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Tag: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

Shorebird nesting season has begun on Anna Maria Island

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (Turtle Watch) personnel and volunteers have started conducting beach nesting bird surveys on Anna Maria Island to locate, monitor and protect imperiled shorebird species nesting on the Island’s beaches.

The shorebird breeding season runs from March through September. Early in the season, birds such as American oystercatchers, least terns, black skimmers and snowy plovers begin looking for areas to nest in Florida.

A pair of black skimmers exhibiting courting behavior. – Kathy Dodderidge | Submitted

According to a March 19 press release received from Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella, “Nesting shorebirds prefer open sandy areas, gravel or shell bars with sparse vegetation on sandy beaches, coastal islands and gravel-tar rooftops. Their nests, called ‘scrapes,’ are shallow saucer-shaped depressions dug on the surface of the sand. Birds may make several scrapes in an area before laying eggs.”

If nesting birds are disturbed while establishing a nest site, they may move to a less suitable location. When beach-nesting birds are forced from their nests, they leave their eggs and chicks unprotected against predators and the heat.

When the eggs are laid, they are speckled to camouflage them from aerial predators. That coloration leaves them susceptible to being stepped on by beachgoers.

“When eggs are observed, (Turtle Watch) personnel will post a buffer – a stake and string boundary with nesting shorebird signs – around the area to prevent humans from approaching too close. Once a nesting area is posted, volunteers will conduct daily surveys to document the progress of the nest site,” according to Mazzarella, who noted imperiled shorebird species are protected by state and federal laws.

“In 2024, a colony of least terns nested successfully on AMI. The last time black skimmers nested on the Island was 2017,” Mazzarella stated in the press release. 

Turtle Watch is part of the Florida Shorebird Alliance; and the Turtle Watch organization conducts surveys to identify areas where shorebirds are establishing nest sites. Turtle Watch volunteers look for birds resting on the middle to upper parts of the beach and engaging in mating or courtship behaviors such as offering a stick or fish to their mate. If courting or mating birds are seen in the same location over several days, volunteer monitors will be on the lookout for eggs in the scrapes.

Beachgoers can help make Anna Maria Island beaches a safe place for shorebirds by following these tips:

• When you see large flocks of birds, give them space so you don’t disturb them. 

• Never intentionally force birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use the energy they need for nesting and migration.

• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or take flight, you are too close. 

• Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nesting and resting areas and use designated walkways.

• Don’t fly kites or drones near areas where birds may be nesting; they may be perceived as predators and disturb them.

• Keep dogs away from nesting areas. Keep cats indoors. Even well-behaved pets are regarded as predators.

• Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as racoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds.

• Spread the word. If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently remind them how their actions may hurt the birds’ survival. 

If someone continues to disturb nesting birds, please report their activities to FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922. For more information about protecting nesting shorebirds and seabirds, please visit IslandTurtleWatch.com.

Sea turtle season ends with successful fundraiser

Sea turtle season ends with successful fundraiser

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Sea turtle season officially ends on Oct. 31. Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers are monitoring the one remaining nest left on the Island and checking it daily to see if it hatches.

In the last week, Turtle Watch volunteers hosted a booth at Bayfest on Oct. 18 and held their annual fundraiser, the Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday, on Oct. 22.

Sea turtle season ends with successful fundraiser
Excited raffle winner Cory Jackson at the live auction benefiting the Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser.- Anne Yarbrough | Sun

“Much fun was had as Turtle Watch and Journey, our mascot, hosted our educational and mer­chandise booth at Bayfest, teaching attendees about sea turtles and showing off the sea turtle carapace (shell), sea turtle skulls and a view of what a nest looks like underground,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in an Oct. 24 email to The Sun.

Sea turtle season ends with successful fundraiser
Karen Anderson and Police Chief Bill Tokajer share a moment at the Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser. – Anne Yarbrough | Sun

Turtle Watch teamed up with Anna Maria Life, which debuted its Anna Maria Life Through the Lens of Angie Blunt 2026 calendars, complete with a raffle for an original Angie Blunt photograph. All proceeds from the calendars go directly to Turtle Watch.

Sea turtle season ends with successful fundraiser
Local photographer Angie Blunt signs copies of her photo calendar. – Anne Yarbrough | Sun

The fundraising event raised more than $30,000 for Turtle Watch.

