The spring nesting season is upon us here on Anna Maria Island.

At the north end of the island, near Bean Point, and also in mid-Anna Maria, where the beach is extremely wide and covered with small dunes and patches of beach grass, the seabirds are nesting.

We’ve seen terns, black skimmers and sanderlings sitting their nests, which are basically just scrapes on the sand in semi-protected areas. Often the Audubon Society comes out and ‘ropes off’ the nesting areas with skinny stakes and string to keep curious (but uninformed) beachgoers out of the area.

It’s very easy to scare a bird off its nest without even noticing that there IS a nest. So if you’re out walking at the north end of Anna Maria Island, please be careful. Note that nature is coping with the loss of habitat as well as can be expected.

For more information on the birds of the island, call John van Zandt, or email .