SCCF: Banded black skimmer, snowy plovers survive
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, its shorebird team re-sighted banded black skimmer 7U on Captiva, as well as received news that three of its banded snowy plovers were sighted a few hours up north.
BLACK SKIMMER 7U
Black skimmer 7U had not been seen since it was banded on St. Pete Beach in 2022 until August on Lover’s Key. The SCCF first sighted it in September during its Global Shorebird Counts.
Black skimmers are listed as state-threatened in Florida. They can be found along the Gulf and northeastern U.S. coasts and in southern California, Mexico, and South America. As beach-nesting birds, they are highly vulnerable to habitat loss and disturbance in developed coastal areas and beaches.
“We are happy to have seen 7U alive and well following Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” SCCF shorebird biologist Audrey Albrecht said.
CROW, LL COOL J AND WHITE/BLUE
Banded snowy plovers Crow and LL Cool J, originally from Sanibel and banded by SCCF biologists, were re-sighted last week in Pineallas County.
On Oct. 16, the team also received news that “Super dad” White/Blue was seen foraging on Caladesi Island in Dunedin. White/Blue was banded as a chick on Sanibel in 2019 and has fledged chicks on the island every year since, other than 2024.
Snowy plovers are also listed as threatened in Florida and have a limited range along coasts in California, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and South America. Like black skimmers, the small beach-nesting birds are very vulnerable to coastal development and human disturbance.
The SCCF has monitored snowy plovers on Sanibel since 2002.