(from left) Belleair Beach Island Garden Club president Mary Chacanias welcomes new members Heidi Sandorf, Donna Koren and Edith Blackerby at the group's February meeting at Belleair Beach City Hall.
BELLEAIR BEACH - Sandy Tuten was in the audience the day Ralph Heath, founder of the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Redington Shores, addressed the Belleair Beach Island Garden Club. Heath was guest speaker at the February meeting, which took place at Belleair Beach City Hall. Heath had brought along an injured dove that was receiving care at the rescue and rehabilitation center. Birds of all species, not just seabirds, are treated at the Sanctuary hospital, he said. Heath's talk brought back memories of Tuten's experiences with the facility. "I think they do a stellar job," she noted following the presentation. Several years ago, she and her husband, Larry, discovered an injured pelican "completely entangled" in fishing line on the deck of their boat, which was docked on the Intracoastal Waterway at the time. They couldn't imagine how, in that condition, the bird ended up there. The couple wrapped the pelican in a beach towel and headed for the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. After calling for reports on its condition, they were happy to hear that it had recovered from its ordeal and was soon to be released back into the wild. "When I called to follow up, they (staff) weren't too busy to talk with me about the bird's status," Tuten advised.
On another occasion, while travelling in Manatee County to visit an Indian mound, Tuten noticed a cormorant struggling on the side of the road. It, like the pelican, was tangled in fishing line but, in addition, had suffered serious injury to its beak. "Part of its beak was missing," Tuten explained. Once again, they rushed to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, where hospital staff did all they could for the bird, which was badly malnourished and dehydrated due to the fact it had been unable to procure food. Unfortunately, the cormorant did not survive.
Tuten has a friend who also appreciates the work the Sanctuary does. A while back the friend spotted a tern with a broken wing on the beach near Sand Key Park which she was able to subdue with a towel over its head with the help of some other beachgoers. Every day after dropping off the bird at the Sanctuary, calls were made to hospital staff, who took the time to answer questions and provide information on the bird, such as how much it was eating and how much weight it had gained. On several other occasions, that same friend called Sanctuary volunteers for help in rescuing pelicans in distress. Volunteers such as Charlene and Dave Mason were quick to respond, she said.
So Tuten was especially glad that the Belleair Beach Island Garden Club, of which she is a longtime member, wanted to do their part to help support the Sanctuary. Following the program that day, president Mary Chacanias presented Heath with a check in the amount of $500 to help feed the hundreds of birds currently residing at the facility. These are birds which recovered from their injuries but would not be able to survive on their own in the wild.
The Belleair Beach Island Garden Club is a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, National Council of State Garden Clubs and the Area Beautification Council. Prospective members may call 517-3618 for information.
Ralph Heath holds an injured dove receiving care at the Sanctuary
