Good news. Bad news.
The sandy white beach near the Beach House Restaurant is once again home to nesting shorebirds.
Tho species, least terns and black skimmers, were spotted April 22 nesting in the sands near the popular Bradenton Beach restaurant at 200 Gulf Drive N.
The birds, which flocked to the area in 2015, creating a colony on the beach for the summer, effectively halted the restaurant’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
If they stay in the area this year, it’s likely the holiday fireworks will again be put on hiatus.
The fireworks could be called off because the loud noise and crowds would scare the birds.
Add protection for shorebirds…
If nesting shorebirds, or those raising young chicks, are scared away from the nesting area, they may never return. It would result in the eggs and chicks being highly vulnerable to predators and the sun. If left uncovered in the hot Florida sun by adult birds, the eggs can cook in minutes.
Nesting areas are roped off by AMITW volunteers to protect the birds.
And the chicks need the adult birds to bring them food, take care of them and teach them as they grow to fly and capture food.
Nesting shorebirds, which are looked after by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, arrive each spring to mate and nest on island beaches, including snowy plovers, least terns and black skimmers.
For more information on nesting shorebirds or to report a nesting area, contact AMITW at 941-778-5638 or email suzilfox@gmail.com
— Kristin Swain
