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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.

 

Sea turtle nesting season begins

Sea turtle nesting season begins

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The traditional May 1 start of the sea turtle nesting season is now April 15, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, whose volunteers began monitoring the beaches this week for signs of nesting.

Residents and beachgoers can help improve the chances of successful turtle nesting and hatching this season by turning off lights visible from the beach and closing blinds or drapes 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; they can disorient turtles.

Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting, entrap them 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.

Avoid trimming 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).

A series of Turtle Talks about living with sea turtles is being planned for May at Holmes Beach City Hall, with dates to be announced soon, Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said.

Funding for the educational outreach program comes in part from the Suzi L. Fox Adopt-a-Nest Program. For a $125 tax-deductible donation, a plaque dedicated to a person or organization of the donor’s choice is placed on a sea turtle nest that has been laid on an Island beach. When the nest hatches and data is collected, an adoption package is sent to the donor containing a personalized adoption certificate and the location of the nest, the handmade wooden plaque, information about the nest written on the back of the plaque and a letter of appreciation from the volunteers working on the nesting beaches.

“We do not let you know when your adopted nest will hatch. This is protected information that we do not give out,” according to the Turtle Watch website.

Plaques will be placed on the beach between mid-June through August and remain on the nests for the approximately two-month incubation period.

Turtle season slows to a crawl

Turtle season slows to a crawl

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The 2023 turtle nesting season is coming to an early end, partly due to Hurricane Idalia.

“No changes in nest numbers,” Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said. “That’s not surprising as this is usually the hatching time of year.”

The last nest on the Gulf of Mexico side of the Island hatched on Sept. 19 and volunteers continue to check three remaining nests on the bay side.

“We are still hoping to see a hatch,” she said.

Sea turtle season officially begins on May 1 and ends on Oct. 31.

Volunteers did not conduct patrols on Aug. 30 due to Idalia, but they were out on the beach assessing the status of the nests the following day.

“We had 76 unhatched nests left on the beach when Hurricane Idalia came through. Stakes were lost from all but 12 of them,” Mazzarella said.

“It is possible that some nests may still hatch, although unmarked. Turtle season is not quite over, but we are happy with the results, having allowed nearly 23,000 hatchlings to go out to sea prior to the storm.”

One local celebrity loggerhead turtle, Suzi – named after the late Suzi Fox, longtime executive director of Turtle Watch – was released from Coquina Beach on June 27 after being fitted with a satellite monitor. She is participating in the Sea Turtle Conservancy Tour de Turtles race and is currently swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Cancun, Mexico.

The hatchling numbers from Suzi’s nest were unavailable due to the storm.

“Unfortunately, we never saw Suzi’s nest hatch prior to the storm, so we don’t have any information on how many hatchlings the nest produced,” Mazzarella said. “It is possible it hatched on one of the rainy days prior to Hurricane Idalia. The rain sometimes makes it impossible to see the hatchling tracks and therefore document the hatch.”

As the season winds down, Turtle Watch focuses on education and outreach.

“We are looking forward to having a booth at the Anna Maria Farmer’s Market in October,” Mazzarella said. “We are still compiling our data and working on coordinating with the schools about outreach programs.”

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

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

BRADENTON BEACH – As hundreds of delighted onlookers gathered to see a publicized turtle release at Coquina Beach, loggerhead sea turtle “Suzi” made a grand entrance from the sand to the water.

She hesitated several times walking on the beach, appearing to look at the crowd that had gathered, but once she reached the water she was in her element and took off swimming.

The June 27 release, however, won’t be the last time Suzi’s whereabouts will be known. Just after nesting in Bradenton Beach, she was outfitted with a satellite monitor and is the latest turtle to join the Tour de Turtles race. Her location will be monitored for several months via satellite.

“She nested right here and we boxed her up. We dedicated the nest that she laid to Suzi Fox, so we have a plaque here,” said Kristin Mazzarella, executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. “She’s now part of the Tour de Turtles race.”

Turtle Watch volunteer Barbara Riskay praised the naming of the loggerhead in commemoration of Suzi Fox, the late executive director of Turtle Watch.

“It was a no-brainer to name her ‘Suzi,’ ” Riskay said.

Within three days of her release, loggerhead Suzi had traveled 16 miles at an average speed of .25 mph.

The release was sponsored by the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy, along with Turtle Watch and Waterline Resort.

“Started in 2008, the Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational journey through the science, research and geography of sea turtle migration using satellite telemetry,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Created by Sea Turtle Conservancy, with help from sponsors and partners, this event follows the marathon migration of sea turtles, representing four different species, from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds.”

By tracking sea turtles, scientists have learned a lot about them.

