The recent Gulf of Mexico hurricanes that struck Florida (Helene and Milton) have significantly altered the beaches of Longboat Key and Anna Marie Island. The beaches of these barrier islands are noticeably broader and flatter than they were in the past and much of their sand has been pushed onto or across the islands by the storm surge and strong winds.
Such findings were not unexpected when we returned to our condo but I have also noticed a dearth of shorebirds on these beaches. In the past three days I have only encountered modest-sized flocks of sanderlings and a few ruddy turnstones and black-bellied plovers. While the number of other seabirds seem to be relatively unchanged, one wonders if the storms altered both the structure and ecology of the beaches, "sterilizing" them of food sources that normally attract the shorebirds.
While I have no scientific data to support this theory, there is little doubt that shallow marine and tidewater ecosystems are affected by these powerful storms. Perhaps the dramatic decrease in shorebirds reflects less obvious changes in the beaches and coastal waters, the recovery of which may take many months.
