WILDLIFE IN THE BAY Share the beach with resting and nesting birds! Information from Audubon Western Everglades (audubonwe.org) Southwest Florida is home to an incredible variety of birds. Pelican Bay/Clam Pass is a critical area for migratory birds to rest and refuel. This location hosts one of the largest migratory flocks of state threatened Black Skimmers amongst dozens of other species typically during the months of October to March. Common sightings are Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Willets, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones and Red Knots. During lower tides, wading birds such as Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, Reddish Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Roseate Spoonbills can be found foraging in the mudflats and sandbars. The resident Osprey pair are a beach favorite as they usually start nesting around December. Flocks find refuge in the estuary and coastal areas to feed on bait fish and rest prior to their next nesting season. Many of these birds have traveled hundreds to thousands of miles and are exhausted! Some travel all the way from the Arctic! The only species that nest in Southwest Florida during the summer are Black Skimmers, Least Terns and Wilson’s Plovers. Sharing the beach and allowing these species to rest ensures they have a better chance of survival. Birds face many challenges such as habitat loss, toxins from water quality issues, predators, building collisions, fishing line entanglements and human disturbance. Help us limit these threats. If you find an injured or sick bird, please contain it and bring it to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Von Arx Hospital. Audubon Western Everglades has staff out on the beach weekly during the winter, surveying the flocks while doing shorebird stewardship. Educating the public is essential in spreading the word about sharing the shoreline. Spotting scopes are used to identify banded birds to track where they have migrated from and how old they are. Look for shirts and signs that say, "Ask Me About the Birds!" If you are interested in volunteering and learning more about the birds, email AWE at audubonwe@live.com. Credit: Jean Hall Pelican Bay Member Guide 2025 94 PelicanBay.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTU3OTA=