Connecting You to SCCF: 178 Sea Turtle Nests on Sanibel & Captiva!

Photos by SCCF Volunteer Cheri Hollis

May 29, 2024

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Picking Up

As of May 28, the islands have 177 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests and 1 leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nest!

Sanibel: 133 loggerhead nests, 1 leatherback nest

Captiva: 44 loggerhead nests

Last week, the SCCF team even had two rare daytime encounters with loggerheads — one that had just finished nesting, and another that was returning to the Gulf after a false crawl!

If you see a sea turtle exhibiting nesting behavior, do not interfere with the process or try to get closer.

To report a suspected new nest or issues with nests/turtles, beach lighting, or beach furniture, please call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663.

Shorebird Feature:

Black-Necked Stilt

It’s hard to miss black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), who are second only to flamingos in the bird world for length of legs in proportion to body size! Recently, the SCCF shorebird team has noticed an increased abundance of this species in the region.

Kildeers Nesting in Gulf Ridge Preserve

The clearing of Gulf Ridge Preserve opened up an opportunity for a pair of kildeer (Charadrius vociferus) to nest there, joining volunteers and staff during ongoing marsh restoration. Once the birds and their eggs were spotted last week, SCCF's shorebird team promptly roped off the area so that restoration could continue without disturbing the nest. Killdeers are a large plover species that typically nest in open spaces such as parking lots, driveways, and even ball fields, according to SCCF Shorebird Biologist Audrey Albrecht.

Thanks to Community for Initial Restoration of Marsh!

During four intensive days of planting, from May 14 - 23, over 100 dedicated volunteers came together to plant 5,500 spartina and saw grasses. Together, they put in a whopping 210 volunteer hours to restore native wildlife habitat at the 21-acre Gulf Ridge Preserve.

Learn why the effort is vital to the island's resilience.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: FAMILIES WELCOME!

The restoration continues — help SCCF and Coastal Watch bring life back to our Gulf Ridge Preserve!

Next Planting Day - Wednesday, June 5

Early Bird Shift: 7:30 - 9 a.m.

Relievers Shift: 9 - 10:30 a.m.

Grab your boots, gloves, family, and friends, and sign up now!

ABC-7 Reporter Alex Howard even joined in the planting last week as he was on site to interview Coastal Watch Director Kealy Pfau and Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz about the amazing community effort to restore the marsh at Gulf Ridge Preserve.

Watch the video to see our volunteers in action!

LOSOM May Soon Be Adopted

An improved way of managing Lake Okeechobee may finally be adopted this year, after years of development and delays.

On May 24, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), an updated management plan for Lake Okeechobee that will reduce stressful flows to the Caloosahatchee and send more water south to the Everglades.

Find out how you can add your voice during public comment.

REPORT ALGAE

RECON Readings: Warm Waters Signal Concern

Local surface water temperatures are already reaching over 90 degrees F in some places, according to readings from SCCF’s River, Estuary, and Coastal Observing Network (RECON) monitoring stations. Following last year’s record-setting water temperatures across Florida, this concerning trend could have widespread impacts.

Learn how it could intensify hurricanes and harmful algal blooms.

Bat Houses Installed by Sanibel School Students

Fourth-grade students got "batty" last week as they helped install two new bat houses at SCCF’s Pick Preserve. Thanks to funding and support from the Sanibel School PTA, the bat structures can support up to 200 roosting bats.

SCCF’s Mike Mills and Richard Finkel helped educate the class about the importance of bats to the world’s ecosystems through pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal.

Learn how you can help bats in your own backyard!

Welcome, Summer Camp Counselors!

Our team of enthusiastic and dedicated camp counselors is ready to make this summer one to remember! Click the link to get to know the faces behind the fun at Sanibel Sea School's summer camp!

Learn a bit about each of them!

The countdown is on! Just five days until the adventure begins at Sanibel Sea School Summer Camp! Get ready for a splash-tastic summer filled with fun, friends, and fantastic memories!

Meet the Natives:

Wild Olive

Wild Olive (Forestiera segregate) is a coastal hammock shrub that grows well in our sandy soils. It can grow to about 10 feet tall and almost as wide.

Wild olive (also known as Florida privet) blooms in late winter or early spring and attracts bees. The fruits develop before many other plants and become a good source of food for birds. These plants are dioecious, meaning that only female plants will produce fruits, and a male plant close by is needed for pollination.

Wild olive is drought and saltwater tolerant and requires little maintenance once established.

Summer hours at SCCF's Native Landscapes & Garden Center begin on June 1. New hours are Tues-Thurs., 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Stop by for all your native plant needs!

Students Explore Spartina Swale & Upland Ridge Habitats

Sixth and seventh graders from the Sanibel School joined SCCF for an ecological study of Sanibel’s interior habitats. Students looked at different soil types on upland ridge habitats and Spartina swale habitats. Water samples were also taken to assess how well the interior freshwater habitats have rebounded from the saltwater surge of Hurricane Ian.

“Students enjoyed exploring the dry season stage of Sanibel’s spartina swale habitat,” said SCCF Environmental Educator Richard Finkel. “These environmental field explorations are invaluable for complimenting classroom work with practical biological field work.”

Video Captures SCCF/Crowder Gulf Partnership

in Restoring Puschel Preserve

SCCF and the City of Sanibel partnered with Crowder Gulf, a company specializing in disaster recovery, in restoring the Puschel Preserve, which served as a debris collection and processing site after Hurricane Ian.

Check out this video produced by Crowder Gulf that captures the transition!

The Puschel Preserve was acquired in 2021 through a $2 million public campaign, with a generous lead donation from Philip and Roberta Puschel. It features more than 12 acres of critical wildlife habitat running from Periwinkle Way to the Sanibel River.

Once fully restored, the front acreage will showcase a welcome plaza, pollinator garden, walking/biking trail, sculpture garden, and demonstration marsh. Every aspect of the preserve has been carefully considered to maximize its potential as a haven for biodiversity.

SCCF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded

in 1967 on Sanibel Island, Florida

EIN 59-1205087

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