“More than 70 VIPs attended the party inside Hurricane Hanks and over 250 people attended the event,” Mazzarella wrote. “High­lights were the live auctions for a ride-along with Holmes Beach Chief Tokajer and a ride-along Turtle Watch Experience.”

Mazzarella thanked sponsors A Paradise Realty, Hurricane Hanks/The Pour House/Hurricane Liquors, Slicker’s Eatery, CabanUp, Harbor Lane Court Vacation Rentals, The Anna Maria Island Sun and Mike Sales Music, as well as all the silent and live auction donors.

Donations are still being accepted at: https://square.link/u/gOEvLCL6.

Sea turtle nests are hatching

Nesting News

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Nesting News, Outdoors.

TURTLE NESTS LAID: 544
(528 loggerhead, 16 green) Record: 685 in 2024

FALSE CRAWLS: 828
(797 loggerhead, 31 green) Record: 831 in 2010

NESTS HATCHED: 424
(409 loggerhead, 15 green) Record: 453 in 2022

HATCHLINGS PRODUCED: 30,899
(29,674 loggerhead, 1,225 green) Record: 35,850 in 2022

NEST DISORIENTATIONS: 151
(148 loggerhead, 3 green)

ADULT DISORIENTATIONS: 30
(28 loggerhead, 2 green)

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

Turtle Watch Wednesday set for Oct. 22

Turtle Watch Wednesday set for Oct. 22

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

HOLMES BEACH – The Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraising event for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring will be on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 4-6 p.m. at Hurricane Hank’s, 5346 Gulf Drive.

“This is our largest fundraiser,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said. “This year we would like to purchase two new UTVs. Ours are old and at least two need to be replaced. Our volunteers do the best they can with these, but they’re used for six months in sand and salt water.”

The non-profit Turtle Watch is staffed entirely by volunteers. Since 1983, Turtle Watch has coordinated conservation efforts for nine miles of Manatee County shoreline.

“In over four decades, we monitored 19,460 turtle activities and protected 9,506 nests. This includes at least 421,765 hatchlings that departed the beach to become a future generation of sea turtles that will return to the region as they reach maturity – in about 30 years,” according to the Turtle Watch website.

The Oct. 22 event will feature music by Mike Sales, silent and live auctions with Bob Slicker as auctioneer and raffles, all with items donated by local businesses and individuals. Mazzarella said there will be about $20,000 worth of live and silent auction items.

“The big raffle items include a ride-along Turtle Watch patrol and a ride-along with the Holmes Beach police chief,” Mazzarella said. “Another is what we’re calling Hook, Line and Slickers. Capt. Pete Charters will take you out to catch fish and then Bob Slicker cooks it up.”

A Yeti cooler full of cheer is now at Hurricane Hank’s and raffle tickets can be purchased there in advance of the event.

“Businesses took a hit last year and we really appreciate their support,” Mazzarella said.

Last year’s Turtle Watch Wednesday was canceled due to hurricanes and the sales of calendars with photographs by Angie Blunt helped Turtle Watch get through the year.

“We were able to use the funds from those for our educational programs, including putting rack cards in rentals to give out to visitors, and programs in schools,” she said.

There will be an educational booth at the event where attendees can learn about sea turtles and meet Turtle Watch volunteers.

“We’re hoping for good weather and lots of fun,” Mazzarella said.

 

AMI approaching turtle nesting record

AMI approaching turtle nesting record

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island’s nesting sea turtles are approaching a record with 541 nests laid this year, two short of the 2019 record of 543.

Another record was set last week when the first turtle nest documented at Emerson Point Preserve hatched, with 81 of 98 eggs hatching, giving the nest an 83% hatch success rate.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitor­ing Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella reports that 22,311 hatchlings have successfully hatched this year.

“This is more hatchlings than we produced in 2024 (20,633), and almost as many that were produced in 2023 (22,713) – and the season is not over yet,” Mazzarella wrote in an Aug. 21 email.

“With all these hatchlings be­ing produced, we want to make sure they successfully reach the water. Hatchlings use light as a cue. They go away from dark backgrounds and towards the bright night sky over the water. We are urging everyone to do their best to keep light from reaching the beach and disorienting hatchlings.

