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Tag: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

COVID-19 claims friend of Turtle Watch

COVID-19 claims friend of Turtle Watch

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured, Obituaries.

BRADENTON BEACH – Morning beachgoers saw Marie Donahue walking the beach nearly every day, finding sea turtle tracks and enjoying the shorebirds, the dolphins and the Gulf of Mexico.

Suzi Fox was one of them. When Fox finished her survey of the beach each day as director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, she would often look up at Marie’s condo on Third Street and Marie would call out, “Coffee and cinnamon buns!”

Fox is heartbroken over the death of her friend from COVID-19 on July 25.

Donahue, 91, of Bradenton Beach, was a longtime friend of Turtle Watch, introduced to sea turtles in the program’s infancy by one of Turtle Watch’s original volunteers, “Turtle Tom” Van Ness, Fox said.

“They were pioneers of Turtle Watch,” she said. “They walked the beach as citizen scientists. She really knew what she was talking about. She caught things others missed.”

For many years, the two women met frequently for lunch.

“I felt so rich with her as my personal friend,” Fox said. “She would hear me out and cheer me up and correct me when needed.”

Donahue was so fascinated by turtles, she traveled to the Galapagos Islands to see them, Fox said. She visited six continents, often with family, and was a lifelong patron of the arts and an avid reader. She volunteered at Tingley Memorial Library in Bradenton Beach and the Anna Maria Historical Society.

“She was well-spoken and kind to everybody,” Fox recalls. “She was such a part of this Island.”

Because of the coronavirus, “We never got a chance to say goodbye,” she said.

“I’m saddened to know there are people who still don’t believe in this virus,” Fox said. “We need to be reminded that we’re losing our own.

“Right now, we have to protect ourselves,” she said. “This season has been a challenge, but I’ve never been more proud of the volunteers. We are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before.”

A Catholic Mass will be celebrated for Donahue. Due to the coronavirus, no memorial gathering is planned.

The great-grandmother is one of 186 people in Manatee County who have died from the coronavirus; 8,733 people in the county have reported having COVID-19 since its appearance locally in March, according to the Florida Department of Health.

On Anna Maria Island, 22 people have reported having the coronavirus in Bradenton Beach since its appearance locally in March, with 12 in Holmes Beach, three in Anna Maria and two in Cortez, according to floridadisaster.org.

Nationwide, 4.6 million cases have been reported, with 154,002 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Turtle nesting down on AMI

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As sea turtle nesting winds down this season, nesting statistics are down from last year’s record of 544 nests to 332 nests.

Among the possible reasons – COVID-19.

When the coronavirus arrived on the Island, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox decided to sharply reduce the number of volunteers who walk the beaches finding and staking off nests and excavating them after they hatch to count the eggshells.

“We have to be safe,” she said, asking that beachgoers avoid approaching Turtle Watchers on the beach and call 941-778-5638 instead.

With a reduced workforce, Fox decided not to count turtle nests or hatchlings in the city of Anna Maria this year, only keeping statistics on Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach nesting and hatching. The permit under which Turtle Watch operates does not require the organization to keep nesting statistics for beaches that are not renourished, she said, and Anna Maria is not included in the beach renourishment project now underway and scheduled to end in October or November.

Renourishment replaces sand on the beach that has been lost to erosion, protecting it from future erosion from storms, and protecting upland buildings and roads.

Nests laid on the bayside of the Island – which is also not being renourished – are not being counted either, and may account for another 50 to 60 nests, she estimated.

Turtles also may be avoiding nesting on the Island’s beaches when they sense renourishment activities, which includes heavy equipment working 24 hours a day under bright lights at night, when turtles nest. Sea turtles typically avoid lights, often returning to the Gulf of Mexico without nesting if they see lights from beachfront buildings, parking lots or streets.

While nesting is not approaching last year’s record, it is still above the 20-year average of 252 nests, according to Turtle Watch statistics.

Statistics on hatchings also are down from record numbers at the start of hatchling season, with 3,095 hatchlings documented so far as having made it to the Gulf from their nests. The record, set in 2018, is 35,788 hatchlings. The 20-year average is 13,123.

