Teddy Shuler, Shorebird Coordinator for St. Johns Audubon Society submits this report on the abundant springtime activity in Northeast Florida. Enjoy:
Twip-twipping Wilson's Plovers (WIPLs) are showing prenesting behavior, raucous Laughing Gulls have molted into summer black heads, sun bathers, walkers, and fishermen are prolific at Matanzas Inlet. The roar of happy sunburned motor bikers fills the air. They slow down to appreciate the orange sands and turquoise ocean.
Who'll see the first Least Tern?? I love Spring!
Yesterday our Audubon Regional Conservation Committee (RCC) group took a refreshing "Bird, walk, talk" around the point at Matanzas Inlet before sitting down to do business. It took great strength of character to go inside. Maybe next time we should walk after the meeting.
Best birds included a lingering Bonaparte's Gull, Red-breasted Mergansers, a Common Loon, Royal Terns, Ruddy Turnstones, Willets, Black-bellied Plovers, and about a dozen Wilson's Plovers. We also watched a mature Bald Eagle come down to check on Junior Eagle resting on the sand over on Rattlesnake Island. He was still mostly brown but still very big compared to a nearby Osprey. The young Great Horned Owls are still being seen up the road at park headquarters.
Today I accompanied regional state park biologist Jason DePue and a volunteer on a scouting trip down the beach at Anastasia State Park. Their morning had been spent trapping and measuring endangered Anastasia Beach Mice which are doing quite well, thank you. They really are cute little guys... not the biologists, the beach mice. A lady in the parking lot seemed unconvinced after the usual "Yuck, mice!' response to the research.
We found the renourishment activities in full swing on the south end of the park. The foreman told Jason they hope to finish that section quickly and move up the beach toward the pier. If that happens before the LETE's show up, the birds might find that wide expanse of white sands to their liking. About 4 years ago, ASP had the largest Least Tern colony in the county. Since then, Matanzas and Summerhaven have taken the honors.
Finally, I learned that there's an addition to the park's lengthy list of predators. Last year a coyote showed up. This morning a long, wide, drag was discovered running along the high dune line about halfway down the beach toward the north end. Now I appreciate the role of snakes in nature. I've actually enjoyed introducing classroom snakes to people who responded like the "Yuck!" lady. But this kind of snake you can have. It appears to be too big for anything but an exotic species. Not good. I might add, "Yuck"!
