Sunlight on Perdido Key

I was fascinated by the light on the water today.



I struggled to capture what I was seeing, but failed utterly. I think I need more practice! Of course, I try to limit photos to about 5 to ten minutes our of my nine hour day, so I don't have all that much time to play with except on my days off.



The way the light shone through the crashing waves was just stunning!



I was really at Perdido for a bird survey... again, they were hiding from the cold. I had to look twice at this rock (from about 100 yards away) before I realized it was a gull! He blends in pretty well from a distance!



I ended the day, as usual, at PB8201. This is getting to be a marathon nest, but since sea turtles are reptiles, this cold snap could slow down their development. We'll likely wait til at least 80 days of incubation time before we try to assess the nest. Of course, all this cool weather means the hatchlings that do emerge will most likely be male.

Foggy Morning

The day started gray and dreary, shrouded in mist. Once the sun rose though, the scene changed completely - it was a stunning warm fall day.



I was happy to have some company on the beach this morning from the park. Our program assistant, Rhonda, joined me at Perdido Key for a bird survey. I'm not sure if I bored her to tears or not, but it was nice to have someone to talk to other than the birds. Though they are pretty to look at, they aren't very good conversationalists!

The light early today wasn't very good, so I didn't take many photos, but I still took a few tests shots, just looking for a good image in poor light, or shooting a species we don't have good images of in our files.



This snowy egret almost fades into the sea behind it in the gray morning.



Just a few minutes later, the sun peeked out from behind it's shroud so we could capture some images of dunlin (DUNL) feeding south of Spanish Cove.



An obstinate brown pelican (BRPE) kept trying to balance on the edge of a metal sign. How crazy is that? He wasn't getting a nice nap like his friends on the wood pilings.



Once we reached the east end, the fog and clouds had completely burned away in the midday sun, leaving a perfect view of the Pensacola lighthouse... Just another day in paradise :)

Perdido Key Saturday

Yes, I've spent a lot of time at Perdido Key this week, often waiting on the sun.



Today, I had to finish the Kemp's stranding from Friday, check on a hatching sea turtle nest and do a quick bird survey.



RUTUs were involved...



There were SNEGs as well (snowy egrets)



and the ubiquitous models, the great blue heron. I never get tired of their statuesque poses.

There was another stranding today as well -- a stunning juvenile green sea turtle over on the Pensacola Naval Air Station that had been sliced by a boat propeller. I always hate those calls, but it's important to learn what we can from an animal, even though it's sad to have such a learning opportunity.


I almost bought a 500mm lens last night, but decided to wait til I know if I have a job in December. I'm just anxious to take better pictures!

Sunrise in the Sea Oats

Again with the sunrise, I know. The only thing missing in my morning ritual lately is a steaming mug of green tea. If only I could figure out how to keep some hot til I drove all the way to PK. With the chill in the air, it would definitely make sunrise a perfect moment.



I never know if I should include disturbing photos like I took today of a stranded Kemp's ridley, so I'm leaving it out for now. It was a sad sight on the east tip of the island, but it's a part of life. It's really sad to lose an adult, knowing how many obstacles they have overcome to reach maturity. To lose an adult Kemp's is sadder still as the species huddles on the brink of extinction. It makes me very happy to know we were able to release over 500 Kemp's hatchlings this summer!



The ruddy turnstones seem to follow my every turn lately. I'm not quite sure what that means, but it's lovely to see them!



Of course, the semi-palmated plovers are back in town as well. Both birds make me think of men in tuxedos for some reason. They just look all dressed up!

A Perdido Key Morning

I often arrive in the park, even at the distant Perdido Key area, well before dawn, and I ride the beach, searching for turtle tracks or hatchlings while waiting for the sun.



The snowy egrets wait with me.



When the sun arrives, it's always the start of a beautiful day!



Even if there are masses of jellies on the beach.



Just how often do you have time, or opportunity, to watch a great blue heron stalk his own shadow?

Another Gorgeous Day on Santa Rosa Island

How can you complain with a job like mine? The day started bright and early with a stunning Perdido Key sunrise.



The surf was calm and soothing.



Then, it was off for a bird survey, with a few Willets (WILL) escorting me down the length of the island as I kept spooking them with the ATV -- a necessary evil. Sorry!



The sanderlings (SAND) had a few ruffled feathers as well, but not from me. Maybe the flies were annoying them too.



There were not many species on the south shore today, but one Ruddy Turnstone (rutu in bird lingo) made my day.



I parked the ATV, and he kept creeping closer and closer.



Maybe the bird confused me for one of the new large pieces of driftwood that floated in after Ike.



How's this for size?



As beautifully aged, hollowed, and weathered as it is, I don't think anyone will be carting it home as a souvenir, which means it will stay on the beach for all to enjoy.

Little Loggerheads at Perdido

At sunrise today, it was time to assess PK7201, a loggerhead nest that has been hatching over the last several days. We had to count eggshells, live hatchlings and embryos that didn't hatch, for one reason or another. There were three stragglers in the nest, ready to greet the world.



Since this was a nest we relocated about 100 feet north of where it was laid, we gave the turtles a lift to the approximate site of the original nest (though the area was reclaimed by the sea about 5 weeks ago... talk about erosion!), and set them out for their first swim.



Two of the three seemed to stick together...



one crawled in circles because it had sand in it's eyes!



Eventually, they all greeted the huge sea (which came complete with it's own shadow),



and took their first swim. How overwhelming that must be for a one ounce turtle-ette!

Birding at Perdido

Today was another Piping plover survey day, with the north shore of Perdido Key our destination. Perdido has not attracted many PIPLs in recent years, but it's still fun to see what's out there!



There were night herons,



tri-colored herons



and osprey, among other gulls, terns, peeps and pelicans.



There were lots of jellies too, including this one with it's little heart on the medusa!

Sunrise on Perdido Key

Today was a day to assess damage, at least as much as possible. It started with a gorgeous sunrise on Perdido Key, where I filled in for a turtle volunteer on the morning nesting patrol.



There was still a lot of water on the east end of the island (that's almost a river flowing from the Gulf to the Bay)!



And the sand fence had blown away on the west.



I stopped mid-patrol to assess nest PK7121, which had some very strange eggs with pink yolks!



There wasn't much damage on Perdido, just lots of shifted sand and standing water, though there was still a lot of sheeting water at Spanish Cove (pictured above). it's still amazing though as we were never closer that 300 miles from Ike!



I love my Perdido mornings... Somehow, even the name of the island just fits my frame of mind -- lost wandering on the sand!