December 23, 1986

This was my first ever trip out of state, when my grandparents took my sister and I to visit our Aunt Andi and Uncle Larry in Florida. I wasn’t really keeping track of wildlife back then, but I saw a few things that made an impression. We visited Kennedy Space Center, and while on a bus tour of the facility, the bus driver pointed out a number of ☆Bald Eagle☆ nests. Although they weren’t all that close to the road, we were able to see both adults and juveniles. Even from a distance, these birds are so impressive! We also saw many ☆Atlantic Brown Pelicans☆, which are plentiful in Florida. Even though I’d seen the California subspecies regularly as a child, this is my first documented sighting.

After our visit to the Space Center, we took a short walk through Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, where I saw my first ☆American ALLIGATORS☆! I love them so much! We also saw a ☆Nine-banded Armadillo☆ while walking the trail. I have only a dim memory of it, but my aunt recently reminded me that she and I saw an Armadillo together when I’d visited her in Florida all these years ago. OH YEAH!

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Species List

Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis), Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus), American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), Fishbone Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia)

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