The renourishment project has necessitated relocating turtle nests in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach to one beach in Anna Maria unaffected by renourishment, but Fox said that should not affect the number of hatchings.

The hatchlings have three more months to go to catch up – sea turtle season lasts from May 1 to Oct. 31 on Anna Maria Island.

Related coverage

 

Nesting News

Close call for sea turtle trapped in hole

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – A sea turtle trapped in a hole on the beach is lucky that Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers are so diligent at their jobs.

Director Suzi Fox and volunteer Skip Coyne found turtle tracks along the shore last week with footprints next to the tracks stretching for a quarter-mile, indicating that someone had followed the turtle, keeping her from going back into the water.

Close call for sea turtle trapped in hole
Holes dug on the beach can entrap nesting and hatching sea turtles. – Mark Taylor | Sun

At the end of the trail was a hole someone had dug on the beach – with the turtle four feet down at the bottom of it.

Her breathing was labored, according to Fox, who has asked beachgoers for years to fill in holes they make in the sand, remove furniture from the beach at sunset and avoid flash photography of turtles.

Coyne began digging a ramp in the sand, and a visiting beachgoer, Kevin Breheny, of Decatur, Illinois, stopped to help him.

“That turtle was totally unphased by them doing it. She was understanding that this was her way out,” Fox said in a video produced for Turtle Watch by local musician Mike Sales.

“She turned towards us and she could sense that or see it,” Coyne said.

“This turtle looked up and looked at us like – there’s hope,” Breheny said.

The 300-pound turtle began to climb the ramp as they dug it, getting some help from the men to pull her out.

“It took a leap forward on its two front fins,” Breheny said. “I couldn’t believe the strength this turtle had… The next thing we know, off to the ocean it was going.”

The story could have taken a darker turn had any of the season’s first hatchlings fallen into the hole after emerging from their nests last week.

https://amisun.com/2020/07/05/nesting-news-2/

Fox has an urgent message for beachgoers.

“Do not walk with a turtle on the beach at night. She’s tender. She’s pregnant. She needs to do her business and get back out to sea,” she said. “And when you dig a hole, fill the hole back in.”

Because the turtle was disturbed by whoever followed her, she did not nest before falling into the hole, according to Fox, who added that the holes are not only dangerous to turtles, but to Turtle Watch volunteers and beachgoers.

“Even if it wasn’t your hole, fill the hole back in,” Fox said.

First turtle nest of season early

First turtle nest of season early

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA – A loggerhead sea turtle jumped the gun and laid the first nest of the 2020 season on Anna Maria Island’s north end sometime the night of Sunday, April 19, nearly two weeks before the official start of turtle season on May 1.

Suzi Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, said the turtle appeared to have made a false crawl first in the same area, meaning she came ashore to nest but did not do so right away.

“It’s the earliest a turtle has ever come in here, I think,” said Fox, who began monitoring local beaches early, on April 1.

A vastly reduced crew of Turtle Watch staff is monitoring the beaches by ATV this season – for their own safety, no beach walkers will be allowed to volunteer to spot nests on foot due to the coronavirus pandemic, much to the dismay of some volunteers, Fox said.

Turtle Tips

During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, please follow these tips:

– 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 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.

– Don’t use wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf.

– 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).

Every volunteer on an ATV has a mask, Fox said adding, “We are using hand sanitizer and wipes. We want as few volunteers as possible on the beach for their safety.”

Due to social distancing concerns, Fox requests that if anyone sees a Turtle Watch ATV, please do not flag down the driver to chat. Instead, call 941-778-5638, email Fox or visit the organization’s new website or its Facebook page.

Fox also asks that people observe turtle lighting regulations to keep turtles and people safe – light sources should not be able to be seen from the beach – and that people don’t leave their beach chairs on the beach after sunset because they can entrap nesting sea turtles – and, in a few months, their hatchlings.

Beach chairs should not be an issue because beaches remain closed in Manatee County due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara.

Beach renourishment is still planned for this summer, and Turtle Watch will work around the project, which turtles need as much as people do as beaches erode, leaving less room to nest, Fox said.

Last year, a record number of turtle nests was laid on the Island – 544, beating the 2018 record of 534.

