NO CAMERA

          MY PHOTOGRAPHY TEACHER JOHN CUNNINGHAM TOLD OUR CLASS:  "ALWAYS CARRY YOUR CAMERA WHEREVER YOU GO.  YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'LL MEET GOD."  I DIDN'T MEET GOD YESTERDAY BUT THERE WERE NUMEROUS WHITE PELICANS,IBISES,WOOD STORKS AND A SPLASH OF ROSEATE SPOONBILLS CONGREGATED IN THE REMAINING MUD FLATS ALONG THE SEVEN MILE BLACK POINT WILDLIFE DRIVE IN THE MERRITT ISLAND WILDLIFE PRESERVE NEAR TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA.  SO WITHOUT A CAMERA,IT'S A FISH TALE.  THERE' LITTLE WATER BECAUSE IT'S CONTROLLED BY DIKES AND THERE'S BEEN A DROUGHT FOR MONTHS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA..  THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND OVERCAST WITH A HEAVENLY LIGHT AND GOLDEN GLOW EMITTING FROM THE GRAY STATUS CLOUDS.  I DROVE ON IN MY MIATA WITH AC ON AND TOP UP WISHING I'D LISTENED TO CUNNINGHAM WHO NEVER MARRIED, HAD A GIRLFRIEND IN CUBA, WAS BEING MONITORED BY THE CIA AND ANNOUNCED TO THE CLASS THAT HE WASN'T A SOCIALIST.  HE WAS TOO FAR LEFT OF THAT MONIKER.
               I DIDN'T STOP FOR THE SEA OF WHITE BIRDS OF EVERY TYPE AND SIZE, I HEADED FOR THE CRUIKSHANK TRAIL AT HE END OF THE BLACKPOINT DRIVE TO HIKE AT 9AM  WITH THE SPACE COAST CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA TRAILS FOR FOUR MILES THROUGH A GRASSY PATH NEAR THE MOSQUITO LAGOON IN A SEMI-CIRCLE BACK TO THE TRAIL HEAD.  WE SAW NO BIRDS PRACTICALLY UNLESS ONE SPOONBILL,ONE IBIS, A RAIL AND AN ANAHINGA DRYING IT'S WINGS PERCHED ON A BRANCH EXCITES YOU.  BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.  THERE WERE 20 HIKERS MANY FROM THE MELBOURNE AREA.  ALL WERE SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR 60' OR 70'S.  THERE WERE QUITE A FEW MEN.   THE TRAIL WAS OPEN AND PEACEFUL WITH VISTAS OF PONDS, LAGOONS AND SAWTOOTH PALMEETO TREES.    MILES AWAY IN THE DISTANCE OVER THE SEA OF GRASS THE GIANT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING WAS VISIBLE.  INSIDE THE DISCOVERY SPACE SHUTTLE WAS BEING REPAIRED FOR ITS LAST VOYAGE TO THE SPACE STATION IN FEBRUARY.  OTHER THAN THAT 20 STORY SIZE BUILDING,IT WAS NATURE EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED EXCEPT FOR A CHAIN OF SENIOR CITIZEN HIKERS.  GOD WAS THERE INDUBITABLY.  IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE, GOD WOULD LIKE.  HE CREATED IT AND THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE SERVICE WITH OUR TAX MONEY IS PRESERVING IT .  SO THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS;"WHEN CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS,LISTEN."

.CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE ALLIGATOR SEEN ALONG BIO LAB TRAIL IN THE NATIONAL PARK LAST YEAR-USUALLY THERE ARE 20 0R MORE