Bud Doyle's Free Nature Walks

Bud Doyle's Guided Beach Walks just have a few months to last, so get out and join him.

October 2010 thru April 2011, Bud Doyle will conduct 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. All beach nature walks begin at 9 am and conclude at 11 am. They are open to the general public and free of charge.

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.

Mooring field clears critical hurdle

Here's the latest in the continuing saga of Sarasota's mooring field:

http://www.pelicanpressonline.com/localnews/112955354.html
- Pelican Press

Sarasota Bay Mooring Field

NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

The boat mooring field south of Marina Jacks near downtown Sarasota didn't work. A mixture of elegant and shabby sailboats anchor in the sheltered area. Sarasota County is laying low and has probably gone back to the drawing board.

Missouri couple encounters rare find on Sanibel beach

http://www.captivasanibel.com/page/content.detail/id/510325/Missouri-couple-encounters-rare-find-on-Sanibel-beach.html?nav=5051
- Sanibel Captiva Islander

Toxic blob drifting in Gulf mystifies scientists

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110203/ARTICLE/102031055/2416/NEWS?Title=Toxic-blob-drifting-in-Gulf-mystifies-scientists
- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Atsena Otie - 1884

Atsena Otie is an island west of Cedar Key, Florida.
The Eberhard Faber Mill was built there in 1864.
It is probably one of the buildings with a smokestack.
Today, all the buildings have disappeared.
A few vestiges of foundations and an old cemetery remain.
The rest is jungle.

Take a tour boat out there on a cool day and just relax.

Study finds 4,840 sea cows

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2011/01/29/study-finds-4840-sea-cows.html
- Daytona Beach News Journal

PBS "American Experience" Program to Focus on Greely Expedition -- Tonight at 9 PM in NY Metro Area

Because so many of you told us how much you enjoyed Phyllis Marsteller's recent article on this expedition, we thought you would like to know about this program.

In and around New York City, PBS will air "Greely Expedition" in its "American Experience" series at 9 p.m. on Monday, January 31st - tonight. Broadcast dates and times could be different in other areas. Check your local listings or www.pbs.org.

The latest issue of Underwater Naturalist includes an article about one of the men who traveled to the High Arctic with Greely. The title of the article, "William H.Whistler, IPY 1882-1883," refers to the first International Polar Year, the first time that the United States participated in a cooperative international scientific research program. Written by ALS member Phyllis Marsteller, a distant relative of Whistler, the article provides a brief review of the expedition, including its last few months on Pim Island, where most of the participants starved to death and at least six were cannibalized.

-- Eileen Kennedy, American Littoral Society

February Kayak Trips

Leisurely paddling and observation at a variety of sites difficult to visit by any other means. Kayak, paddle, life vest, etc supplied. If you haven’t used a kayak before, a short training session before the trip will get you going. Call John at (941)966-7308 for reservations. Members who own a kayak and life vests are welcome to go on trips marked with an asterisk(*) for a $5 donation to ALS. Cost is $20 members, $25 non-members unless otherwise noted. Trips into State parks require an additional entrance fee.

Feb 1 Myakka State Park 9am - 12 noon
* Feb 3 Waterways of Nokomis 10am - 1pm
* Feb 5 Little Sarasota Bay / Palmer Pt Park 10am -1pm
* Feb 9 Little Manatee River 10am-2pm $30mem-$35non mem
* Feb 12 Cockroach Bay State Park 10am-2pm $30mem - $35 nonmem
* Feb 15 Apollo Beach/Kitchen Preserve see Jan 27 above
* Feb 17 Bird Key/South Lido Park 10am- 1pm
* Feb 24 Little Sarasota Bay/Palmer Pt Park 1pm-4pm
Feb 26 Myakka State Park 9am - 12 noon

Favorable weather leads to high manatee count in Florida

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/jan/28/favorable-weather-leads-high-manatee-count-florida/
- Naples News

Golder Silk Spider

The golden silk spider is one of the golden orb weavers.
Its body is about one inch long with long black and yellow legs.
Common in mangroves, the bite is painful, but not life-threatening.
(Note: The female, as shown here, can grow to over 3 inches long. The male is much smaller and I haven't been able to take a good photo.)

Baby and Mama Racoon

On the Bay side of Sarasota's South Lido,
there is a preserve with mangroves and salt water ponds and streams.
There are pleasant paths for exercise and exploration.

Here, you are liable to see various wading birds
and even a raccoon or two.

Mama Raccoon is teaching her baby how to dig for food
in the shallow salt marsh water.
Baby plays close attention and always sticks close to Mama's side.

Too much at stake, don't gamble with our coasts

http://www.environmentamerica.org/home/reports/report-archives/ocean-conservation/healthy-oceans/too-much-at-stake-dont-gamble-with-our-coasts
- Environment America

Living Sanibel: Alligator Creek Preserve and Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

http://www.captivasanibel.com/page/content.detail/id/510252/Living-Sanibel--Alligator-Creek-Preserve-and-Charlotte-Harbor-Environmental-Center.html?nav=5011
- Sanibel Captiva Islander

Red Mangroves

Prop roots are characteristic of this mangrove
which lives closest to the water and, in the shallow water.
A black crowned night heron looking for crabs and other delicacies.

Marco Island:Two eaglets, born to nesting bald eagles, live at Tract K

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/jan/27/Marco-eaglets-island-bald-eagles-tract-k/
- Naples News

Marco Island residents hear mangrove restoration plan

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/jan/25/marco-island-residents-hear-mangrove-restoration-p/
- Naples News

Gill Louse

Lironeca ovalis is free swimming as a juvenile. As it ages, it becomes parasitic on fish gills.
Photo by Dave Bulloch

Best time for shelling on the islands comes during winter extreme tides

http://www.captivasanibel.com/page/content.detail/id/510216/Best-time-for-shelling-on-the-islands-comes-during-winter--extreme-tides.html?nav=5051
- Sanibel Captiva Islander

Mid Lido Jetty

This pile of rocks just south of the public beach at mid-Lido Key looked like a good way to prevent erosion at one time.

However, there has been quite a bit of erosion on the south side as the currents sweep down from the north. The sand has eroded away on the south side leaving a 3-foot "cliff" on the beach.