Wildlife at Bluewater Bay

One of the things you appreciate about Bluewater Bay is the on-going beauty and magnificence of wildlife in the community. When the community was developed, mature trees and marsh areas were preserved, which also preserved much of the wildlife that’s intrinsic to our area. Wildlife that you’ll see in our area includes squirrels, cardinals, purple martins (close to the water), fox, bear, heron and much more.

In addition to wildlife that lives in our area, you’ll also find birds passing through in the Fall on their way south, and then again in early Spring on their way north. For example, we see thousands of robins passing through in February each year. A wonderful sign of Spring. And it’s lovely to see that even the robins have chosen Bluewater Bay along their path during their annual trek each year.

In August 2016, Bluewater Bay was registered with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) as a “Community Wildlife Habitat”.

Southwind is officially certified as a “Habitat”. So is the golf course, the Marina, and many BWB common areas and properties. We have a Facebook Page – Bluewater Wild. The Facebook page has not be active lately, but if you enjoy our wildlife and want to get more involved, you have this opportunity.

Qualifying for Certification through NWF is currently being pursued by Okaloosa County, for Okaloosa County. This basically means that the County must “prove”, through a formal point system, that the County, to include Bluewater Bay, provides food, water, shelter, and a place for wildlife to raise their young, which of course we do in great abundance! Should the County receive the points needed to become Certified, it will be the first community in the Panhandle to do so!

Thanks to Steve Duresky of Southwind for contributing the above information, for registering Bluewater Bay with the NWF, for certifying Bluewater Bay assets as a Community Wildlife Habitat and for asking Okaloosa County to continue what he started towards NWF Certification.

The National Wildlife Federation Profile for Okaloosa County

As of 4/9/2022, Okaloosa County had 214 of the 400 points needed for NWF Certification. All other certification goals had been reached.