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Fins to Feathers

by Scarlet Colley - April, 2000

The last two weeks out on the water have been full of wonderful encounters. Since our last article on our poor little baby dolphin that died we have seen Nipper , the mother, back with her other children and the rest of her family seeming healthy and happy again. It just shows us even more as compassionate humans how much family means in time of crisis. Many dolphins have come up to our Skimmer since the event and seem to be saying thank-you for helping . We have had more individuals coming up under our bow , turning sideways, passing several times back and forth looking straight up at us. Of course we only get to see this when the water happens to be clear enough. They have been giving us a show of leaping and jumping more than usual and many individuals especially the matriarchs are bring fish up in their mouth and then tossing the fish around in the air. This just happened yesterday with a dolphin named Sally coming up with a big sheep head and tossing it around to her little one Special. Special got very excited about the game and started leaping thru the water, What a fun time we had and I was especially delighted to capture this on video. We never expected that we would get this kind of reaction from our dolphin family and it gives us great joy after being out on the bay with them for five years now that they are truly family.

We have had many new little ones in the past few weeks and they all seem healthy and there is an air of excitement in all the different family groups that have babies New little brothers and sisters to play with as soon as they get old enough is probably on the minds of all the young dolphin in the bay now. We are all hoping that boaters and waverunners will respect the families with little ones and stay back. They need their space and time to teach their babies how to deal with the human factor in their world so they can grow up to be healthy and avoid being hurt by props and waverunners blasting over them. We have been very pleased to see the respect that most human families on the water have been giving our dolphins families in the bay. Another group of mother natures beautiful creatures need our help right now and that is our birds coming across the gulf to return home for nesting. Colley and I have been putting water out on the wooded lots that are left and wonderful People like Barbara Kennett, our Mayor , Will and Gill Carter at the warbler rest stop, the Chapel by the Sea Church, have water and oranges and hummingbird feeder out for the colorful event. Already we have had fabulous birds and they do need our help. If there are any of you that would like to have a free tour with us to learn about the migratory birds call us and we will take you around the island and show you the spring colors that will rival any Easter egg hunt. Call us at 739-BIRD anytime. And remember you can help too by putting bells on you outdoor cats!!!

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