August 26, 2026

Welcome to the Coastal Wildlife team’s August issue of our nesting season tracker! New this season, these updates on our sea turtle and shorebird nesting are sent to you on the last Wednesdays of the month through October.

Our data reporting includes year-over-year comparisons, so you can see how the 2026 nesting season is unfolding relative to 2025. While this provides useful context, it’s also important to remember that two-year snapshots are not sufficient to characterize true trends, particularly for long-lived species such as sea turtles. 

After sea turtle nesting season ends on Oct. 31, we will spend several weeks carefully assessing the final season counts, along with expanded comparative data reflecting multi-year trends. In December, we will send out a final tracker for the 2026 nesting season, along with those trends.

As always, we appreciate your help in protecting our sea turtles and shorebirds during nesting season. Please click here to learn what you can do. 

Call our Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 to report any issues with nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings.

Report any issues with shorebirds to shorebirds@sccf.org.

*Please note:

Shorebird colonies are dynamic, and the number of nests is constantly changing as predation occurs and nests hatch. Exact totals are estimates. For these nests, coyotes are not the sole predator, and washouts are not the only other cause of loss. Some snowy plover nests are abandoned, and we lose nests to ghost crabs, crows, and, most recently, snakes. 

SCCF's Sea Turtle & Shorebird Programs

SCCF is the permit holder for monitoring and protecting sea turtles on Sanibel and Captiva. SCCF is responsible for conducting nesting surveys and recording all sea turtle activity on both islands. Through research, monitoring, and public outreach, SCCF helps contribute to local and national sea turtle conservation efforts.

The SCCF shorebird team regularly monitors Sanibel, Captiva, and several sites in the surrounding area for state-threatened snowy plovers and other nesting shorebirds.