Wild Sarasota Beaches: Sea Turtles, Shorebirds & How to Share the Shore

I’ll never forget the first time I stumbled upon what makes Sarasota beaches and wildlife so extraordinary. It was dusk at Lido Beach, one of those late-summer evenings when the sky glows pink and orange and the water turns glassy. I was walking along the shoreline when I glimpsed what looked like hundreds of tiny shapes moving toward the Gulf.

Around my feet, baby sea turtles were clawing their way from the nest, navigating footprints, ridges, and even small holes in the sand — the leftovers of a busy beach day. A few had fallen into deeper pits, so I gently helped them back on track, pointing them toward the waves. Every few seconds, another hatchling broke free, paddling across the sand with more determination than you’d think possible from something the size of a silver dollar.

As I filmed, a few people reached for flashlights — and I quickly reminded them to stop. Artificial light can disorient hatchlings, drawing them away from the ocean instead of toward it. That’s why Sarasota’s beachfront homeowners and businesses keep lights off or shielded during nesting season.

It was one of those moments you don’t plan — one that shows just how alive Sarasota’s beaches truly are. These shores aren’t just scenic; they’re part of a living ecosystem that depends on care, awareness, and respect.

The Rhythm of Sarasota Beaches and Wildlife

Spend enough time along Sarasota’s coastline and you’ll start to hear its rhythm — a pulse of nature that hums between waves, wind, and wings. From May through October, loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley turtles come ashore to nest. By late summer and fall, shorebirds like terns, plovers, and black skimmers take their turn, laying eggs right in the open sand, nearly invisible to the untrained eye.

But that rhythm is fragile. Dogs off leash, beach furniture left overnight, or a careless footprint can disturb nests or crush eggs. That’s why local conservation groups — from Mote Marine Laboratory to Sarasota’s volunteer turtle patrols — walk the beaches at sunrise, logging nests, marking perimeters, and quietly teaching visitors how to enjoy the coast without harming what makes it special.

Did You Know?

Female sea turtles return to the same beach where they hatched — sometimes after more than 20 years of crossing the ocean.

Wrack: Nature’s “Messy” Gift

To casual visitors, the dark, tangled line of seaweed and shells along the shore looks like trash. But that so-called mess — known as wrack — is one of nature’s unsung heroes. It’s full of tiny insects and crustaceans that shorebirds rely on for food, especially during nesting and migration. Wrack also traps moisture and helps stabilize the sand, protecting against erosion after storms.

When we rake or remove it for aesthetics, we’re unknowingly stripping away a vital food source and shelter for the beach’s smallest residents.

Did You Know?

That wrack line marks the reach of the last high tide — a natural buffet line for birds following their instincts.

Birds of the Shore

Walk Siesta, Lido, or Longboat beaches and you’ll quickly spot Sarasota’s regulars:

•Black Skimmers — sleek flyers with bright orange bills that slice the water’s surface as they hunt.

•Terns — bold, noisy, and sometimes mischievous. Nearly every time I’m at Siesta, I see a tern or gull swoop down and steal a French fry straight from a visitor’s hand. It’s not only common but it’s also expected.

•Brown Pelicans — the Gulf’s acrobats, diving headfirst before bobbing like buoys in the swell.

•Sandpipers and Plovers — darting at the edge of waves, legs a blur as they chase retreating foam.

Each species plays its part in the coastal symphony. Some are year-round locals; others migrate thousands of miles and rest here before continuing their journey.

Did You Know?

Black skimmers nest right on the open sand — their eggs blend so perfectly with the grains that volunteers rope off nesting zones every summer to protect them.

How to Share the Shore

Protecting Sarasota’s beaches and wildlife doesn’t require a degree in marine biology — just a little mindfulness:

•Fill in holes before you leave so hatchlings don’t get trapped.

•Pack out trash, especially plastics and bottle caps.

•Keep dogs off the beaches.

•Stay behind ropes marking turtle or bird nests.

•Don’t feed birds — it changes their behavior and diet.

•Leave wrack where nature placed it; it isn’t debris, it’s dinner.

Did You Know?

A single plastic straw can kill a sea turtle. Sarasota County’s coastal cleanups collect thousands each year.

Protecting What Makes Sarasota Special

Sarasota’s beaches are living, breathing ecosystems — not just backdrops for photos. When you slow down and notice the tracks of a nesting turtle, the silhouettes of skimmers at sunset, or the crunch of shells beneath your feet, you’re connecting with something timeless.

By sharing the shore wisely, we preserve more than wildlife — we preserve the experience that draws people here in the first place.

Plan your next coastal visit or learn how to volunteer by checking the Sarasota Lifestyle Events Calendar and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.