Turtle Trail scavenger hunt is on

Just in time for the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island on May 1, the Turtle Trail scavenger hunt has begun.

The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is launching the Turtle Trail to provide residents and their families with a safe and enjoyable activity to take part in while socially distancing.

In partnership with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, the CVB is encouraging residents and business owners to put stuffed animals, figurines, statues, photos or illustrations of sea turtles in windows, on mailboxes or in other visible places for families to search for while out on walks together. For those in need of a turtle to display, the CVB has created a printable coloring page that can be downloaded here.

Those who take part by putting a sea turtle on display or heading out with family to follow the trail are also encouraged to share images of their turtles or those they find on Instagram using #BradentonAreaTurtleTrail.

Coronavirus affecting turtle, bird monitoring

Coronavirus affecting turtle, bird monitoring

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – COVID-19 will keep most Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers off the beaches as sea turtle and bird nesting seasons begin, according to Director Suzi Fox.

Turtle nesting season begins officially on May 1, but Turtle Watch volunteers usually take to the beach on April 1 each year to catch any early nesters, and already, an early loggerhead nest has been discovered on Florida’s east coast, she said.

“We need to make sure we don’t miss any nests,” said Fox, who, with another volunteer, will monitor the beaches by ATV and let the organization’s other volunteers remain safely at home for the near future.

Depending on the progress of the coronavirus, a “skeleton crew” of about a dozen volunteers on ATVs could be deployed in May, she said.

You can follow Turtle Watch’s activities on its newly-redesigned website, www.islandturtlewatch.com.

“We have to make sure the workers are safe,” Fox said. “I don’t want volunteers on the beach until this thing has passed.”

COVID-19 has affected Turtle Watch financially, too, she said, with a large source of donations drying up with the cancellation of the Farmer’s Market.

In addition, Turtle Talks have been suspended until further notice, she said, adding, “We will not be meeting face to face for at least the next two months.”

The group also monitors spring bird nesting, roping off nesting areas to keep eggs and chicks safe.

So far this year, Fox has seen black skimmers gathering at Coquina Beach and some royal terns “looking amorously at each other,” she said, adding that no snowy plovers have appeared on local beaches yet.

Ruddy turnstones, which leave by summer, are active, and a lesser black back gull has been spotted, she added.

One or two of the gulls, which are noticeably larger than most other birds on the beach, usually come each spring and leave by summer, Fox said.

Turtle Watch will be coordinating with Manatee County on the upcoming beach renourishment project, which will be done during sea turtle nesting season, she said.

The start date for the beach renourishment project is not confirmed, according to Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department, but the coronavirus has not yet affected other dredge operations in the U.S., he said.

The beach renourishment project originally slated to begin in February was delayed until April by an Army Corps of Engineers requirement that Manatee County prove its title to a section of the beach.

The six-month, two-phase project will add sand to the beach between 78th Street North in Holmes Beach to Fifth Street South in Bradenton Beach, and between Fifth Street South and Longboat Pass.

County funds for the project, estimated between $13-$16 million, come from the tourist tax; state and federal funds also are allocated to the project.

Shorebird survey marks start of season

Shorebird survey marks start of season

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Shorebird nesting season is beginning, and a three-day survey of shorebirds on Anna Maria Island beaches shows 38 black skimmers – a threatened species in Florida – preparing to nest.

Local shorebirds – including another threatened species, snowy plovers, have not quite begun their spring nesting, but will soon, said Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox, who completed the survey.

Shorebird survey marks start of season
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox has completed a three-day survey of shorebirds on the Island’s beaches. AMITW | Submitted

Skimmers, plovers and other shorebirds scoop out shallow nests in beach sand, making the nests difficult to see and vulnerable to being unknowingly trampled by beachgoers. Volunteers stake out the nesting areas to protect the eggs, chicks and parents.

