This
is the time of year that shorebirds actively nest along the coast
which means that people should take extra care while wandering the
beaches.
Many
birds in Franklin County nest along the old St. George Island bridge
causeway as well as the bird island off the high hump of the
Apalachicola Bridge.
Both
of those areas can only be reached by boat – and both are
off-limits through the summer.
They
will remain off-limits until August 31st
But
there are also nesting sites along local beaches and in state parks
which are still vulnerable to humans.
To
help protect shorebird nests, State and federal wildlife biologists
recommend that visitors maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet from
nesting colonies.
Keep
pets on a leash and away from posted areas.
And
avoid flying kites around nesting colonies, which can be mistaken as
"predators" by the adult birds, leaving nests exposed to
extreme heat from the summer sun.
All
nesting shorebirds are protected by state and federal law so if you
find a disturbed nest, an injured bird, or some other wildlife
violation report it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission at 1-888-404-3922.
http://live.oysterradio.com/
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