Threatened shorebird colony nesting on Aqua by the Bay property

Heatwaves signaling midday blurred the sandy horizon as Kathy Doddridge peered into her spotting scope. From hundreds of yards away, between sparse specks of green shrubs, she eyed the black head of a least tern.

The new colony of the threatened shorebird species didn’t plop down on any of the seven miles of Anna Maria Island’s shoreline. This group ended up nesting on the hotly contested proposed development site of Aqua by the Bay.

Developer Carlos Beruff’s project, which covers 529 acres on Sarasota Bay off of El Conquistador Parkway, is said to be on the last untouched mangrove shoreline in Manatee County.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch’s executive director Suzi Fox spotted the least terns on the barren site last month. She notified the Manatee chapter of the Audubon Society, which in turn contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The birds have streamlined black-and-white plumage with long, narrow beaks, and they lay their eggs in depressions in the sand, according to FWC. Eggs hatch in about three weeks, and the juveniles flock the nest after just three or four days.

They are also considered a threatened species in Florida. According to FWC, their biggest threat is loss of habitat by human encroachment.

Doddridge, who volunteers for Audubon and the turtle watch, said a shorebird official with FWC made a site visit the following week, counting 34 individual least terns and one nest. But there’s not much else that can be done to protect the birds while they nest, as some construction trucks have been seen driving by.

“Because it’s on private inland property, FWC can’t post or set up a buffer zone for the least terns,” Doddridge said. “So all we can really do is monitor them.”

She added that FWC said it could only notify the developer, Medallion Home, about the colony. Calls made to Medallion Home executives went unanswered Monday.

Spotting scope in tow, Doddridge checks on the colony about three times a week. If there were any disturbances to the colony, FWC suggested they call the Wildlife Alert hotline.

Doddridge expects the colony to stick around through mid-August, around the same time that the development is expected to go back before the planning commission on Aug. 10. But she doesn’t think it will affect any possible construction. The Building and Development Services is investigating a private citizen’s concern about the colony, said county spokesman Nick Azzara.

“But it would be nice if he (Beruff) would create a buffer zone for them or let us come out on the property so we can do another check, especially if there are chicks in there,” Doddridge said.

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Threatened shorebird colony nesting on Aqua by the Bay property."