  • No cell phone or flashlights (even red lights) on the beach at night;
  • Close blinds so interior lights cannot be seen from the beach;
  • Use turtle-friendly lighting (red or amber LEDs) with shields or turn off lights that can be seen from the beach; and
  • Report any non-turtle friendly lights that can be seen from the beach to your local code enforcement.

If you find a hatchling in danger, in the road, in a pool or off the beach, here’s what to do:

  • Pick up the hatchling to get it out of danger;
  • Place it in a bucket/con­tainer (you can put a little sand in the bucket but no water);
  • Call AMITW’s Hotline 941-301-8434 for more instruc­tions;
  • Do not release hatchlings on your own. If they are sick or injured, they may not be able to swim.
Green turtles break 2023 AMI nesting record

Green turtles break 2023 AMI nesting record

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring is celebrat­ing green turtles breaking their 2023 record of 12 nests on Anna Maria Island.

“We now have 13 green turtle nests on the Island and hope to get even more before nesting season comes to a close,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in a July 25 email.

The majority of turtle nests on AMI are laid by loggerhead sea turtles.

Turtle Watch volunteers were also surprised this week when they inven­toried a nest that was overdue for hatching. Such a nest would usually contain unhatched eggs, but instead they found 17 live hatchlings trapped in the nest due to hard-packed sand.

“Happily, all 17 hatchlings were healthy and active and were released into the Gulf,” she wrote.

Green turtles break 2023 AMI nesting record
Seventeen turtle hatchlings were found alive in an overdue nest. – Cindy Hodge | Submitted

Sea turtle hatching season is in full swing, but, unfortunately, so are disorientations, Mazzarella reported.

Disorientations occur when hatchlings follow artificial light instead of the light of the night sky. Following artificial light causes the hatchlings to expend energy they need for swimming. They can wander into swimming pools or become dehydrated or get picked up by predators.

“On Anna Maria Island, since hatching began on July 3, we have had 31 hatchling disorientations involving a minimum of 1,000 of the 5,513 hatchlings that have emerged this season,” Mazzarella wrote.

“Sadly, 61 of those hatchlings were found dead.”

She asks people to help make sure hatchlings make it safely to the Gulf by turning off beach-facing lights or using turtle-friendly light bulbs and shields on exterior lights. For interior lights, she asks people to close blinds and redirect lights so they can’t be seen through windows.

“Once hatchlings have disoriented, they are often led astray even further by all the lights that couldn’t be seen from the beach, so even if your prop­erty is away from the beach, it helps to be turtle friendly,” Mazzarella wrote.

Turtle Watch has a 24/7 hotline at 941-301-8434 to call if you see an adult or hatchling turtle in distress.

Bradenton Beach commissioners discuss beach hole ordinance

Bradenton Beach commissioners discuss beach hole ordinance

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City com­missioners discussed the current city ordinance prohibiting the digging of holes on public beaches at the June 5 meeting.

“This was brought up by (Manatee County Natural Resources Director) Charlie Hunsicker a couple of weeks ago at the coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting,” Mayor John Chappie said.

Holmes Beach has since passed a city ordinance prohibiting digging holes on beaches within the city’s limits.

“One of the things that was brought up to me is that it would be nice to have all of the three cities with a very similar if not the same ordinance,” Chappie said. “People don’t know when they’re crossing into different cities.”

The Holmes Beach ordinance pro­hibits removal of sand or shell and digging on the beach and states in part, “No person shall possess on or about the sandy Gulf beach a metal shovel of the type customarily sold in a hardware store (not a children’s toy) unless part of a (permitted) construction project.”

Chappie said the Bradenton Beach prohibition does not apply to kids digging with small beach shovels but is intended to prevent injuries to people and entrapment of sea turtles caused by larger holes.

“This is dealing with having big garden shovels out there or as somebody phrased it, as ‘an over­excited father with his kids digging a huge hole’ and then they don’t fill them back in and somebody could trip and get hurt,” he said.

Chappie said he recently received an email from a man who wrote that his wife was in the hospital after falling into a large hole at the beach.

“She hurt herself pretty badly apparently, so I think it is needed,” he said.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the city already has a city ordinance on the books which prohibits digging on the beaches and beach accesses.

