Nature sightings on Sanibel

As is generally the case, our wild life sightings increase in winter.

That is particularly true for our special avian friends.

Like our two legged visitors, our feathered visitors want to escape the cold and frigid conditions in most of the country and find refuge in our tropical island and climate.

They, too, can be called "snow birds".

And the last few weeks have offered a delight to the eye that has exceeded many previous years.

This past month, the American White Pelican has come to roost in Ding Darling in tremendous numbers.  They can be seen in more than one location, preening their feathers and huddling together.  The large orange beaks stand out amongst the dazzling white of their fluffy bodies.

And often they are accompanied on the Preserve sand spits by other birds, many of which look positively diminutive compared to the Pelicans.

The Willets and Sea Gulls who accompany the large white birds can barely be seen.

But the more sizeable and prominent pink Roseate Spoonbills are a stunning contrast to the sparkling white of the Pelicans.  Indeed, the two species look like they have coordinated their outfits to look their best.  The Rosies almost perfectly match the pinkish colored mandibles of the orange bills of the Pelicans.  Seeing either of these species alone is a lovely treat, seeing them together is an unforgettable double delight.

And while our beautiful brown Pelicans are the more loyal of the two, they have fierce competition in the beauty contest with both White Pelicans and Rosies sharing their space.

Luckily, human visitors to the Island do not have to choose, they can see both.

And , if they get exceptionally fortunate, they may even catch sight of the flamboyantly attired flamingo who has been spotted and photographed on Bunche beach, shared by Sanibel and Fort Meyers. 

Perhaps the Flamingo is a visitor from the Everglades where a group of these long legged beauties have returned.

But we can only guess that if it decides to stay on Sanibel for the winter, it will not want to go anywhere else.

Who would?