Sora, Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is full of big beautiful birds: Great and Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, White and Glossy Ibis, Bald Eagles, etc. These birds jump right out at you (sometimes literally) as you drive around Black Point Wildlife Drive. But some of the best birds are smaller and far less obvious. Take this Sora, a small Rail. Sora’s are generally difficult to see, and when they are, it is generally as they sulk along the edges of reed beds, in and out of the reeds. This one was caught out under the mangroves in the pond near the Rest Rooms on Black Point. The late afternoon light got in under the vegetation and lit the little Sora up!

Nikon P900 at 1600mm equivalent field of view. 1/320th @ ISO 400 @ f6.3. Processed in Lightroom.