This blog is dedicated to the environmental well-being of our Florida coastal habitat.

This blog is
dedicated to the environmental well-being of coastal habitat.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Rattlesnake Island Workday Report from Lynda Eppinger

Photos by Mike Solum
John Sarkozy and Littoral Society volunteers showed up with ~250 plants (1-3 gallon). Lynda Eppinger, Parks Naturalist, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, and a number of volunteers also came out to work. Mike Solum recruited his buddy Larry, who donated the use of his barge for the day. Also present for the first part of the day were two FNAI staff, there to document nuisance invasive plants. We kept telling them they should have seen it a year ago!

We got every one of the 250 =/- plants in the ground. We killed about three times that many (at least!) peppers, periwinkle, and A-pine seedlings by spraying or hand pulling. No one asked to go home early, even though we went for almost two hours beyond the scheduled time for the workday. It was fantastic that the weather cooperated by giving us the first warm day in wwaaaayyy too long, and by providing a good dousing of rain over the weekend. It will be great to get out there again soon to see how the new plants are doing!

Thanks to all who contributed to the ongoing and very successful (so far) restoration of this island! We'll go again soon!

Lynda Eppinger, Parks Naturalist, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, Parks and Trails



Monday, January 25, 2010

Proposed boardwalk faces time, code issues

http://islander.org/1-27-10/am_teg_bwalk_01-27_rc.php
- Anna Maria Island News

Dead manatee found in Sarasota Bay

http://islander.org/1-27-10/manatee_dead_kk_1-27.php
- Anna Maria Island News

Audubon Lecture

Audubon of Florida Presents
Colonial Waterbirds of Sarasota Bay

Lecture at Mote Marine Laboratory

When: Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 3-4:30 p.m.

Where: Mote Marine Laboratory, Ann and Alfred E. Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center, 1703 Ken Thompson Parkway, Longboat Key, Sarasota FL 34236, Jean P. Hendry Conference Room, 2nd Floor
Parking: Attendees should park across the street and enter the main entrance. Use the stairs or elevators to the second floor, and walk past the dolphin lagoon to the conference room.

Who: This talk is open to the interested public.

Ann B. Hodgson, Ph.D., Sanctuary Manager of Audubon of Florida's Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, will present a talk on the Colonial Waterbirds of Sarasota Bay, with concentration on the Roberts Bay Bird Colony Islands. Included are some of Florida's most well-loved, rarest, and charismatic species, as Brown Pelican, the herons and egrets, Roseate Spoonbill, terns and skimmers, and American Oystercatcher. Dr. Hodgson will outline the biology of the species, their populations and conservation status, and reproductive behavior. Many of these species nest on islands in groups called colonies, and Dr. Hodgson will include information about the protection of these special sites.


Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries
410 South Ware Boulevard, # 702
Tampa, FL 33619

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Sarasota Bay Bio Cruise coming soon

Hands on learning experience about the critters of the Bay and views of nesting bird life on board the Carefree Learner. Leave from Bayfront Park . The Carefree Learner is docked next to Le Barge, near Marina Jack's.

Jan 26, Tuesday, from 1 to 3 pm.

Members $12, non-members $18. Make reservations early. Call Joan at (941) 378-4670.

Florida temporarily bans catching of certain fish

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/florida-temporarily-bans-catching-certain-fish/sports/
- Tampa Bay Online

Lee County's twisting creeks beckon to paddlers

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100117/ENT/100116018/1075/Lee-County-s-twisting-creeks-beckon-to-paddlers
- Ft. Myers News Press

Venice dredging project begins

http://www.sunnewspapers.net/articles/llnews.aspx?articleID=15419&bnpg=0
- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Coming Event: Seagrass Survey

Click on image to enlarge:

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Turtle rescue count over 1000

http://www.apalachtimes.com/news/turtles-7940-bay-rescue.html
- Apalachiacola Times

Cold water killing turtles, marine life

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100112/BREAKING/100119950/2416/NEWS?Title=Cold-water-killing-turtles-marine-life
- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Sarasota Bay Watch Meeting: "Our Living Shoreline"

Dear Sarasota Bay Watch Supporter,
You are invited to join us at the:
Inaugural Sarasota Bay Watch Stakeholders' Meeting:

"Our Living Shoreline"
Tuesday, January 19; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
(Meeting begins at 6:30)
New Pass Room, Keating Center, Mote Marine Laboratory
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236

Please join us for an informative evening regarding the present state of the Sarasota Bay ecosystem. Speakers will present current restoration programs and new personal options for shore-line homeowners (including scallop cages,reef balls and dock and seawall habitats). A question and answer session will follow the presentations. Participating groups and organizations include Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Manatee County Government, Sarasota County Government, Reef Ball Foundation, and ORCA (Ocean Restoration Corp. & Associates).
This free event is open to the public. Registration is required. Please call (941) 953-5333 to register.

Record setting cold snap

http://www.bradenton.com/847/story/1967717.html
- Bradenton Herald

Thousands of snook die in cold Southwest Florida waters

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100112/GREEN/100111075/1007/RSS0105
- Ft. Myers News Press

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Magnificent Frigate Birds

Pat Jones took a bay cruise in Guatemala and saw these young magnificent frigate birds nesting in the trees. We've seen them flying high over Cortez, FL, and perched in trees on Whale Island in Tampa Bay in the Summer.

Long delayed dredging to proceed

http://www.carteretnewstimes.com/articles/2010/01/10/news-times/news/doc4b48efefcd33f936194033.txt
- Carteret County News-Times

Pelican injuries on rise in cold

http://keysnews.com/node/19912
- Florida Keys News

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Guided Nature Walks on Venice Area Beaches

From mid October 2009 thru April 2010, Bud Doyle will conduct guided beach nature walks at Casperson Beach Park on the second and third Tuesdays of each month. On the second and third Thursdays, Bud will conduct guided nature walks at North Jetty Beach Park.

Casperson Beach - 1/12 and 1/19
North Jetty Beach - 1/14 and 1/21
Casperson Beach - 2/9 and 2/16
North Jetty Beach - 2/11 and 2/18
Casperson Beach - 3/9 and 3/16
North Jetty Beach - 3/16 and 3/18
Casperson Beach - 4/13 and 4/20
North Jetty Beach - 4/8 and 4/15

All beach nature walks begin at 9 am and conclude at 11 am. They are open to the general public and free of charge. Enjoy a leisurely nature walk Venice's great beaches with naturalist Bud Doyle. We'll talk about the Gulf of Mexico, its tides, currents, and storms. Along the way, we'll identify shells, sharks teeth,birds, fish, and plant life. Casperson Beach is Venice's rural beach while North Jetty Beach is one of Florida's great shelling beaches.

For further information, call Bud Doyle at 941 488-4158.

500 pound loggerhead turtle comes ashore in Naples

http://www.naplesnews.com/photos/galleries/2010/jan/04/500-pound-loggerhead-turtle-comes-ashore-naples/95155/
-Naples News

Monday, January 4, 2010

Friday, January 1, 2010

Littoral Society Habitat Restoration Work Days

Habitat Restoration Work Days are starting again in January 2010.

On January 6, we
will work at our Osprey Preserve nursery or do a small planting in a local park.

On January 15,
we will work with
park employees on Rattlesnake Key, Nokomis (off south end of Casey Key).

Please call John at 941-966-7308 for details of these events.

Adding to the pod

http://keysnews.com/node/19681
- Florida Keys News