A Fish Heist At Carlos Pointe: Pt. I

It was surreal to drive along Estero Boulevard and Fort Myers Beach on the morning after the Independence Day holiday.

The sunrise above (image 1) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

It appeared I was one of few up and about save a few pedestrians in the predawn hour about while on my way to Carlos Pointe. Bud Tom Obrock had told me of the Black Skimmer fuzzballs that were abundant there a few days earlier.

The fisherman above (image 2) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The fishermen above (image 3) were photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 4) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Least Tern above (image 5) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Snowy Plover incubating eggs above (image 6) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer chick above (image 7) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The birds were active over Big Carlos Pass as were the fishermen shortly before sunrise. Certainly nothing unusual about that. After parking I was eager to cross the bridge and see the action at Carlos Pointe up close.

The Black Skimmer chick above (image 8) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 9) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer chick above (image 10) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer above (image 11) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 12) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 13) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

A dozen or so Roseate Spoonbills immediately caught my attention at the pool. The purpose of the circus flags that are hung over the water there are a mystery. I should have asked one of the wildlife volunteers that were seen this day who is responsible for them.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 14) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 15) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 16) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 17) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 18) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey and chick above (image 19) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The next thing of interest as I walked north were the owl decoys. My thought was that they were to deter other predator birds that would readily consume the chicks and juveniles that are abundant at this venue this time of year.

The Black Skimmer with chick and Laughing Gull above (image 20) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with Laughing Gull above (image 21) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 22) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with prey above (image 23) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 24) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with Laughing Gull above (image 25) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

Well, my attention was next focused on the Black Skimmer colony. It was here that I would settle down and observe. Although I was tempted on a few occasions to get closer to the wildlife, it was rewarding enough to watch the action from the point where its was impossible to identify the decoys without very close scrutiny.

The Laughing Gull above (image 26) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 27) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 28) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 29) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer with chick above (image 30) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Snowy Plover above (image 31) was photographed at Carlos Point in July 2015.

There was a very modest breeze this particular morning which made the flight of the birds unpredictable though I managed to occasionally stay with them. There was a recurring auto focus opportunity. This venue had previously been of interest to me for observation of a Red-necked Phalarope.

The Brown Pelican above (image 32) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Common Ground Dove above (image 33) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The juvenile Little Blue Heron above (image 34) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

The Black Skimmer above (image 35) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

A small flock of Laughing Gulls were assessing the situation.

The Black Skimmer above (image 36) was photographed at Carlos Pointe in July 2015.

Please also see A Fish Heist At Carlos Point: Pt. II

Oystercatchers At Little Estero Lagoon: Part II

On 29 June 2012, representatives of the Lee County Shorebird Partnership and members and volunteers of Southwest Florida Audubon were making clean-up and restoration efforts at the Critical Wildlife Area at Little Estero Lagoon in the wake of Tropical Storm Debby.


The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.

On that morning, Arthur Brock would make the observation of an unusual looking egg in a nest scape high on a dune that was soon after incubated by an American Oystercatcher. Environmental Sciences Coordinator at the Town of Fort Myers Beach, and University of Florida alumni and biologist, Keith Laakkonen, was supervising the work and would note this nesting as extraordinary. Brie Ochoa, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (and former Park Services Specialist at Lovers Key State Park which is immediately to the south of Little Estero Lagoon), has noted that four American Oystercatcher nests were observed with failure at Lovers Key in prior years. Brie has expressed her opinion that failure of the oystercatchers to produce offspring in the area is most attributable to the presence of people disturbing the nests unintentionally. The oystercatchers at Little Estero Lagoon have personally been observed to leave the nest to merely stretch their legs, though quickly return to their incubation duties under those circumstances. On one rare occasion observed, the bird on the nest left it to mingle with its mate a few dozen yards away. During one of my observations of the oystercatcher egg at the Lagoon this nesting season, I noted that the adult oystercatcher on the nest was easily agitated by biting ants and would leave the nest seemingly in frustration. My late afternoon observations made on 23 and 25 July 2012, from which the images included in this article were taken, offered neither of the adults off the nest for an extended period of time. The oystercatchers had played tag somewhat distant from the nest on a pair of occasions observed and were proven to be extremely diligent in their tending of the nest. On 1 August 2012, with the egg at six days beyond the normal incubation period for American Oystercatcher, I was advised by Bob Blanchard that the nest had been plundered.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Sanderling above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Willet above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The 1st summer Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The 1st summer Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Little Blue Heron (sometimes confused with Reddish Egret) above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Least Tern above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Sandwich Tern with Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Laughing Gull above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The wildlife enthusiasts above were photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in July 2012.

Please see Oystercatchers At Little Estero Lagoon: Part I.
Please see Oystercatchers At Little Estero Lagoon: Part III.
Please see Oystercatchers At Little Estero Lagoon: Part IV.