The almost 45-year-old Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores is getting new management and key staff, and a renewed dedication to volunteers and the community. This should more than offset a recent amount of bad publicity, both legal and financial.
Eddie Gayton, longtime volunteer and new Operations Manager, told Paradise News, “Founder Ralph Heath’s sons, who have owned the Sanctuary property since 2011, have pledged their full support to the new management team”.
“We’re again in full operation with a new key staff and a fully functioning Clinic. In addition to myself as Operations Manager, included are Office Manager Adrianne, and Gift Shop Manager Diane. The fully-equipped Clinic is operated by key staff and volunteers with vets who offer their assistance with any seriously injured birds”.
“We’re actively recruiting new volunteers, who include Rescuers, Visitor Greeters, Bird Caregivers, Gift Shop Workers and Fundraisers. Prospective Volunteers should contact Diane in the Gift Shop at 727-391-6211.”
“We’re also getting excellent response to our full list of Sanctuary amenities. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to Sunset, we offer tours of 10 or more Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with prior confirmation. Pelican feeding is daily at 2:30 pm, weather permitting … The Sanctuary is a great site for weddings, birthday parties and other events, under our decking, right off the beach. Both 7-Eleven and Beach Pizza are a half-mile away, and Beach Pizza delivers. Our Gift Shop is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily and a great variety of wonderful gifts is also available for online ordering at www.SuncoastSeabirdSanctuary.com … For another perfect gift, you can also “Adopt a Bird!”
Old Florida Attraction
Gayton proudly noted, “One of the very few ‘Old Florida Attractions’ on our beaches, the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary offers an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to see up close and commune with the huge variety of feathered friends that make this part of the world so very interesting to visit and live in. In its role as a sea and land bird hospital and rehabilitation center, our facility, located on a narrow strip of beachfront land at 18328 Gulf Blvd., sees up to 5,000 injured birds each year.”
“Volunteer rescuers answer calls to help free birds tangled in fishing line, beer six-pack holders and affected by other forms of pollution. Those needing surgery or rehabilitation are taken to the Sanctuary. Some rehabilitated birds take up permanent residence on the property even after they are freed.”
“We’ve gotten some nice recent publicity, including a Trip Advisor #1 ranking among seven Indian Shores attractions. The Sanctuary was also featured on Bay News Nine TV’s popular ‘Florida On A Tankful’ series under the headline ’Injured Feathers Flock to Seabird Spa’ and we’re continually adding new ‘Friends’ on our Facebook page, Facebook.com/SuncoastSeabirdSanctuary.
“Our Wish List includes stainless steel scrub pads, Scotch Brite scrub sponges, paper towels, laundry detergent, liquid bleach, Mean Green super cleaner & degreaser, 35 & 45-gallon black garbage bags, Tall kitchen bags, old bath towels, dry small nugget dog food, grapes & apples, garden hoses & nozzles with ball valves, heavy metal rakes, new brown lunch bags, new Tissue Paper, 8 ½ x 11-inch copier paper, postage stamps and scotch tape.”
“There is no admission fee, though once they see the good work we do, visitors tend to make generous donations and/or big expenditures in our gift shop. All money raised goes to care for and feed the birds. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, all Sanctuary donations are tax-deductible.”
Brief Sanctuary History
Driving home from Christmas shopping in late 1971, longtime local resident Ralph Heath found a limping cormorant on the roadside. After treatment by a local vet, he took the bird – which he named Maynard – to his home in Indian Shores to recuperate.
Soon the word got around that the Heath residence was the place to bring a sick or injured bird. He then got the necessary permits to possess and care for wild land and sea birds, including threatened and endangered species. Local bait shops donated fresh fish and Ralph’s family set up a hospital in their recreation room.
Due to the exorbitant cost of feeding and maintaining the birds, with the help of the Heath family and a few good friends, the non-profit Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary was bornalmost 45 years ago in 1972 at its current site, and within four years had more than 400 birds in residence. From the start, the Sanctuary was set up to immediately triage, stabilize, and administer fluids to malnourished or injured birds
Today, the site is the largest wild bird hospital and bird sanctuary in the United States, based on the admission of up to 5,000 birds per year. The Sanctuary mission has remained the same as when it opened: dedicated to the rescue, repair and rehabilitation of injured birds, and then their release back into nature. At the same time, there are more than 400 “ permanent residents” living at the Sanctuary, who are too injured for release into the wild.
New Operations Manager and longtime volunteer, Eddie Gayton pledges, “With your continuing help as volunteers, and with your donations to the Sanctuary, we will fulfill our goals to care for and rehabilitate injured birds, and to educate the public about wildlife and the environment for many more years.” PN
Story by STEVE TRAIMAN • Photos by Tropical Focus