A trip to Lovers Key State Park this week was made to check on the activity of Least Terns that have nested at the Park each summer since my first visit in 2007.
The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
2008 was a banner year for the Least Tern to nest there when beach conditions were seemingly ideal for the species.
At that time there were hundreds of Least Tern observed that put on quite a show all summer long.
The Least Tern decoy above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
Most years have offered less activity of Least Tern with this season in particular offering the fewest numbers of the terns I've seen as severe erosion of the beach and reduction of nesting habitat has occurred due to high tides mainly in the winter months.
It was my good fortune to see Peggy Wood at the gate house in the late afternoon as she normally works at the Park in the morning.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
She told me there is a chance beach re-nourishment may take place next year which would greatly improve the success of future Least Tern nesting as well as that of sea turtles that gravitate to Lovers Key State Park.
In 2001, Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused significant loss of beach at Lovers Key State Park which was the impetus for the Park's last beach re-nourishment project in 2004.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
Peggy also told me that the Gulf waters have this year encroached into the fourth row of Sea Oats that were planted after the last restoration of the beach.
Presently, the relatively few Least Terns that can be seen have produced young that are already able to fly.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
This is a great boon to the juveniles as once they leave the relative safety of the plateau and engage the surf, the birds must be able to fly to avoid certain death as the tide rises or must otherwise find the natural ramp that Park personnel have created for them to return to higher ground.
The conditions at Lovers Key State Park, at present, are ideal for photography of the terns as you are able to comfortably be at eye level with them.
The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
I was relaxing on my patio too far from the beach this week to hear the Common Grackles nesting in the Sabal Palms as they have for the last six weeks.
Remarkably, after a particularly loud commotion, I observed a bird fall from one of the palms into the shrubbery below.
The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.
I immediately investigated to find the bird to be a juvenile grackle that appeared to have made its first attempt at flight unsuccessfully.
With thought of the safety of the bird from predators including my neighbor's cat and the raccoon seen a few nights before, I put the bird in a shoebox and gave the bird to my neighbor to make a best judgment of the grackle's fate.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.
She decided, and I agreed, to release the bird back to where it had fallen so the mature birds would care for it and protect it.
Hours later I observed the bird fly onto the upper branches of my potted lemon tree which I found quite impressive.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.
I observed the juvenile fed insects by its parents numerous times the next day.
The juvenile grackle was gone the following day with hopes that it was able to find safety elsewhere and have a long life ahead of it.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.
The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.2008 was a banner year for the Least Tern to nest there when beach conditions were seemingly ideal for the species.
At that time there were hundreds of Least Tern observed that put on quite a show all summer long.
The Least Tern decoy above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.Most years have offered less activity of Least Tern with this season in particular offering the fewest numbers of the terns I've seen as severe erosion of the beach and reduction of nesting habitat has occurred due to high tides mainly in the winter months.
It was my good fortune to see Peggy Wood at the gate house in the late afternoon as she normally works at the Park in the morning.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.She told me there is a chance beach re-nourishment may take place next year which would greatly improve the success of future Least Tern nesting as well as that of sea turtles that gravitate to Lovers Key State Park.
In 2001, Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused significant loss of beach at Lovers Key State Park which was the impetus for the Park's last beach re-nourishment project in 2004.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.Peggy also told me that the Gulf waters have this year encroached into the fourth row of Sea Oats that were planted after the last restoration of the beach.
Presently, the relatively few Least Terns that can be seen have produced young that are already able to fly.
The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.This is a great boon to the juveniles as once they leave the relative safety of the plateau and engage the surf, the birds must be able to fly to avoid certain death as the tide rises or must otherwise find the natural ramp that Park personnel have created for them to return to higher ground.
The conditions at Lovers Key State Park, at present, are ideal for photography of the terns as you are able to comfortably be at eye level with them.
The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.I was relaxing on my patio too far from the beach this week to hear the Common Grackles nesting in the Sabal Palms as they have for the last six weeks.
Remarkably, after a particularly loud commotion, I observed a bird fall from one of the palms into the shrubbery below.
The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.I immediately investigated to find the bird to be a juvenile grackle that appeared to have made its first attempt at flight unsuccessfully.
With thought of the safety of the bird from predators including my neighbor's cat and the raccoon seen a few nights before, I put the bird in a shoebox and gave the bird to my neighbor to make a best judgment of the grackle's fate.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.She decided, and I agreed, to release the bird back to where it had fallen so the mature birds would care for it and protect it.
Hours later I observed the bird fly onto the upper branches of my potted lemon tree which I found quite impressive.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.I observed the juvenile fed insects by its parents numerous times the next day.
The juvenile grackle was gone the following day with hopes that it was able to find safety elsewhere and have a long life ahead of it.
The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.