A big tourist draw for Daytona Beach is the fact that people can drive their cars on the beach, just park right where they want to & hang out for the day.
You don't have to fight for parking in a parking lot then lug your cooler, blankets, chairs and surfboards or other toys from the parking lot to the beach, it's all right there for you.
Recently, some rare visitors decided to visit Daytona Beach. Then they had their baby here and put a small damper on the beach driving for about a quarter mile of the beach.
They are Black Skimmers, and are classified a "Species Of Concern" by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee.
I started hearing about them a week and a half ago on a Saturday morning while reading the Daytona News Journal.
The News Journal reported that they just appeared with the baby out of the scrub bushes where beach officials believed the baby recently hatched.
Here is a recent article on them from the News Journal:
Beach buffer established to protect baby bird
Black Skimmers made their appearance that particular section of beach was shut down to driving. The officials estimated the beach would be closed off to vehicles about a week.
A week has turned into two weeks now and yesterday my hairdresser called me and said "Lysa have you seen these birds yet?" I told her no I hadn't. I wasn't sure exactly where to go to see them as I wasn't familiar with the beach in Daytona, I don't do beach driving. I also didn't have a clue where to go to park. She told me how to get to Sun Splash Park, also that I could park there and to "Get my camera and get my "AHEM" to the beach and take some pictures!"
So, I did!
This is the first time Black Skimmers have nested here in Daytona so this is a big deal for us.
While taking photos, I guess I wore the baby out and it just plopped down, almost like a puppy would and went to sleep...
If you want to go see them and get photos, it seems the earlier in the morning you go the better. Sun Splash Park is about a quarter mile south of the Daytona Pier and International Speedway Blvd. Park there and just walk north on the beach a little ways. You can't miss these birds.
(They seem to know that this area is roped off just for them. )
You can read another news article from South Florida about our visitors here:
Protected birds nest on Daytona Beach
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