Dog Day Afternoon

It's a dog day afternoon here on Anna Maria Island.  I've been lounging on my dog bed in the shade of a few palm trees thinking about all of my friends.  You might not have realized that in addition to my dog and human friends, I have hundreds of birds and sea creature friends  living here on the island with me.

Mom and I hang out together looking for our dolphin friends.

An incredible amount of wildlife call Anna Maria their home.  Some of my friends are sea turtles who come ashore at this time of year to lay their eggs on the beaches.  The hatching usually takes place in the dark around the end of October into November.  It warms my doggie heart to see the little turtle hatchlings enter the water for their first big swim.

Right now, in the first week of June, my skimmer friends are congregating in a protected area on the beach to lay their nests.  I saw several manatee close to shore on Monday.  And, of course, my blue heron friends come right up to our back door looking for a treat.  Sometimes my Mom will toss them a shrimp. 

I love watching the gulls, sandpipers, royal terns and plovers gently flying over the shallow water looking for little fish for dinner. 

My friend, Mark Alonso and I often go out canoeing to find my sea bird friends.

And, of course, my dolphin friends come by to visit often.  They swim so close to the beach I can see their fins as they feed and play. 

This is a wonderful place for a nature lover like me. 
Its a doggone good life!