“We now know that sea turtles are highly migratory, often traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles between the beaches where they lay their eggs and the foraging (feeding) grounds where they spend much of their time at sea,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Since most research conducted on marine turtles has been carried out on nesting beaches and well over 90% of a sea turtle’s life is spent in the water – feeding, mating, migrating and doing whatever else a sea turtle does when no one is watching – we are missing important information that can help us better protect sea turtles.”

Check the Sun’s Facebook page for weekly updates on Suzi’s location in “Where’s Suzi?”

Turtle Watch commemorates Suzi Fox Day

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As turtle nesting season begins, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITW) declared May 1 as Suzi Fox Day to honor the legacy of its former executive director.

May 1 is the official start of sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island, although the first turtle nest was laid in April this year. The season ends on Oct. 31.

“Suzi’s passion for protecting sea turtles enriched the community conservation efforts of AMITW for over 30 years and we dedicate this sea turtle nesting season to her,” Turtle Watch Director Kristen Mazzarella said.

“As part of our efforts to honor Suzi, we are renaming our Adopt-a-Nest Program in her memory,” Mazzarella said.

The “Suzi L. Fox Adopt-a-Nest” program allows donors to symbolically adopt a sea turtle nest laid on Island beaches. Proceeds from the program help Turtle Watch protect sea turtles and provide education and outreach.

Turtle Watch commemorates Suzi Fox Day
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring dedicated this plaque in memory of late executive director Suzi Fox. – Submitted | Turtle Watch

A plaque intended to be placed on a nest laid on May 1 says in part, “In Loving Memory of Suzi L. Fox. Her legacy continues as the Sea Turtles and Shorebirds return to AMI.”

“Only the turtles know which nest it will be,” Mazzarella said.

For the safety of the nest and hatchlings, AMITW does not disclose the nesting dates or locations of nests, Mazzarella said.

May 1 was also proclaimed “Suzi Fox Day” in the city of Bradenton Beach.

The Bradenton Beach City Commission issued the proclamation in January to honor Fox, who served as Turtle Watch director until her death on Sept. 30, 2022.

Under Fox’s directorship, the organization grew.

“In three decades, we monitored 7,339 turtle activities, protected 4,454 nests, 301,694 turtle eggs, and watched 271,680 hatchlings depart to become a future generation of loggerheads that will return to the region as they reach maturity,” according to the Turtle Watch website.

Sea turtles on the Island broke both nesting and hatchling records in 2022.

Turtle season begins under Mazzarella’s watch

Turtle season begins under Mazzarella’s watch

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers begin checking the beaches this week for early sea turtle nesting activity, its new executive director, Kristen Mazzarella, takes over the watch from the late Suzi Fox.

“I envision following in Suzi’s legacy and to keep it going how it has been with the great community involvement,” Mazzarella said. “My goal is to keep the community educated, engaged and involved.”

Kristen Mazzarella will take over leadership duties at Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. – Submitted

Mazzarella has an extensive background with both turtles and shorebirds. She was a senior biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory for 15 years. She was on turtle patrol for 25 years in North and South Carolina and also worked with the Audubon Society for 15 years.

“The group of volunteers (with Turtle Watch) has been very welcoming,” she said. “Manatee County has been amazing; they clearly care a lot about the environment.”

Mazzarella said one of the Turtle Watch board members contacted her during their search for an executive director to see if she was interested in the position.

“I knew Suzi and I had worked with her on various projects,” she said. “I feel that this organization is so important because it’s a conservation program where both the community and the municipalities are very involved.”

There is a core group of 20-25 volunteers who have undergone training with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to conduct nesting beach surveys, but Mazzarella said volunteers are always needed and welcome.

During the nesting beach surveys, which run from mid-April to the end of October, volunteers patrol every day, keeping an eye on each nest until it has hatched, Mazzarella said.

“That training is done for this year, but certainly volunteers are needed to help with outreach and our adopt-a-nest program,” she said.

Fox’s legacy

Fox began as a volunteer for Turtle Watch in the 1990s. In 1996, she became the FWC’s turtle permit holder for the Island, adding nesting shorebird monitoring and protection to her duties.

She eventually took leadership of Turtle Watch as executive director and under her directorship, the organization grew.

May 1 is Suzi Fox Day in Bradenton Beach in honor of Turtle Watch’s late executive director. – Sun File Photo

“In three decades, we monitored 7,339 turtle activities, protected 4,454 nests, 301,694 turtle eggs, and watched 271,680 hatchlings depart to become a future generation of loggerheads that will return to the region as they reach maturity,” according to the Turtle Watch website.

Last season, local loggerhead sea turtles broke two records.

The number of hatched nests reached 453 in September, edging out the 2018 record of 447, and a record 35,850 hatchlings exceeded the prior record of 35,788 set in 2018.

The first official day of turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island, May 1, will be proclaimed “Suzi Fox Day” in the city of Bradenton Beach.

