Quiet Sunday

This week I was in Wakulla County for my nephew Jud's graduation. I wouldn't have missed it, not even for the turtles.

Luckily, I didn't miss much. Emily sent a text at 7:10 with an "all clear." After our nest last week, we received news that a Kemp's ridley nest was found on Manasota Key in Sarasota County. Below is a picture of a Kemp's ridley we saw at the turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida.

Turtle Time!

Friday morning: False crawl. AMI Turtle Watch volunteers are using the buckets ORB students painted to carry their gear when they document a crawl or nest.




Saturday morning: False crawl
















Sunday morning: TURTLE NEST!!
We have a nest! Sadly, it isn't in my section, but it's as if we're all mommas this morning. We can tell it's a loggerhead nest because of the comma-shaped tracks.





When I went to take pictures, fellow walkers told me the snowy plovers also made us mommas. We have three hatchlings (below right), and a second nest has daddy keeping guard (below left). Male snowy plovers stay on the nest, while momma finds food.

"The turtles are waiting for you."

"No turtles. I guess they're waiting for you." Emily texted me this message when she walked for me this week, letting me know she was done. I was off to a technology symposium hosted by Florida Society for Technology in Education. However, I was prepared. I started the morning in my turtle watch gear, with plans to turn my car around if a turtle arrived. Luckily, Emily sent me an "all clear"text before I left the house, so I enjoyed the full day with my tekkies in teacher-appropriate attire.

On Sunday, I put on my educator hat for some teenagers running through the nesting shorebirds. We have hundreds of nesting Royal Terns, Least Terns, and Black Skimmers on the north end of Anna Maria Island. The teens thought it was a riot to run through the flocks and watch them fly. Mr. Masferrer said, "You're going to say something, aren't you." Of course, I'm an educator. It's what I do. With surprised looks from the boys, I politely explained the birds were protected, and they need to be left alone to rest and nest. With a grunt from the three, I replied, "thank you." Hopefully it sank in on some level.

Birdwatching

Today the birds were the attraction. I spotted a night heron, right, and a great blue heron, left. What amazing birds! They must make the other birds jealous.

Pete and Emily Gross, the coordinators for my section, joined me for my walk, and they taught be even more, especially that human digging and turtle signs can be similar, so you have to search for turtle tracks. Also, turtles can nest anywhere, even low on the shoreline.

Mr. Masferrer also joined us, and he took the pictures this time. With no signs of turtles, we focused on obstructions and trash on the beach. Luckily, we saw all lights off as the sun peaked over the horizon. Sadly, the same resort is still leaving beach chairs on the beach overnight. Pete promised to send another e-mail. Also, someone found pieces of the recently destroyed pier and piled them up on the beach. It seems such as small, innocent thing, but this pile could easily prevent a turtle from nesting and result in a false crawl.

The most exciting event was after the walk. Mr. Masferrer and I went to our favorite spot on the north end of the island to see the endangered snowy plover. We once had five nesting pairs on the island. This year we only have one. This tiny bird is so precious, bobbing across the sand. They nest in the center of the beach, so their nesting area is roped off for protection.

Next week, I'm not walking, so let's hope the turtles wait as well.

Turtle Season: Day 1

And we're off! Turtle season officially begins today, and I do NOT want to roll out of bed at 5 am. Why is it that waking up at the same time on Saturday as you do on a Monday just seems illegal?

But I made it! I'm on the beach in my AMI Turtle Watch T-shirt, my sparkling new permit in my hand. I can feel the anticipation. It's a little dark when I arrive, so I sit on a bench next to the Manatee Beach cafe, waiting for the sun to reach as far as my side of the island.

As soon as the sunrise ekes into the western reaches of the sky, I hit the beach. Scanning, scanning. Up and down the beach. Eureka! I found a track...nope just the trail of a lonesome cooler with human prints behind it.

I continue about 100 feet, picking up plastic shovels, beer cans (and bottles), plastic everything--including a package from a pair of infant swimmy wings.

Before I'm done, I've found more than 20 beach chairs left overnight, filled in 8-10 holes, and lugged a grocery bag full of trash to the end of my designated mile. But it's all worth it. I even made some friends along the way. First were the shorebirds--an oystercatcher and several terns. I love the Wilson's plovers that dot the shoreline. They "cheep. cheep. cheep." when others walk (or run) too closely. Next, I spoke with a spring visitor who proudly declared "We know all about the turtles," and he promised to alert his fellow condo dwellers that the season had arrived.

Finally, I make my way back. As I attempt to fill in what I will forever call a "human body pit,"** another beachcomber asks to take a picture of my shirt. Sure. As she walks away, she promises to help fill in holes, too.

I'm reassured by the kindness of those on the beach with me. People don't mean to be insensitive or ignorant of the needs of sea turtles and other creatures. They just need to be educated. When people see the beauty of Anna Maria Island, of course, they can't resist its charms. But they also want to protect it, so it will stay this way forever.

All we need is a little help.

**In a pre-nesting ritual, turtles will make a pit that conforms to their body size and shape. At times, they will pit and leave. At other times, the pit is the first stage of nesting. The "human body pit" is a massive hole people dig (for who knows what reason) to sit in and throw soda cans, cigarette butts and packages, and potato chip bags around. Left uncovered, it is the perfect size to capture a mother or hatchling and result in death in the hot Florida sun.