Vacation birds

A funny little story about this Seabird Sanctuary. Several years back, maybe about 4 or 5 years or so, Matt and I visited with some friends at the condo you see in the background of the picture below, the one with the little white sign with sky blue lettering off to the left of the picture. I don't think we were officially "dating" at the time but either way we were there to visit some friends together.

We all joked about how when we walked outside the condo all you smelled were bird droppings because it was right next to the Seabird Sanctuary. It really wasn't that bad but it was funny none the less. At some point Matt and I had a very deep discussion while walking on the beach that visit. I would even venture to say it was somewhat of a turning or revealing point for us. The details of the conversation are vague but we both remember it being important.

This visit we stayed a few buildings to the right of the Seabird Sanctuary and decided to take a walk with Elyse to show her the birds. We were about to go inside and I paused at the sign to take a picture of them in front of it. Matt leaned over and said to me, "What would you have thought if when we were here all that time ago having that conversation, visiting with friends, and smelling bird poop, I would have said to you.......In just a few more years we'll be bringing out daughter back here." I had almost forgotten about that brief visit and how close we still are with those friends. We all started families around the same time too.

Life is funny like that sometimes. If he would have said that then I would have thought he was crazy but perhaps hoped he was right. Either way, we were there. It was such a sweet little moment we shared and it made me really reflect and think about how much we overcame to be sharing that moment together in the same place all that time later. Too bad it didn't smell better.

I don't know what this little fellow is but I thought he/she was cute.

Eastern Brown Pelican. These are the ones you see everywhere in Florida. The male and female build a nest together and raise their young together, they even share the incubation duties.

American White Pelican. I never even knew these existed until then. I was very impressed with the lengths of their beaks. They are usually found in large groups and share the duties of raising their young together as a group.

The Egret. Interesting fact....Not all young that hatch survive the nestling period. Aggression among nestlings is common and large chicks frequently kill their smaller siblings.

The seagull. Don't eat snacks around them. They are fearless and will snatch it from you. That's all I really know about them.

Those are the birds of our beach vacation......I hope you enjoyed them.