Sails, Skimmers and Sea Turtles

The day started bright and sunny, another day in paradise...



The Skimmers on Pensacola Beach were protecting their nests from me:



and from the gulls:



and carried food for their new chicks:



A dribble castle graced the Gulf shore:



We even had a new loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nest at Perdido.



My friend Larry, from NPS Law Enforcement, helped me move the eggs away from the rising surf.



Larry caught me on film too:



I checked on the other five (yes, 5) nests at Perdido. All looked good, especially the one Monica and I moved Thursday. Here's where our mama turtle laid the eggs:



And where we moved it. Isn't it gorgeous?



The point is notorious for eroding and accreting. Sand is often shared in a barrier island system with offshore sandbars and adjacent islands. The deep Pensacola Pass prevents some of the sharing, so the point isn't always as robust as it could be, but the eggs are safe for the next two months right where they are...

With so much good happening today, I hesitate to say anything negative, but the trash and cigarette butts and dog tracks on one of the nests, almost everyday, disturbs me.



When you see one of these signs, please remember, it's an endangered species.



We are so privileged to have them on our beaches in Florida, and to see them gracing our seas. If we all work together, we can keep the developing nests safe, and help these magnificent animals survive the dangers that face them in the modern world.



I think these little guys are worth saving, don't you?