One of the great things about living in Sebastian is the wildlife. It's all around us, crawling near our feet, flying overhead, scurring in the trees and bushes, and slithering in the grass. One of my favorites are Meer hens, a common sight in Sebastian wherever there is water. Their call sounds like deepest darkest Africa. And since I've started tossing out bread to them at sunset, they remind me with their call that it's time. Or if they hear the screen door from the lanai they come screeching and paddling over to our canal shoreline. The one pictured below is raising up some babes across the canal. Many species of birds gather together to feed, all sizes, shapes and colors, and it's always a thrill to see them.
Below is a meer hen carrying off some bread I tossed out, probably bringing them to the nest where her babies await. Living on a canal affords us a constantly changing view of wildlife going about their busy lives, gathering food and socializing with birds of a feather. Binoculars are a must here, and I can sit outdoors and watch the show for hours. We have seen many different kinds of turtles, snakes, alligators, otter, spoonbills, osprey, sandhill cranes, ibis, meer hens, anhinga, limpkins, and many others, besides all the northern birds that fly down for the winter. I've gone on many nature walks, but have not seen the numbers or varieties of wildlife I see out our back door daily.
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| Meer hen carrying a piece of bread to her brood |
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| Meer hen and Limpkin waiting for a snack |
A recent US News & World Report article listed Sebastian/Vero Beach as being one of the top 10 areas in the country for the well-educated to enjoy their retirement. Cities on the list have a large propertion of people 65 and over with master's degree or higher level of education. It cited the availability of intellectual pursuits, art galleries and museums, theater, beautiful scenery, and plenty of like-minded company. It mentioned the year-round pleasant temperatures, beautiful scenery, nature and beaches, and easy access to all these things.
Well, I guess the secret's out. If there's anybody out there thinking about retiring here, don't hesitate. We retired here seven years ago, came from Connecticut, and have never regretted it. In fact, we pinch ourselves each morning to see if we really are living in this paradise ... or was it all just a dream. And the housing market in all price ranges is ripe for the pickins--so come on down and pick one out. You'll find everyone here very friendly and helpful ... and you'll never hear another person complain about shoveling the sidewalk. As they say, "You can't shovel sunshine."
Judy Burgarella
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