Red tide blows south, aids research
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARY LUNDEBERG
A snowy egrets catches live fish on Englewood Beach near Stump Pass Beach State Park. This is a welcome sight after the red tide, says wildlife photographer Mary Lundeberg.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARY LUNDEBERG
A willet sandpiper catches a minnow on Englewood Beach near Stump Pass Beach State Park. After an episode of red tide that left only dead fish on the wrack line, the birds are back in business.
ENGLEWOOD — Eastern winds have been a blessing for Sarasota and Charlotte counties, blowing a red tide algae bloom south that plagued Englewood and other coastal communities the past few weeks.
Due to the winds, surface concentrations are being blown south out of Sarasota and Charlotte counties into Lee County and could end up in the Florida Keys, FWC researcher Alina Corcoran said Thursday. However, Corcoran cautioned red tide may still be found in the water column offshore and samples continue to show varying concentrations of the algae.
