PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Sally played havoc on the Florida Panhandle’s coastlines, but it left behind a pleasant upside. Perfect nesting sites for the region’s shorebirds.

Six Florida counties reported dune and beach erosion to the Department of Environmental Protection after Hurricane Sally.

And shorelines sustained damage as far east as Gulf County.

But the storm’s damage exposed sandy areas that give the birds nesting space and eliminate hiding spots for beach predators like raccoons and feral cats.

And the timing of the storm meant everything to the birds as they were already done with breeding season.