Birds, Manatees and Dolphins

We have become bird watchers. Along the mud flats there are endless birding opportunities. On the top of my Christmas list this year will be a book on birds. At our club on Long Island we are used to seeing Cormorants, Egrets, Blue Herons and Osprey. Here in Florida the birds are a little more exotic - Roseate Spoonbill, Anhinga, all kinds of Pelicans, White Ibis, Moorhen and Red Shouldered Hawks. Every one of them is beautiful. I'm still looking for the Manatees. Every other sign along the way tells you to be careful and slow down because of the manatees. I read that newborn calves can weigh 60 pounds or more at birth. They hold their breath while nursing and stay with mama for 2 years. When you do get to see one the first thing is a ripple in the water and then the whiskered lips of the half ton to one ton creature. They eat over a hundred pounds of vegetation each day. They are still listed as endangered and there is something about them that makes them lovable. Can you believe ancient sailors thought they were mermaids? I guess being out at sea for long periods of time can affect your mind... While I'm at it, I must mention my favorite creature, the bottle-nosed dolphin. When they surface for air they slice the water, they glide, it looks like they're rolling. I'm told that each dorsal or back fin is shaped differently, like fingerprints, you can distinguish individuals. They are also big eaters, about 40 pounds of fish a day. They are 8 to 10 feet long and weigh 800 to 1000 pounds. They have excellent eyesight and good hearing. I still scream and bang on the side of the boat every time I see them. I swear they can see me, they lay on their side and look up at you.