During bird nesting season, March through August, beachgoers should follow these tips to keep birds safe:

  • Teach kids not to chase birds – bird parents may abandon nests if they are disturbed.
  • Don’t feed birds – it encourages them to fly at people aggressively and is not good for their health.
  • If birds are screeching and flying at you, you’re too close to them.
  • Avoid posted bird nesting areas and use designated walkways to the beach.
  • Keep pets away from bird nesting areas.
  • Never touch a shorebird chick, even if it’s wandering outside a staked nesting area.
  • Keep the beach clean; food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beach, and litter can entangle birds and other wildlife.
  • If you see people disturbing nesting birds, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Another turtle generation paddles into the sunset

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – At least 27,298 sea turtle hatchlings scurried safely to the Gulf of Mexico this year from Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox told volunteers today.

While the babies didn’t break the record of 35,788 hatchlings set in 2018, the mamas broke the 2018 nesting record of 534 by 10 nests. Another 568 nesting attempts were abandoned, known as “false crawls.” Slightly lower egg counts in this season’s nests are a mystery, Fox said, with nests averaging 66 eggs apiece.

As Turtle Watch held its annual end-of-season luncheon, two of three remaining nests were still on the beach waiting to hatch. Tropical Storm Nestor destroyed the third nest on Oct. 19 when it pushed higher-than-normal tides onto the beach. The season ends on Oct. 31.

Erosion from recent storms affecting Holmes Beach south to Longboat Pass will be corrected by a beach renourishment project in 2020 during part of sea turtle nesting season. The project will put heavy equipment on the beach, necessitating that some of next year’s surveys will be done by ATV instead of by beach walkers, and that some of the eggs will have to be relocated, Fox said. Turtle Watch will not be accepting new volunteers in 2020 because of the renourishment.

This year’s shorebird program was virtually non-existent, with two snowy plover nests that fledged three chicks each, she said, adding that one potential reason is people intentionally chasing off the birds from their nesting areas.

Fox recognized new volunteers Carla Boehme and Linda ONeal cq, who began volunteering this year.

She also remembered volunteers Ron Edmonds and Vicki Staley, who both passed away during this year’s nesting season, and noted that volunteers Debbie and Henry Stachura walked with Staley on the beach as her health failed.

Fox honored section coordinators for their service: Joe and Cindy Richmond, Debbie and Bob Haynes, Debbie Basilius, Fran Kramer, Pete Gross, Birgit Kremer, Hans Derr, Kathy Doddridge, Lee and Marvin Zerkel and Kathy Noonan.

She thanked sisters Monica and Barbara Riskay for overseeing Turtle Watch merchandise, which brings in donations, and Turtle Watch staff photographer Amy Waterbury, a frequent Sun contributor.

Fox also thanked “Friends of Turtle Watch,” including Allen Morrison and his grandson, Ryder “Buddy” Odem, who walk the beach daily to pick up trash, Gracie Alfieri, who brought her visiting family members on survey walks and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, who is working with Florida Power and Light to retrofit street lights with sea turtle-friendly bulbs.

She also thanked former Turtle Watch volunteer John DeFazio, who taught Fox how to excavate turtle nests, making her count the eggshells, throwing them back in the nest and making her recount again until she got the same number, and his friend and Turtle Watch supporter Margaret Finley.

Good, bad records mark turtle season

Good, bad records mark turtle season

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – With three weeks left in turtle nesting and hatching season, sea turtles have set a nesting record, with 544 nests so far, beating the previous record set in 2018 of 534.

But another record is nothing to celebrate.

More disorientations – 59 – have happened this year than ever before, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Director Suzi Fox said.

The reason? In most cases, it’s lighting that does not comply with federal, state or local laws.

Turtles, both adults and hatchlings, can lose their way back to the Gulf of Mexico when distracted by outdoor – and indoor – lights from beachfront buildings, parking lot lights, car headlights, street lights, cell phone lights, flashlights and other light sources, including “sky glow,” a general lightening of the sky from a combination of lights.

This year, the sky glow from the Anna Maria Island Centre shopping plaza on East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach is brighter than ever, said Fox, adding that the light is visible from the nesting beaches, which is a violation of turtle laws.

The laws were written to protect imperiled species, including the loggerhead and green sea turtles that nest on the Island. Both are on the federal list of threatened species.