At the Jan. 5 Bradenton Beach City Commission meeting, the proclamation was issued to honor Fox, who served as the organization’s executive director until her death on Sept. 30, 2022.

The proclamation states in part, “Suzi Fox led the organization and its league of volunteers for sea turtle protection to include protection for critical shorebirds.”

The proclamation credits Fox with reaching out to and educating the public about sea turtle and shorebird habitat.

“Suzi’s actions have led Anna Maria Island to expand on ecotourism opportunities and on further educating the public and future generations about our sea turtle and shorebirds habitat and the crucial role we play in ensuring their existence in the future.”

Suzi Fox honored at celebration of life

Suzi Fox honored at celebration of life

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – At the celebration of Suzi Fox’s life, local dignitaries, family and friends painted a picture of a dedicated advocate for Island turtles, a fun-loving and funny friend, and a caring mother, sister and grandmother.

Fox, longtime executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, died on Sept. 30 after a fall.

More than 150 people attended the event at the Center of Anna Maria Island on Saturday to pay tribute to Fox.

Nanci Banman, Fox’s sister, described Suzi as a force to be reckoned with.

“If you met her, it was like you’ve known her all your life,” Banman said.

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said it was clear that Fox loved the turtles, the seabirds and the community.

“She believed strongly in what she was doing,” he said.

Turtle Watch board member Diane McCausey said Suzi would be humbled by the turnout.

“The board is working hard with the county and the FWC,” McCausey said. “Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch will continue to grow. It won’t be the same, but we will make her proud.”

Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Natural Resources Department, worked with Fox since 1992.

“The turtles that were born on this beach will return again and again,” Hunsicker said. “Think of that continuity and the role Suzi played.”

Hunsicker presented an environmental award from the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association to Fox’s sisters, Kendra Fox and Nanci Banman, and her son, Dereck Norfleet.

“Suzi was very well known across the state of Florida,” Norfleet said, describing her as determined and fearless, and issuing a request to her friends and family: “I ask you all today when you see a beautiful sunset, have a delicious a cup of coffee, hear a good Steely Dan song, think about putting ketchup on steak (don’t do it), walk along the beach and see sea turtle tracks of nests, see something the color periwinkle, her favorite, take the path less traveled, that you think of Suzi and smile.”

Turtle Watch director Suzi Fox dies

Turtle Watch director Suzi Fox dies

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Suzi Fox, a longtime former Island resident and executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, died last week at HCA Florida Blake Hospital.

Suzi Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring for more than 30 years, died Sept. 30 at HCA Florida Blake Hospital due to complications from a recent fall. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Fox, 65, died due to complications following a fall at home on Sept. 24, according to family members, who said her death was unexpected. Her son, Dereck Norfleet, said she had been in the hospital for six days prior to her death.

Fox’s interest in the Island’s sea turtles began in 1990. She had moved with her mother and sisters from Michigan to Miami, where she was a hotel manager, then they relocated again to Anna Maria Island. Her turtle career began after she found a turtle nest at Bayfront Park.

She told The Sun in 2011 she felt she had a calling and joined the organization’s 40 volunteers.

“We didn’t go to all the training we go to today,” because so little was known about sea turtles at the time, she said on the occasion of her 20th anniversary with Turtle Watch. Most turtle eggs were dug up and relocated to hatcheries, then the hatchlings were raised for several weeks before their release into the Gulf of Mexico.

As more became known about sea turtles, some in the organization decided to try nature’s way, and leave the eggs in their nests to hatch. Fox agreed to try it for a year.

“I wasn’t certain this was going to work,” she said. “The first nest we left on the beach was at Park Avenue. We saw it hatch and I was so excited.”

In 1996, Fox became the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s turtle permit holder for the Island, adding nesting shorebird monitoring and protection to her duties.

Under her directorship, the organization grew. According to the AMITW website: “For 30+ years Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch (AMITW) has coordinated conservation efforts for 12 miles of Manatee County shoreline. In three decades, we monitored 7,339 turtle activities, protected 4,454 nests, 301,694 turtle eggs, and watched 271,680 hatchlings depart to become a future generation of loggerheads that will return to the region as they reach maturity – in about 30 years.”

Turtle Watch director Suzi Fox dies
Suzi Fox and her late partner, Skip, patrol Anna Maria Island’s beaches for signs of sea turtle nesting. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Sea turtles broke both nesting and hatchling records this year on the Island.

In an email to The Sun from Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Natural Resources Department, he wrote, “Words cannot explain the complications of life and fleeting moments mixed with joy of recovery and tragic endings. She will live on each and every time we remember her smile, her passion, and her good works for all the creatures that relied upon her for their very existence on the Island.”

Fox moved from the Island to West Bradenton a few months ago.

She is survived by her son Dereck, his wife Katherine, and their two children, Elizabeth and Ashley. She is also survived by her sister, Nanci Banman and her husband Gene, and her sister, Kendra Fox.

