Andrew West | Fort Myers News-Press
The south end of Fort Myers Beach is a nesting site for many of Southwest Florida’s protected shorebirds. Those include black skimmers, least terns, snowy plovers, Wilson’s plovers and more.
News-Press photographer Andrew West spent a recent evening there documenting some of the sights.
Some skimmers were seen loafing on the sands while others hunted the shallow waters in search of a meal. Least terns bathed and a lone reddish egret danced, pranced and ran in a zig zagging pattern drumming up a meal. In Big Carlos pass, several dolphins broke the surface of the calm waters, working in pairs in search of fish.
A staked off area alerts visitors to be aware of the nesting birds. The terns will make a racket and dive bomb any potential threat, which includes people. When hatched, snowy plovers and least terns are small cotton balls with feet. The camouflaged puff balls scatter along the landscape. The snowy plover chicks feed almost immediately after hatching, while parents bring in small bait fish for the least terns and black skimmers.
Beach nesting season is April 1 to Aug. 31.
Check out the video and photo gallery on naplesnews.com.
Are you looking for a home in the Naples-Bonita Springs, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Mark H. Bickel | Naples Daily News
Now that summer is upon us and the end of another busy tourist and snowbird season is in the rear view mirror, the memories of the months of horrible traffic we had to endure from Marco Island to Cape Coral usually start to fade right about now.
We come home from the grocery store or work and tend to say: “It’s really not that bad out there!”
But the clock to the start of next season is already ticking.
Which brings us to the Collier County MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) Board Meeting that took place June 13. If nothing else, the meeting was a reminder that significant efforts are underway to create long-term fixes for the traffic stress Southwest Florida is experiencing.
But the meeting was important in many other ways in terms of getting a better understanding and more details about the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) historic project that will widen I-75 − to as many as 10 lanes in some places − from the Golden Gate Parkway interchange in Collier County to the Corkscrew Road interchange in Lee County.
Get the details on naplesnews.com.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
The highly anticipated Four Seasons Resort in Naples is taking reservations.
Years in the making, the resort, part of a larger mixed-use luxury development, known as the Naples Beach Club, will debut in October.
Four Seasons announced the opening of reservations via a press release June 17.
While the release did not include an official opening date, the resort’s website shows the first-available booking date as Oct. 20, with limited options, or restrictions. After that date, rooms are marked as unavailable until Nov. 24 (with limited availability, until December).
The Four Seasons is replacing the former Naples Beach Hotel, off Gulf Shore Boulevard North. The Watkins family owned and operated the hotel for 75 years, through three generations, before selling the property for redevelopment in 2021.
Read more on naplesnews.com.
Are you seeking a luxury home in the Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
Federal agencies still haven’t signed off on a rebuild of the much-beloved Naples Pier.
At a workshop June 16, Naples City Council discussed potential changes to the design, but expressed reluctance to make any big ones, as it could drag out permitting.
During the workshop, Tim Hall, with Turrell, Hall & Associates, a consultant on the project, told council any significant changes could add months to the Army Corps of Engineers’ review and approval process.
“We’re hoping to get a permit from them probably in the September timeframe and it could add another six months on top of that,” he warned.
Council discussed changes to the land side of the pier only, including the addition of a restroom solely for use by the Naples Police Department, so officers could better secure and protect their safety equipment, including guns, while on duty.
Read more on naplesnews.com.
Are you looking for a home in the Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
Naples will usher in 2026 with fireworks.
Just not on New Year’s Eve, but a few days later. The show is planned for the first Saturday of the year.
Last year, city council voted to pull the plug on its annual fireworks on New Year’s Eve, near the Naples Pier, citing public safety concerns and the strain on police resources during a busy time.
Backlash was quick after fireworks canceled
The decision was met with sharp criticism from some residents, however, who complained about the loss of such a beloved tradition. The backlash came quickly on social media and in angry emails to the Naples Daily News, with one resident saying city council deserved the “Grinch Award.”
Read why the City wants a more manageable fireworks date on naplesnews.com.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
As part of a growing trend, an ultra-luxury waterfront estate in Bonita Bay has been put on the auction block.
The estate has been offered up via an online auction.
The local broker says it’s a first for Bonita Bay, the 2,400-acre, golf-oriented, gated community in Bonita Springs that opened for sales in 1985.
One-of-a-kind real estate
FRE Auctions is doing the auction, in partnership with Spina Realty Company, the broker. In a crowded market, they say it’s a transparent, efficient and competitive way to buy and sell one-of-a-kind real estate.
“It’s a very expensive house, actually,” said Corrie Brashars, an auction specialist for FRE, headquartered in California.
See the photo gallery and read more about this home built by Harwick Homes in 1994, the 7,838-square-foot residence has four bedrooms and seven bathrooms, including two half-baths. It has a home theater, gym and private study.
One of its most unique offerings: A resort-style pool that includes waterfalls and a swim-up bar… naplesnews.com.
Are you seeking a luxury home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