From June 10 through Sept. 23, eight nesting adult females were disoriented after nesting, and one nesting adult female was disoriented while attempting to nest, resulting in the termination of the nesting attempt, known as a “false crawl,” according to Turtle Watch records, based on turtle track observations.

Hatchling statistics are even more grim. One nest with between two and 10 hatchlings was disoriented; 15 nests with between 11 and 50 hatchlings were disoriented and 34 nests with more than 50 hatchlings were disoriented.

The disorientations were worst in Holmes Beach, with Anna Maria having 10, Bradenton Beach having 21 and Holmes Beach having 28.

Most disoriented hatchlings from just north of 80th Street in Holmes Beach crawled south as far as 10 blocks due to lights, Fox said, with some turning onto streets with lights at the end of the streets. Some lights are on beachfront properties, she said.

Fox has purchased a meter to measure sky glow for next season, which she hopes will break another record – no disorientations.

Turtle, bird fans flock to support Turtle Watch

Turtle, bird fans flock to support Turtle Watch

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Entertainment.

Updated Oct. 4, 2019 | HOLMES BEACH – The Second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday this afternoon at Hurricane Hanks raised money and the spirits of the volunteers who monitor Anna Maria Island beaches for turtle and bird nesting.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox was thrilled at the community’s support and their participation in the fundraiser for the not-for-profit organization.

Turtle, bird fans flock to support Turtle Watch
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox, left, with 50/50 raffle winner Laura Bell Adams. – Cindy Lane | Sun

“This is amazing,” she said, tearing up as she addressed the crowd, which produced $11,000 in donations, more than tripling last year’s $3,000 in donations. “Thank you so much!”

Mike Sales set a tropical mood with live music and emceed the event, which featured both silent and live auctions, a 50/50 raffle and specially-designed T-shirts available for a donation.

Jeannie Sowers, a frequent Island visitor from North Carolina, donated a live auction item, a Robert Wyland giclee on canvas of a sea turtle in Hawaii that brought $800 from Jennifer Lipham.

Turtle, bird fans flock to support Turtle Watch
Mike Sales set a tropical mood and emceed the second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Harbor Lane vacation rentals in Holmes Beach donated a free stay won by high bidder Tracey Edwards for $1,100, and more than 50 local businesses provided items for the silent auction.

Laura Bell Adams won the 50/50 raffle and donated her half of the $770 back to Turtle Watch.

Nicole Skaggs won a prize basket from Waterline Marina Resort in Holmes Beach for $550.

Proceeds from the event will go towards turtle-friendly lighting and community education about the importance of following turtle lighting laws to keep nesting mothers and hatching turtles from becoming disoriented, Fox said.

Turtle Watch has documented 52 disorientations of turtle mothers and hatchlings so far this season. More than 30 turtle nests are still on the beach waiting to hatch between now and the end of the season on Oct. 31.

A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, Hurricane Hanks, J&J Graphics and the Anna Maria Island Sun sponsored the event.

Jeannie Sowers donated a Robert Wyland photo on canvas for the Turtle Watch Wednesday live auction. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Jeannie Sowers donated a Robert Wyland photo on canvas for the Turtle Watch Wednesday live auction. - Cindy Lane | Sun

The AMI Paddlers turned out en masse to support Turtle Watch. - Cindy Lane | Sun

The AMI Paddlers turned out en masse to support Turtle Watch. - Cindy Lane | Sun

T-shirt sales were brisk at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun

T-shirt sales were brisk at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun

The silent auction at Turtle Watch Wednesday drew crowds. - Cindy Lane | Sun

The silent auction at Turtle Watch Wednesday drew crowds. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Sharon Hoatland, left, of A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, holds up an auction item as auctioneer Bob Slicker sells it for $800. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Sharon Hoatland, left, of A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, holds up an auction item as auctioneer Bob Slicker sells it for $800. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Casper the rescue dog enjoyed people watching at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Casper the rescue dog enjoyed people watching at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun

Turtle Watch Wednesday returns

Turtle Watch Wednesday returns

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

HOLMES BEACH – A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals and Hurricane Hanks are following up last year’s fundraising efforts with this year’s Second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser.