The family said that a memorial service will be planned for later this year at the beach.

Donations in Fox’s memory may be made to Turtle Watch online.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been a long time, longer than Suzi Fox can remember, since least terns nested on the Island’s Gulf beaches.

Reel Time: For the Birds
A threatened least tern stands over its egg. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

“I’m very excited,” said Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, describing 26 terns that have paired off and laid eggs in nests on the sand beach in an undisclosed, staked-off location.

The bird species is threatened and protected by state and federal law.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI
A least tern tries to impress a prospective mate with a fish. The threatened species is nesting on AMI for the first time in recent memory. – Cindy Lane | Sun

A least tern nesting colony was unsuccessful in 2013 across from Bradenton Beach City Hall, she said, recalling that the last successful nesting colony was 15 or 16 years ago at Bean Point.

Since then, a few pairs have sporadically nested on AMI, only to have their nests destroyed by cats, dogs and wild predators such as raccoons.

When the chicks hatch, they will be able to hide under palettes that will be placed in their nesting area to keep them safer from bird predators, including the ubiquitous osprey, she said.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI
Least tern chicks hide under palettes placed in their nesting areas to keep them safe from winged predators. – Cindy Lane | Sun

People can also cause nests to fail. Some nests are abandoned when beachgoers, often children, chase birds, exposing the eggs to the heat and predators.

Parent birds need to rest and conserve energy to find food, even if they are not sitting on a nest, Fox said.

“If everyone could just go the extra mile and help us get these eggs off to a good start,” she said, asking beachgoers to steer clear of birds on the beach, especially if they’re screeching or are in posted nesting areas, and keep pets off the beach, which is the law in Manatee County.

Fox credits the larger nesting area created by the beach renourishment that was completed this spring for attracting the birds.

“It’s great news,” Fox said, “for a change.”

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.

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.

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.

Beach hole

Holes on beach dangerous to people, turtles

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

Holes on the beach are no longer accidents waiting to happen.

Two children recently got trapped in a hole that they dug on the beach, Manatee County beach raker Mark Taylor said. A man jumped in, pushed them out of the hole, and got stuck himself before finally making it out.

After trying to fill in the hole, shoveling by hand, Taylor climbed up on the tractor and began using it to fill in the hole.

The tractor got stuck.

Beach hole
Beginning May 1, chairs and other objects must be removed from the beach at night, and holes, which can trap turtles, must be filled in. – Mark Taylor | Submitted

One hole he filled in was so big – deeper than the tractor is tall – that it took another tractor and a four-wheel-drive pickup truck to get the tractor out of the hole. When the holes are as deep as the tractor is tall, the tractor could flip over, he said.

And it’s not only the big ones that are dangerous.

“What would happen if you stepped into a small four-foot-deep hole?” he asked. “You can do as much damage with a small, deep hole as a large one.”

About a third of the people he asks to fill in the holes before they leave the beach actually do, Taylor said. When he comes back the next day in the tractor, he finds that people have sometimes placed chairs around their hole to protect it so they can keep digging in it the next day.

By law, that must stop on May 1, the beginning of the six-month sea turtle nesting and hatching season on the Island.

Chairs and other objects must be removed from the beach at night, and holes, which can trap turtles, must be filled in.

But Suzi Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, is also worried about people.

Beach hole
Holes and tunnels on the beach are safety hazards for people and wildlife.

Without ordinances in all three Island cities, police can do nothing, even when they spot a dangerous hole in the sand, she said.

Anna Maria is working on an ordinance, Fox said, suggesting that Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach use the same ordinance to save money on attorney fees and make enforcement standardized Island-wide.

“I think the quicker, the better,” Fox said, since turtle season is only a few days away. “The less obstacles turtles have to work around, the more energy they will save for their nesting duties.”

Other ordinances around the state limit shovels to 14 inches, including the handle, she said.

“It’s surprising how much damage you can do with toy shovels,” Taylor said, citing a Panama City ordinance that prohibits metal shovels and imposes a $25 fine for holes bigger than a washtub.

“It used to be young guys on spring break, but this year it’s been more young families with their kids” digging the holes, he said.

This week, Taylor is using the beach rake tractor to smooth out the shoreline to make it easier for nesting turtles to access the beach.

No turtles had nested as of Monday, April 23, Fox said, adding that Turtle Watch volunteers have been scouring the beaches at dawn each morning since April 1.

They have found two snowy plover nests, a threatened species in Florida, and black skimmers – another state threatened species – are starting to nest in Holmes Beach, she said.

Loggerhead turtles, the most common sea turtles on the Island, already are coming ashore to nest on Florida’s east coast, she said, adding that it won’t be long for the west coast girls to arrive here.

Last year’s sea turtle season on the Island was a record, with 488 nests and 25,379 hatchlings that made it to the Gulf of Mexico.