We're still waiting on SR8061, a loggerhead nest with 136 eggs, to hatch. It's not even making noise yet, and it's almost 70 days since it was laid, which is not a good sign. It seems many of our nests got a little more flooding than we thought during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike!
We just want to see about 200 more of these little guys from this nest and the last Pensacola Beach nest...
That said, being out on the beach in the wee hours gives me a great opportunity to catch the sea oats in the light of the full moon...
the full moon as it dips behind a cloud,
and sea oats against the rising sun.
Yes, I know, I should have been out on a bird survey already since the nest was quiet, but I needed better light to tell all the plovers apart! 
Today, we added some SEPLs (semi-palmated plovers) 
and BBPLs (black bellied plovers) to the mix.
You'll notice many of the birds, including some sanderlings and piping plovers, appear to be one-legged... They're really just fine, but working to conserve a little heat. The flocks of mixed plovers, sanderlings and sand pipers help keep them warm in the cool east wind as well!
Even the Canada geese look lovely in the early morning sun,
though ever they are weary of the noisy ATV. Wish we could do a bird survey from a floating blind!
14 October 2008
Shore Birds on the Sea Turtle Maternity Ward
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Hello World!
Which way to the sea?
2 comments:
That's one thing we don't get down here: Canadian geese. But we do get lots of Canadian tourists, also called snow birds.
The arrival of the Canada geese is just another sign that winter is here... It may not pass for winter up north, but this is Florida! We have our shrea of snow birds as well. Can you blame them? Even in the coldest months, it's gorgeous here!
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