Perry referred to Sec. 46-36 – Removal of Natural Re­sources – under city ordinance number 08-404 which has been in place since 2008.

“No person in a park shall dig, remove or displace any beach sand, whether submerged or not, or any soil, rock, stone, tree, shrub or plant, down timber or other wood or material, or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting, or other means or agency,” that section states.

The ordinance states, “Park means a park, golf course, playground, beach, recre­ational center or any other area in the city, owned or used by the city, and devoted to active or passive recreation.”

“If you look at it, I don’t see the need to do anything more,” Perry said. “We have something on the books that prevents this from happening.”

The 2008 Bradenton Beach ordinance doesn’t limit or specify the depth of a hole that can be dug in the beach sand. The Manatee County, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria ordinances limit the depth of a hole dug in the beach sand to 1 foot.

Penalties and enforcement

“If a code enforcement officer from the county or somebody from the city is around at the right time and place, that’s when enforcement is going to happen, but our guys are not going to be out there looking for it,” Chappie said.

Commissioner Scott Bear asked if the city could assess fines for violations.

Perry said there is nothing in Holmes Beach’s proposed ordinance that provides for fines but said she and Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby have been discussing city-wide penalties and modifications as they relate to code enforcement and traffic violations.

“If you don’t write it in the ordinance then it’s subject to difficulty applying a penalty for it,” Perry said. “The penalty that’s in the code that’s applicable is any person violating the provisions of this article shall be subject to expulsion from the park.”

She said the city has concurrent jurisdiction on the beaches with Manatee County.

“If they (Manatee County) have an ordinance with a fine associated with it, then we can have that particular fine be applicable,” Perry said.

A person convicted of violation of this code could receive a fine of not more than $500, she said.

“The way I see this, the city could issue a ticket like we do with turtle lighting issues and some other irreversible harm and add this to the ticket book for removal of sand, but it can’t exceed $500 per incident.”

Cosby said city fines and possible increases will be discussed at a Wednesday, June 25 city budget meeting.

Related coverage:
Anna Maria adopting ordinance prohibiting beach holes
Beach hole concerns deepen

 

Sea Turtle patrol begins this week on AMI

Sea Turtle patrol begins this week on AMI

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers are preparing to start the 2025 sea turtle nesting season beginning with turtle patrols on April 15.

According to Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella, the official start of nesting season is May 1, but in recent years, the first nest on the Island has been found in April.

“In 2024, there were 685 nests and 835 false crawls, all from loggerhead sea turtles,” according to a press release from Turtle Watch. “This was a record number of nests laid in one season. Turtle Watch documented 284 nests hatched and 20,633 hatchlings were produced.”

Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton wiped out a lot of sea turtles’ nests in 2024 and destroyed vegetation and the dune system on Anna Maria Island.

“Dunes and vegetation block artificial light from being seen from the beach and create a barrier for sea turtles,” the release states. “This year, lights that had not been an issue in years past have potential to disorient sea turtles and without dunes, in many areas, sea turtles will have direct access to the road.”

Turtle Watch asks people to use red or amber turtle-friendly bulbs and shields, block lights or shut them off in order to prevent disorientation.

Turtle Watch has developed educational initiatives to help the Anna Maria Island community educate visitors this summer:

  • The Inaugural Sea Turtle Nesting Season Kickoff Party deemed “Suzi Fox Day” in honor of the longtime Turtle Watch director will be held on Thurs­day, May 1 from 3-6 p.m. at Coquina Beach Lifeguard Tower #9. There will be free outreach materials and turtle-friendly light bulbs, an educational booth, games and activities for kids and music by Mike Sales.
  • Anna Maria Island businesses and properties can order free outreach mate­rials to hand out to guests or post in rooms. These materials, like rack cards, door hangers, posters, and window clings, educate visitors about how to protect sea turtles and shorebirds on AMI. Please visit https://islandturtle­watch.com/get-involved/educate/ to request the outreach materials of your choice. Materials can also be picked up at Suzi Fox Day.
  • Sea Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts talks are back starting on Monday, May 5. These educational presentations are put on by Turtle Watch volunteers on Mondays at 10 a.m. from May through August at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach.
  • Sea turtles are federally protected by the Endangered Species Act and by state and local laws. If you see a sea turtle in distress on Anna Maria Island, please call Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434 or the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

For more information, visit the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring website.

