On my recent trip to Fort DeSoto State Park in St. Pete, it was great to see it wasn’t just the little birds that had returned, but also the regular shorebirds.
This includes a pair of American Oystercatchers who have been nesting near the park’s North Beach for several years.
The banded female was patiently sitting on the nest in a roped-off area while the male was flying around and gathering food. It was great to see this Oystercatcher in action as it broke open some clams to get to the meat inside.
I also got to see a young Black-bellied Plover have a tug-of-war with a blood worm on the beach, finally winning that battle for its dinner.
And I was treated to a pair of Reddish Egrets dancing in the lagoon and a spectacular Gulf Coast sunset.
American Oystercatcher on its nest, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.American Oystercatcher, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.American Oystercatcher, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.American Oystercatcher, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Wilson’s Plover, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Semipalmated Plover, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Forster’s Tern, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Black-bellied Plover, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Black Skimmer and Black-bellied Plover, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025Juvenile Black-bellied Plover playing tug-of-war with blood worm, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Juvenile Black-bellied Plover playing tug-of-war with blood worm, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Juvenile Black-bellied Plover playing tug-of-war with blood worm, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Laughing Gull, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Reddish Egret ducking away from a young Laughing Gull trying to steal its dinner, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Reddish Egret, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Reddish Egret, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Reddish Egrets, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Reddish Egret, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Sunset, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.Sunset, Fort DeSoto State Park, April 2025.
