Sarasota News Leader

05/16/2014

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Siesta Seen Regarding the Least Terns, Worms reported four of their nests have been discovered alto- gether in recent weeks. Those are also rare birds, he pointed out in his email, "and we are working to encourage safe nesting for them." Worms summed up the excitement: "So now we have a new Snowy Plover chick, four nest- ing Least Terns, and three (3) Snowy Plover nests on Siesta Key. Considering the rarity of the 'threatened' Snowy Plovers and also the Least Terns this was a really good day." Worms has reported that only about 200 Snowy Plovers have been documented in recent years in Florida; Siesta has about 10 percent of that total count. Worms did offer one other interesting com- ment on May 12: "[I]ncidentally, the Least Terns and Snowy Plovers get along very well and when nesting near each other (such as on Siesta Key Beach now) the pugnacious Least Terns are very good at driving off both natu- ral and human trespassers. Lesson: don't get dive bombed by a Least Tern!" While I was taking photographs Tuesday morn- ing, I ended up chatting briefly with a woman who was visiting from Ohio. One of the Least Terns dive-bombed her moments later. Sarasota Audubon President Jeanne Dubi will be leading an informational walk on the beach Saturday morning to talk about the Plovers, Least Terns and other birds. Details are in our News Briefs this week. EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS During the May 1 Siesta Key Association (SKA) meeting, Vice President Catherine An adult Snowy Plover pauses not far from one of the nesting areas on the morning of May 13.` Sarasota News Leader May 16, 2014 Page 72

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