photogenic.
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!
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.
Nice shots. I had heard parts of Black Point were closed this year.
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.
Beautiful images of a Beautiful Bird!
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 ☺️
They are spectacular birds well captured and presented.
Thanks for presenting them for us here!
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.
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’
Yes, they are just to our south in Connecticut. Some adventurous individual may come up here, just a hundred miles as the egret flies.
What a beauty! Love the golden slippers!
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
I like them all!
Wonderful photos! What a fine outcome too.
Yes, thank goodness that era was long ago. But we still have to be vigilant advocates for Nature, including birds, of course 🤗
These are beautiful birds! Who could harm these creatures? Excellent shots, Carol. 🙂
Thanks, HJ. Yes. Hard to fathom, isn’t it?!
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.
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!
It sounds tantalizing. One of these days, I hope!