Bird Mobbing & Turtles Emerging!

We represented the Sea Turtle Trackers at Anona Elementary School Science Extravaganza Thursday evening the 11th May; great to share with the kids and we got to hold a sheep's brain and see a dissected cow's eye.

Female turtles have started emerging from the sea to lay nests on the beach. On the 15th May we were fortunate enough to be in the right place and the right time to get some experience of a nest relocation under the watchful eye of Turtle Joe.  Now this is rare - it must be done under permit and then only when the nest is in imminent danger - in this case of regular flooding as the mama turtle ran into a sea wall in an area already prone to high tides and flooding.

It must also be done very carefully - the eggs are fragile and must be taken out and then replaced in a new location in the same order and orientation as the original nest. We don't post pictures of the relocation, but here's a pic of the original nest and you can see the mama ran into the seawall so couldn't nest higher up the beach. See her tracks?

nesting turtle hit seawall, stopped and laid nest

Not only turtles keep us amused on the beach!

Two black birds chased off a much larger and  loudly protesting Great Blue Heron most mornings this week; the heron has a very distinctive call and it is quite a sight to see.

One day a lady beach goer even tried to come to the heron's aid chasing off the blackbird and then following the heron down the beach - all to little effect I might add.

My point and shoot was challenged to get pictures, but keep reading to see video and hear the heron squawk.

Here's a video of the black birds and the Great Blue Heron - this is called bird mobbing and I wonder if the black birds have a nest nearby? I must say my video is better than anything I found on Google -- be sure to listen to the Heron's warning call --


More wildlife news:  A critically endangered adult sawfish was caught earlier this month (and

from wikipedia

released) off John's Pass - about 8 feet in length. Normally Mad Beach is too far north for this creature - is this global warming? See his 'saw' or rostrum/nose extension in action on YouTube here.


Saturday morning our wildlife has to compete with a few human paddle boarders participating in various Florida SUP Cup races of 1/4 mile gentle run up to 9 mile course.  The wind is up a bit, so it can be tough going! Our Fire/Rescue team are doing a good safety job monitoring the participants from jet skis on the water and a UTV up and down the beach.

Our new pizza parlor, Slyce, finally opened; sitting on Slyce deck here's a picture of Madeira Beach across the water. We live near those two tall blue and white towers.
Drawbridge is on the left.