Threatened resident Florida species Snowy Plovers... Appeal for HELP !
What must it take, one gets to wonder, for these precious few survivors of this bird species to regain
a small fraction of what was once their living space on the endless beaches of Sanibel Island..?
The 2 wide photographs were taken in Oct. 2001, at a time -off season- when they can gather here
in somewhat larger numbers, and do so fairly undisturbed. Would it be so difficult to create a
wildlife protection area at this stretch of beach along East Gulf Drive, some 300 yards of it, for the
island's "Snowies" which do represent quite a significant percentage of Florida's total..? One could
imagine a boardwalk as an overpass... Or, at least, reserve this stretch of shoreline every spring, from March to June perhaps, so the bird population could have a comeback of sorts. It is being done
in other parts of the country, for various types of wildlife. Why not here..?
The 'Island' prides itself on being "a haven for wildlife, especially birds". And that is true, to a degree, with -notably- the Nature Center and the reputed J.N. "Ding"Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
The small population of Snowy Plovers, however, needs to have its refuge right here. This is a habitat which is suitable for their survival and perhaps even revival, of sorts... Above: the far stretch of sand
just under the grassy area is where some of them continue to mate and breed against many odds.
Below we have quite a congregation, 13 visible, plus a few resting behind shells etc.
(One Sanderling is marked by an x...)
Footnote: I've returned to this portion of the beach several times since I took these photographs. The
last time in Nov. of 2007... The highest count, confirmed by other concerned Birders, was 14. In other
words, they're barely holding. The hurricans of the past few years didn't improve their lot either.
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