Sea turtle nests are hatching

Nesting News

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Environment, Special Sections.

Turtle nests laid: 685 (Previous record: 543 in 2019)

False crawls: 835 (Previous record: 831 in 2010)

Nests hatched: 302 (Record: 453 in 2022)

Hatchlings produced: 20,748 (Record: 35,850 in 2022)

Hatchling disorientations: 55

Adult disorientations: 36

Nests remaining on beach: 17

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

Least tern chicks fitted with tracking bands

Least tern chicks fitted with tracking bands

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – Four least tern chicks in a local nesting colony have been outfitted with color-coded bands to help researchers study their migration patterns along with population and breeding success.

On July 15, Dr. Elizabeth Forys of Eckerd College fitted the four chicks with tracking bands under her master band permit #25258 and additional state permits. The chicks ranged in age from three to four weeks and had not yet begun to fly.

During the banding process, each bird was weighed, the length of their bill and wing were measured, and all data recorded in a state and federal database. The tracking bands include a silver, pre-stamped federal band along with a white band on the left leg and two colored bands on the left leg which are specific to the individual bird.

The chicks are identified as follows: Chick 11A – Blue-Blue/White Silver; Chick 11B – Blue-Red/White Silver; Chick 12 “Marilyn” – Blue-Green/White Silver and Chick 15 “StumbleBum” – Blue-Orange/White Silver

If you see a banded bird, report it to reportband.gov, noting

• Date, time and location;

• Species;

• Which leg or legs have bands;

• Color and order of bands; and

• Whether the band has an alphanumeric code, and, if so, the code.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring first reported the colony of least terns the week of May 6. Since then, the colony has grown to 45 birds. Of the 22 nests, there are still two birds sitting on eggs which are expected to hatch by the end of July.

Sea Turtle Conservancy to release turtle

Sea Turtle Conservancy to release turtle

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Sea Turtle Conservancy plans to release a satellite-tagged loggerhead sea turtle after it nests on Anna Maria Island as part of the annual Tour de Turtles event.

The release is scheduled on Monday, June 24 at 8:30 a.m. with a backup date of Tuesday, June 25, depending on when a turtle nests. The location will be announced on the morning of the release on the Sea Turtle Conservancy Facebook page and its website at https://conserveturtles.org/.

Attendees are encouraged to come early to see the nesting turtle and talk to the turtle team. In previous years, the release has taken place on Coquina Beach.

The Conservancy is partnering with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Hurricane Hanks for the release.

The Tour de Turtles follows the migration of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds from the time of their release until the end of October, the end of turtle nesting season.

The launch of the Tour de Turtles corresponds with World Sea Turtle Day on June 16, the birthdate of Conservancy founder Dr. Archie Carr.

Least tern numbers increasing

Least tern numbers increasing

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – A colony of least terns is continuing to grow and now has 36 birds with 20 of those sitting on eggs in the sand.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring has been watching the nesting birds at an undisclosed location that has been roped off since nesting began the week of May 6.

As the eggs begin to hatch, beachgoers are cautioned to watch for chicks crossing beach access points. Turtle Watch volunteers have placed “chick fencing” near the beach access along with “chick huts” within the enclosure to shade the chicks and protect them from predators.

Least terns are listed as a threatened species in Florida. The population has declined in the last 10 years and estimates suggest the species is vulnerable to extinction if their current threats are not addressed, according to a press release from Turtle Watch.

Least terns become agitated by disturbances by people as well as avian predators. Birds may fly away from their nests, leaving eggs and chicks vulnerable.

“Avian predators such as fish crows and laughing gulls harass nesting birds and have been documented to eat unattended eggs and newborn chicks,” according to Turtle Watch Shorebird Coordinator Kathy Doddridge.

One way to manage the threat of fish crows is by using crow effigies – a likeness made from plastic and feathers to mimic dead crows.

The placement of effigies near nesting colonies is a management tool used to scare crows away and reduce the number of crows in a specific area. Turtle Watch volunteers have placed two effigies in the area of the least tern colony.

