Posting to begin at Little Estero Island Friday
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will be doing the annual posting of Little Estero Island CWA this Friday (March 25). With property owner permission, officials from the FWC and Town of Fort Myers Beach will also be doing some pre-posting with decoys on the far north part of Carlos Point closest to the CWA in an attempt to keep the birds a bit further north this year.
Located on the Gulf of Mexico beach at the southern tip of Estero Island, the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area is one of only 15 such designated wildlife refuges in Florida. A favorite spot for birders, Little Estero Island CWA is a significant nesting area for least terns, snowy plovers, willet and black skimmers. It is an important over-wintering area for at least 68 species of shore and wading birds. A designated nesting area is closed to trespassing from April 1 to August 31 each year, and posted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with signs, stakes, and ribbon.
During the spring and fall migrations, millions of shorebirds make their way to Florida. Many of these birds stop at points along our coastline and remain throughout the winter. Many more stop over for food and a brief rest before continuing their travels. Exhausted and hungry, they land on our shores, pushed to the very limit of their abilities. Many species of Florida’s water birds also nest on the beach. They have adapted to the rugged coastal environment of temperature extremes, hurricanes, high winds and coastal flooding. As development of Florida’s beaches and coastal islands increases, secure resting areas and nesting sites for shore and wading birds are becoming more and more scarce. Barrier islands and sandbars are favored nesting sites because they afford protection from traditional land predators.
Designation of Little Estero Island as a Critical Wildlife Area increases the chance for successful nesting by the birds, hopefully reducing the possibility of further population declines. The purpose of posting is to decrease human disturbance in the nesting colony, reducing the possibility that the birds will not nest successfully, thereby abandoning the site.
Enjoy your walk on Little Estero Island CWA, but remember that while you are here to recreate, other creatures’ survival depends on your behavior.
(BOLD) The staff of the Town of Fort Myers Beach asks everyone to please follow these simple rules to minimize impacts on our wildlife:
n PLEASE, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE! When you see concentrations of birds, a good “rule of thumb” is to stay at least 500 feet away. Minimizing disturbance to concentrations of birds is the key to conserving them.
n WALK AROUND! Please, do not ever intentionally force birds to fly. If you see birds on the beach, in the lagoon, or on a sandbar — always give them the right of way.
n KEEP YOUR PET LEASHED! Never approach a bird colony accompanied by your dog. One loose dog can destroy a colony of ground-nesting birds within a matter of minutes. Pets are not allowed in Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area.
n SUPPORT POSTING EFFORTS. Honor these closed areas and encourage others to do the same.
n HELP SPREAD THE WORD. If you see others disturbing wildlife, let them know about the effects of their actions. Many people don’t realize that their actions may be harmful to wildlife. If you see someone maliciously disturbing a bird colony, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (1-888-404-FWCC), the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, or officials with the Town of Fort Myers Beach.
— the information is available on the Town of Fort Myers Beach website.