a Brown Pelican strides by
another visitor is this Black-crowned Night-heron
The Gulf Coast shoreline from
Clearwater down to
St Pete is one long stretch of white, sandy beaches.
Combined with the very nice climate
these beaches are a magnet for vacationing tourists.
Not only humans flock to the beaches but also scores of seabirds
that feed on a banquet of small crabs, mollusks and other critters.
Located right at the white beach of Indian Shores sits the
Seaside Seabird Sanctuary where injured or sick seabirds are treated, rehabilitated and hopefully released back into the wild.
Wild
birds also happily use the place to hang around, feed and breed.
The Sanctuary is home to some 100
permanently disabled birds,
like Mr Roosevelt, an imposing Bald Eagle that can no longer fly thanks to a bullet wound to the wing.
In September 2024
Hurricane
Helene flooded the Sanctuary and caused substantial material damage.
We visited the Gulf Coast in July 2024..
after sunset and with a thunderstorm in the distance, a lone bird inspects the beach
a Double-crested Cormorant prefers deeper waters
this Willet has caught a delicious snack
it is a young Night Heron looking for a late night snack
it's feeding time at the beach with a pair of American White Ibises and a Laughing Gull
a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron on the roof
not sure if this Black Vulture is a visitor or an inmate
a Willet joins the feeding party
Nigel is an American White Pelican with a permanent wing injury
the modest entry to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary
this Snowy Egret is a regular visitor to the Sanctuary
meet Roosevelt, the Bald Eagle. Thanks to a gunshot wound he can no longer fly
from the viewing platform you look straight out to the beach
a juvenile Laughing Gull with heat stress