Taking place Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, Turtle Watch Wednesday will again benefit the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization. J & J Graphics and The Anna Maria Island Sun are serving as co-sponsors.

Last year’s inaugural Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser coincided with the Island’s red tide recovery efforts and raised more than $3,000 for the Turtle Watch organization.

Turtle Watch Wednesday returns
J & J Graphics is assisting with the promotional efforts that include this event poster. – Submitted

As was the case last year, the first 75 guests greeted by an A Paradise team member will receive a free drink ticket. Hurricane Hanks will offer 50 percent discounts on appetizers and will donate $1 for every food and drink item sold during the event.

The fundraising activities will include a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and specially designed T-shirts that will be available for a $20 donation.

To donate silent auction items or get more information, please call Sharon Hoatland at 941-729-2381.

Lighting the way

When discussing the upcoming event, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Suzi Fox said, “We are concentrating funding at this time to go into lighting retrofits and community outreach. Those are our two main focuses for fundraisers for the rest of this year.”

The outreach efforts include developing new graphics for the educational materials distributed each spring in preparation for the sea turtle nesting season that begins May 1 and ends Oct. 31.

“The biggest problem we have with sea turtles is lighting. It directs the hatchlings away from the beach and it deters the mothers from nesting,” Fox said.

Fox said she frequently receives calls from property owners who want to buy turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures but have a hard time finding them.

“We encourage them to go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website and visit the turtle lighting pages,” Fox said, where turtle lighting guidelines, specifications and detailed ordering information can be found.

“They can order fixtures and bulbs there and I’m going to stock them here too. If they can pay us back, that’s great. If not, maybe we can do a 50/50 cost-sharing? The best thing for me to do is to order them and people can stop here can get them at our cost – and you don’t have to pay sales tax because we’re a non-profit,” Fox said.

Fox encourages people to light their beachfront properties with turtle-friendly lighting as opposed to not lighting them at all, and she can also provide additional insight on the various types and colors of turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures sold by local retailers. For more information, contact Fox at 941-778-5638 or visit the Turtle Watch website.

Eliminating plastics

Turtle Watch will also be campaigning for local stores, restaurants and other Island businesses to eliminate or reduce their use of single-use plastic bags.

“One thing we are really focusing on this year is getting rid of plastics and one of our main focuses is going to be plastic bags. Any businesses that are giving out plastics, we’d like them to stop. We moved mountains with our plastic straw campaign last year and phase two is we want people to start using reusable bags,” Fox said.

As part of this campaign, J & J graphics will be printing reusable cloth bags that Turtle Watch can then share with local businesses.

Community’s embrace

Working with Hurricane Hanks owner Brian Mathae, A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals Marketing and Public Relations Director Sharon Hoatland is again doing much of the planning for this year’s Turtle Watch Wednesday event.

Fox said she greatly appreciates the support Hurricane Hanks, A Paradise, J & J Graphics and the general public provide the Turtle Watch organization.

Turtle Watch Wednesday returns
Turtle Watch Wednesday will take place at Hurricane Hanks in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I didn’t know Sharon and Brian until last year and they’ve become dear friends. I’m overwhelmed by the way they’ve encouraged the community to put their arms around Turtle Watch. And J & J Graphics has been doing business with Turtle Watch for the past 20 years,” Fox said.

“I know everyone wants to help us, but we work under state-certified guidelines so we can’t let just anyone help with the nests. But when people come to this event, they feel like they’re giving back to Turtle Watch just by showing up. I love it,” Fox said.

Turtle Watch, resort working to improve lighting

Turtle Watch, resort working to improve lighting

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

HOLMES BEACH – Outdoor lighting at the Anna Maria Beach Resort is expected to become more turtle-friendly and safer for people after discussions following a code compliance hearing last week.

Lights from the former Blue Water Beach Resort, 6306 Gulf Drive, were among those that disoriented a loggerhead sea turtle nest during Fourth of July festivities, with some hatchlings dying and Holmes Beach police rescuing about 40, said Suzi Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.

Holmes Beach code officers brought the resort to task before a special magistrate on July 31.

The city’s turtle lighting ordinance is designed to keep nesting and hatching turtles from seeing any lights from the beach to prevent them from being temporarily blinded as they seek the Gulf of Mexico.

