By Tom Cravens, Resident and Florida Master Naturalist Walk on the Wild Side Pelican Bay is one of the finest places in Southwest Florida to take a nature walk. A walk on our berm, boardwalk and beach provides an opportunity to observe an astonishingly rich array of plants and animals. Because of our geographic location, we have a near “tropical” environment, that enables many plants and animals intolerant of freezing temperatures to flourish here. ALLIGATORS It is not uncommon to see an alligator or two when walking upon the berm. Visitors and newcomers are always thrilled when they get a chance to see one of these top-of-the-line predator survivors from the time of the dinosaurs. Even longtime residents like to look and speculate on the length and age of a large alligator. TROPICAL BIRDS For both the casual nature lover and a serious birder, the berm in Pelican Bay is a wonderful place to see birds. If you take an early morning walk on the berm, it is not uncommon to see more than 20 species of birds. The roseate spoonbill probably draws the most attention from berm walkers, as this rather large wading bird has recently become more common along Pelican Bay’s berm. Its large spoon-shaped bill and pink coloration on its wings easily identifies it. Coloration is not a factor in determining the gender of any particular roseate spoonbill. The roseate color is thought to be a dietary consequence. In years past, it was rare to see more than two or three spoonbills at one time. On several occasions in recent years, groups of up to 10 spoonbills were observed along the berm. Next to the roseate spoonbill, the wood stork probably gets the most attention. The wood stork is the only true stork native to the United States. It is common to see a dozen or more wood storks moving their long, pointed bills back and forth in the water searching for food. When the wood stork senses the presence of food, it snaps its bill in one of the fastest reflexes in nature. The wood stork is an endangered bird in the United States. Beyond the spoonbills and wood storks, walkers on the berm in Pelican Bay are likely to encounter anhinga, bald eagles, black vultures, blackcrowned night herons, boat-tailed grackles, brown pelicans, cattle egrets, common moorhens, and many other species of birds. It is also possible to see snakes, lizards, raccoons, bobcats, otters, squirrels, foxes, numerous species of butterflies and other types of fauna when walking along our berm. MANGROVES Being located so close to the Gulf of Mexico, residents of Pelican Bay enjoy protection from very high and very low temperatures. The Gulf of Mexico at this latitude rarely gets above 90 degrees and rarely drops below 60 degrees. This subtropical climate provides an ideal environment for many species of plants. Credit: Larry Culligan Wildlife in the Bay 93 Pelican Bay Member Guide 2024 PelicanBay.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTU3OTA=