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Those who have been to Tigertail Beach know that it’s a unique treasure on Marco Island. Tigertail Beach Park has a beautiful sandy view of the shore and its estuary draws nature enthusiasts to an ecological trove of fascinating plants and wildlife.

Last week marked the beginning to the 2008 showcase of Tigertail’s unique ecosystem. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is sponsoring free nature walks from now until April. Groups meet at Tigertail Beach Tuesday through Friday at 8 a.m.

The nature walk, guided by trained naturalists, gives participants a two-hour exploration of the estuary’s diverse plant and animal life.

Six visitors arrived for this year’s first nature walk Jan. 8. Veteran guide Judi Polizzotti and newcomer volunteer Susan Purvis guided the tour.

Polizzotti called the first day’s turnout “pretty typical” compared to what the rest of the season would be like. Polizzotti said she enjoyed the intimacy of a small group like, but groups can get as large as 30 people.

Before the tour started, Purvis and Polizzotti took the opportunity to get familiar with their excursionists.

Mike and Linda Largo from Michigan arrived for the tour first. They said they attended the nature walk last year and were eager for another tour.

“We love it here,” said Mike Largo.

John and Marge Tunnell arrived next equipped with brand new camera gear, bird-watching binoculars and sporty water shoes. The Tunnells said they learned of the walk after participating in the friends of Tigertail Beach cleanup in December.

As the group was just beginning to depart for the tour, Susan and Fred Schultz rushed to join. The belated travelers, both clasping cups of McDonald’s gourmet coffee, said they had read about the nature walk in the paper.

Once the walk got started, it become immediately clear that the tourists matched the guides’ enthusiasm for maritime ecology.

Fred Schultz was full of questions, especially about the plant life.

Marge Tunnell, a retired high school and middle school biology teacher, came with a sea of knowledge about the ecosystem she was exploring. Tunnell’s face lit up for every new piece of knowledge that she learned.

“The people who come here are pretty knowledgeable,” said Polizzotti of the typical visitor on her tours.

Although this nature walk was Susan Purvis’ first to guide, she had a veteran’s knowledge of the critters of Tigertail Beach. She pointed to mounds of sand that looked like, as she described, “Dairy Queen ice cream swirls.”

“These are from acorn worms,” said Purvis.

She described how the acorn worms dig into the ground, eating sand to gain its nutrients. When the worms excrete the sand, it swirls up at the surface.

Polizzotti found an osprey nest, and explained that osprey’s mates are usually lifelong partners.

Small facts like these dazzled the visitors.

As the walk continued the group was easily distracted by all of the plants and critters. The excursionists could hardly walk 20 feet without someone stopping to look at snails climbing on the tops of mangroves or to grab a snapshot of tiny crabs burrowing in the sand.

No one was too squeamish to pick up a live shell from the mud or the remains of a horseshoe crab from its grave.

The highlight of the tour occurred when the tour reached a hideaway spot where dozens of birds were feeding — 86 different species of birds have been spotted on Tigertail according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. The diverse fowl population has drawn bird enthusiasts from around the world, including from England and Australia, said Susan Kubat, a secretary of the Friends of Tigertail.

This group played witness to a large pelican swooping into the shallow estuary for fish. There were long-legged white ibises probing for a meal and a tricolored heron running in the water looking for food.

Polizzotti gathered everyone’s attention and pointed to an osprey in the distance proudly carrying a fish in its talons. The tour group watched with a collective awe and reverence as the ivory hawk tore into his breakfast on a wooden signpost roughly thirty yards away.

The guides and the Tunnells shared their binoculars with the rest of the group to watch.

And before anyone knew it, the two-hour tour was finished. The excursionists began to disperse and head back to the parking lot as high tide began to arise in the estuary.

The visitors praised the guides on the tour.

“I think they do a great job,” John Tunnell said.

Marge Tunnell said, “I’ve seen unbelievable things here. I’ve learned a lot from this group.”

Tunnell also said that she was considering being a volunteer guide in the future.

As for the guides, Polizzotti said she was pleased with the first tour of the year.

“I think they enjoyed it,” Polizzotti said, who admits that she wants to do more than just give the visitors a good time.

“The idea of this is that you make people aware of what’s here,” said Polizzotti. “Then [they] can enjoy it and respect it.”

Those interested in volunteering for the Conversancy of Southwest Florida can call Susan Kubat at 239-642-7740.