Good Time Charters

Went out again with the DEP biologist to help count bird nests in Estero Bay. Not sure how much help I was but I really am enjoying them letting me tag along. We have counted many pelican nests, and have also counted nests of reddish egrets, snowies, white egrets, great blues, and cormorants. This is a picture taken by the DEP staff of a pelican with chics in Estero Bay. Look close, these chics are tiny::

I recently had the opportunity to join the Biologists at Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve to count bird nests. It is more difficult than I had anticipated but a great learning experience. I plan to volunteer with them throughout the summer to assist. On the island in the picture we found pelicans, cormorants, and great american egrets on nests.

Recent beach clean-up on the south end of the beach.

I periodically go out to try and clean up much of the fishing tackle and line that gets left tangled on the mangrove islands, though it is tough and there is only so much ground I can cover in one day. The fishing line can entangle birds, and manatee can accidently ingest it as they are foraging on the flats. I have come across two pelicans so far this year that were entangled in fishing line and hanging from trees. Unfortunately, I found them too late and they were already dead. The pictures are of line and tackle I pulled off just one island in about 3 hours.