City Code Compliance Supervisor James Thomas reported that the resort had been notified that its lighting was out of compliance with the city code on May 31. The resort changed to turtle-friendly bulbs just two days before the hearing, bringing the property into compliance with city law, he said.

But Fox remained concerned about the resort’s stairwell lighting, which she said could disorient hatchlings in another 16 nests on the beach – containing up to 100 turtle hatchlings each – including a nest laid by Bortie Too, satellite-tagged in June by the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

Resort attorney Aaron Thomas said that resort owners are concerned with “significant life safety issues” such as accidents or crime if all lighting on the beach-facing side of the property is dimmed.

After discussions following the hearing with resort representatives, the resort “is willing to go the extra mile” to keep turtles and people safe, even though it is officially in compliance with city code, Fox said. “We are going to work with them to get better lighting in the stairways to keep people safe and keep turtles happy.”

Turtle Watch will contact the Sea Turtle Conservancy for help to obtain more turtle-friendly light bulbs that also provide adequate lighting for people, Fox said. Turtle Watch already has donated 18 turtle-friendly bulbs to the city for free distribution, one to a customer, with additional bulbs available at cost for $22 each from Turtle Watch. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-approved bulbs also are available at retailers.

Amber bulbs made for turtle beach applications are preferable to red bulbs, she said, because they give out more light while remaining turtle friendly; however, “bug” bulbs painted amber do not work. Downward-facing fixtures are preferred to keep light from being visible on the beach.

Beachfront property owners anywhere on the Island with questions about getting turtle-friendly bulbs may call Fox at 941-778-5638.

Where's Bortie Too

Where’s Bortie Too?

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

HOLMES BEACH – Bortie Too has laid her second nest on Anna Maria Island at 66th Street,  Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox says.

According to her satellite tag tracking chart, Bortie Too checked out Siesta Key beach as a prospective nesting spot first, but stopped short of coming ashore and swam back to Anna Maria Island, where she laid an earlier nest on June 21.

The loggerhead sea turtle has traveled 129 miles since being tagged and released after nesting on Coquina Beach last month.

She will compete in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 12th Annual Tour de Turtles beginning Aug. 1. The annual event is part of the Conservancy’s research project tracking satellite-tagged turtles to determine where and how far they migrate. The group uses satellite telemetry to track turtles released from beaches in Florida, Costa Rica, Panama and Nevis.

Bortie Too is sponsored by the Conservancy, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, Waterline Marina Resort in Holmes Beach and Bortell’s Lounge in Anna Maria, for which she is named.

First hatchlings of season disoriented on Fourth

First hatchlings of season disoriented on Fourth

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

HOLMES BEACH – Sea turtle hatchlings whose dash to freedom on Independence Day was spoiled by lights got a police escort to the Gulf of Mexico.

The loggerhead turtles – the first nest to hatch this season on Anna Maria Island – were disoriented by lights on the first floor at the Anna Maria Beach Resort, 6306 Gulf Drive, and further hampered by fireworks and fireworks debris, tents on the beach, holes dug in the sand and beach litter, according to the Holmes Beach Police Department report.

A group of people gathered on the beach for fireworks flagged down Officer Alex Hurt, patrolling the beach in a police four-wheeler, and told him about the hatchlings, which were “going in every direction other than towards the water,” according to the report.

Turtle talks continue

Get the scoop on sea turtles at Turtle Talks, presented by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers.

The 30-minute program of videos, photos and stories about the sea turtles that nest and hatch on the Island from May through October includes a description of how they survey for nesting turtles on the beaches.

Attendees will be the first to know the dates, times and locations of upcoming nest excavations, where volunteers dig into hatched nests to count the eggshells and determine the number of hatchlings produced.

Free gifts, including temporary turtle tattoos, will be distributed, and official AMITW T-shirts, stickers and ball caps will be available for a donation.

Schedule:

Tuesday, July 16, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 23, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 30, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

“The baby turtles were along the building, some falling in the landscaping planters,” according to Officer Adam DeSantis’ report.