Turtle Watch offers the following reminders to beachgoers:

• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or leave their nests you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet away from a nest;

• Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nesting and resting areas and use designated walkways;

• Never intentionally force any birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use the energy they need to reserve for nesting and migration;

• Pets are not allowed on Anna Maria Island beaches. Keep cats indoors;

• Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds;

• Spread the word. If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently remind them how their actions may hurt birds’ survival. If they continue to disturb nesting birds, report their activities to FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Least tern colony thriving on beach

Least tern colony thriving on beach

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring reports that a colony of least terns on the beach is thriving.

As of May 24, there are 15 birds on nests and 29 individuals inside the fenced-off area. One nest has been lost to an unknown cause, according to a release from Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.

“There are still some individuals courting and making scrapes (nests) so it’s possible there may be more nests in the coming days,” Mazzarella wrote. “As of yet, we have no chicks, but the first few nests should be due very soon.”

In an effort to keep new chicks from traveling out of the posted area towards the busy 27th Street beach access, Turtle Watch volunteers have installed “chick fencing,” as chicks are mobile soon after they hatch and are likely to leave the posted area.

“We ask folks to keep their distance from this posted colony as the birds are very susceptible to disturbance and we want them to stay on their nests to protect the eggs from heat and predators,” Mazzarella wrote.

Turtle, bird nesting seasons in full swing

Turtle, bird nesting seasons in full swing

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Kristen Mazzarella said the past week has been a strong one for local sea turtles and shorebirds.

“There was a great increase in the number of (turtle) crawls over last week,” she said, with the number of nests increasing from six to 48.

A colony of least terns also is doing well, according to Mazzarella.

“The number of nests in the colony has increased to 12 this week” from four last week, she said of the imperiled shorebirds.

She reminded beachgoers to fill holes in the sand and level sandcastles before leaving the beach, so sea turtles do not get trapped, and steer clear of the posted bird nesting area.

On Tuesday, May 28, Turtle Watch will present a Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts presentation at noon at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

 

TURTLE TIPS

During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:

• Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.

• Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.

• Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings.

• Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. You might also accidentally dig into an unmarked nest. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call:

• City of Anna Maria code enforcement — 941-708-6130, ext. 111.

• City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement — 941-778-1005, ext. 227.

• City of Holmes Beach code enforcement — 941-778-0331, ext. 260.

• Level sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.

• Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.

• Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.

• Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

 

NESTING NEWS

Turtle nests laid: 48 (Record: 544 in 2019)

False crawls: 39 (Record: 831 in 2010)

Nests hatched: 0 (Record: 453 in 2022)

Hatchlings hatched: 0 (Record: 35,850 in 2022)

Hatchling disorientations: 0

Adult disorientations: 0

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

Season’s first shorebird nest discovered

Season’s first shorebird nest discovered

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Featured, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – The first shorebird nests this year on Anna Maria Island have been spotted and marked by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers.

A colony of least terns began nesting the week of May 6 at an undisclosed location in Bradenton Beach. A state-designated threatened species, least terns last nested on Anna Maria Island in 2021.

As of May 9, there were four nests and 10 individual birds, according to Turtle Watch volunteer Kathy Doddridge. When she first came across the nesting birds, there were only two nests.

Once eggs were located, volunteers marked off the area to protect the nests from human and vehicle interaction.

Season’s first shorebird nest discovered
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers have marked off a least tern nesting site in Bradenton Beach. – Submitted | Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

According to Turtle Watch, previous colonies failed due to the presence of cats and crows, both predators of least terns. Keeping cats indoors and covering garbage to keep away crows are important for keeping the birds safe.

Least tern eggs take about 21 days to hatch. Chicks will then look for places to hide so chick huts have been placed within the perimeter of the marked area to provide shelter and shade. Least terns fly 19-20 days after hatching.

Least terns are protected by both state and federal laws.

Turtle Watch asks beachgoers to abide by the following:

• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet away from a nest.

• Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nesting and resting areas and use designated walkways.

• Teach children to refrain from intentionally forcing birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use energy they need to reserve for nesting and migration.

• Pets are not allowed on AMI beaches. Keep dogs and cats off the beach, as even their scent can frighten birds off nests.

• Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds.