We've been traveling to Sanibel Island every winter for almost ten years. Two relaxing weeks in paradise and every time we go we experience different things. The ocean shoreline is an ever changing landscape. There are always new shells to pick, new sea life, and new birds. For example, though there are many on the island, I've never witnessed a Snowy Egret on the beach until this year and we were treated to several sightings where we could watch this magnificent bird fishing up and down the shoreline. The way he moves is a graceful sideways dance, cocking his head towards the water and vibrating his yellow slippers to scare up some lunch.
A bird that you can expect to see every year in abundance is, of course, the Sea Gull. They are everywhere. And if you make the mistake of bringing food down to the beach they will move right in and demand a fair share. Though I've always known that they are abominable poachers, this year they managed to top even my worst expectations. My two year old cousin was blissfully enjoying an M&M cookie - in the arms of her daddy - when the entire cookie was skillfully snatched right out of her hand. She received nary a scratch, and we could do nothing but helplessly watch as the Sea Gulls embarked on an impressive aerial show stealing and snatching the cookie from each other until it was completely devoured.
Another new sighting to the beach for us was the White Ibis. These are fun birds to watch as they move down the beach in groups fishing along the shoreline. With their orange beaks and long orange legs they are graceful and elegant. The Ibis mate for life and are abundant on the island, nesting in large colonies with other wading birds. An interesting fact is that well into the 1950's they were hunted by island homesteaders for their tasty breast meat, though the practice is now outlawed.
The Double-crested Cormorant is a fascinating bird to watch. You can usually spot one or two during a vacation to the island and this year we saw them almost everyday. They even went so far as to perch on one of the sand hills we dug for the kids. They can be seen in the water quite far from shore swimming and diving. Because their feathers are wettable they can dive up to twenty-five feet and they are able to hold their breath for up to a minute. When they come out of the water it is common to see them drying their wings before flying off. This guy kept rushing back into the water every time a beach goer strolled by giving me an abundance of photo opportunities.
Being from Minnesota and used to seeing huge flocks of White Pelicans in our lakes and ponds the Brown Pelicans of the gulf are a real treat. I love watching them fly across the water, almost skimming the surface, but not wetting even the tips of their wings. And seeing them dive into the water with a huge splash never gets old. The Brown Pelican is the only type of Pelican that dives for its prey. It can dive from heights of twenty to sixty feet. When it plunges into the water it fills its pouch with salt water and fish. A fully extended pouch can hold up to three gallons of water!
Then there are these guys... So many names, so many different types of birds that there is an unofficial "official" term for them. LBJ's or Little Brown Jobs. They are everywhere you look dashing in and out of the surf pecking up their lunches. I'm guessing that even true birders tire of trying to differentiate the many different breeds of these little guys, but they sure fun to watch!