“I located one baby turtle that had fallen off the edge of the sidewalk, in the landscaping, flipped on its back unable to flip back over,” he wrote. “I gathered up approximately 10 baby turtles from the Anna Maria Beach Resort property. The baby turtles were transported safely to the water’s edge, where they were released. The baby turtles found their way into the water safely.”

Other hatchlings trapped in the sea oats between the beach and the resort also were rescued and released, bringing the total saved to about 40, according to the report.

First hatchlings of season disoriented on 4th
Sea turtle season continues through Oct. 31. – Cindy Lane | Sun

The city’s code compliance department has given the resort a directive to fix the lighting and appear before a special magistrate, Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, adding that the resort lighting will be checked nightly for compliance.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox also contacted the resort about replacing its adjustable outdoor lighting system, which is out of compliance with the local turtle lighting ordinance.

The adjustable feature leads to lights being turned on during turtle season – May 1 to Oct. 31 – either intentionally or because people forget to change the settings, she said, adding that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission does not approve adjustable lighting for beachfront applications.

Disorientations are historically common in the area, Fox said.

“The police did a fine job photographing and helping pick up hatchlings,” she said, suggesting that hatchlings should be released in the water where it’s dark, “or they may come right back up out of the water.”

Tokajer estimates that 10,000 people were on the beach as late as 11 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

Bortie Too tagged, released

Tagged sea turtle off to races

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

BRADENTON BEACH – Following in the flipper tracks of predecessors Bortie I, Eliza Ann and Amie, a female loggerhead sea turtle named “Bortie Too” was satellite tagged on Coquina Beach after nesting this morning and set free to “race” in the Tour de Turtles marathon.

Bortie Too tagged, released
Loggerhead sea turtle Bortie Too was satellite tagged and released this morning at Coquina Beach. – Cindy Lane | Sun

The project is a partnership of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, and sponsors Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club in Holmes Beach and Bortell’s Lounge in Anna Maria, for which she is named.

Bortie Too will compete in the Conservancy’s 12th Annual Tour de Turtles race beginning on Aug. 1. The three-month event is part of an ongoing research project tracking satellite-tagged turtles to determine where and how far they migrate. The Conservancy uses satellite telemetry to track turtles released from beaches in Florida, Costa Rica, Panama and Nevis.

Where's Bortie II?
Where’s Bortie Too? Right about here. – Sea Turtle Conservancy | Submitted

The loggerhead – or other turtle species – that logs the most underwater miles wins the marathon.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=170Y_c0o5Qc[/embedyt]

Amie, named for Anna Maria Island and sponsor Anna Maria Elementary School, finished the 2015 race in last place, in true turtle style; 84 loggerheads hatched out of her nest while she was in the race.

Bortie Too tagged, released
Loggerhead sea turtle Bortie Too nested this morning on Coquina Beach, was satellite tagged, and released. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Eliza Ann, named for sponsor Waterline Marina Resort’s restaurant, made the Island proud, taking first place in the 2017 race, and nesting twice on the Island.

Bortie I came in 10th place out of 13 contestants in 2018, traveling 351 miles, lingering for most of the race off Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys.

Bortie Too tagged, released
Bortie Too breaks away clean from her temporary holding cage, where she was satellite tagged this morning. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Turtle talks return

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Turtle Talks are back!

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers will present a 30-minute program of videos, photos and stories about the sea turtles that nest and hatch on the Island from May through October each year. They will describe a day in their life as they survey for nesting turtles on the beaches.

Attendees will be the first to know the dates, times and locations of upcoming nest excavations, where volunteers dig into hatched nests to count the eggshells and determine the number of hatchlings produced.

Free gifts, including temporary turtle tattoos, will be distributed, and official AMITW T-shirts, stickers and ball caps will be available for a donation.

Schedule

Tuesday, May 21, 10 a.m., Waterline Resort, 5325 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, May 28, 10 a.m., Waterline Resort, 5325 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, June 4, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, June 11, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Monday, June 17, 10 a.m., Waterline Resort, 5325 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, June 25, 10 a.m., Waterline Resort 5325 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 2, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 9, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 16,10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 23, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

Tuesday, July 30, 10 a.m., CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 G