The Peculiar Birds of Cape Coral

Our go-to beach this year has become the little one at the Cape Coral Yacht Club.  It is 10 minutes away, has free parking and the bridge toll is only $2.  They have a pier, an outdoor restaurant/bar and live music on the beach some days.

The birds there are wild!  One day we were eating lunch when a gull flew over my shoulder from behind and knocked the sandwich right out of my hand.  The slightest rustle of a bag attracts their attention and 2 or 3 of them are soon eyeing your snack craftily.  They are a nuisance for sure and you feel intimidated when you eat anything.

However, the other day we heard some really loud screeching, and squawking in the high trees behind us.  I looked up and saw dozens of green parrots roosting and flying from branch to branch.  Turns out these are monk parrots, originally native to South America.   They have established themselves as feral communities in various southern U.S. areas.

Beautiful birds. And they don’t dive bomb you on the beach!