Thanks to Community for Making
Beer in the Bushes a Supermoon Success!
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We are so grateful to everyone who attended and supported our 9th Annual Beer in the Bushes last Saturday night!
For the first time we had the much-anticipated event at the Bailey Homestead Preserve and we got a lot of positive feedback on the change in venue. It was great to celebrate the end of yet another “season” and feel the love from so many of you who support our mission to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. We can’t thank our sponsors, bands, breweries, food trucks, and attendees enough. Here are a couple photos of many more to come your way tomorrow, along with a video capturing the celebratory Supermoon feel of this year’s shimmering event. Keep an eye on your email tomorrow to relive the fun and camaraderie!
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Beach Monitoring Begins for Sea Turtle Nesting Season
April 15 marked the first day of the 2022 sea turtle nesting season! Volunteers have been eager to get back on the beaches again after a successful season last year. SCCF has 85 active volunteers who are committed to patrolling the beaches each day from April through October. Volunteers and staff who survey the beaches along Sanibel, Captiva, and Causeway Island B at first light have not found signs of any turtle activity yet.
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Be Mindful on Beaches!
Several Snowy Plover Nests Are Now on Sanibel
SCCF's staff and volunteers are hard at work locating, protecting, and monitoring nests on Sanibel, Captiva, and several other sites in the region. They are currently monitoring five snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) nests on Sanibel. As you can see in this photo, the birds and their nests are incredibly well camouflaged and must be given a protective buffer to prevent accidental destruction by beachgoers or vehicles. Can you see the eggs this plover is shading from the hot sun?
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Photo by Shorebird Intern Elsa Wilson |
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Take Action this Earth Day by Cleaning Up the Causeway with Coastal Watch!
Celebrate Earth Day by joining Coastal Watch for a beach cleanup on the causeway islands from 9:30 to 11am on Saturday, April 23.
Volunteers will check in on Causeway B (the island closest to Sanibel) at the covered pavilion on the east side (facing the lighthouse). Gloves and trash buckets will be provided to volunteers. Don't forget to bring your family and friends to help celebrate your Earth Day pride!
Sign up here for the Earth Day Causeway Cleanup or contact SCCF Community Conservation Coordinator Kealy McNeal at kmcneal@sccf.org or 239-472-8585, ext. 2300.
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Study Explains How Human Activity Fuels Red Tide
SCCF Marine Lab Director Eric Milbrandt, Ph.D., contributed to a new study that is the first to explain what some have long suspected. Researchers found that human activity helps exacerbate and intensify naturally occurring red tide blooms in Southwest Florida. Conducted by scientists at the University of Florida, SCCF, and Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, the study found that while a combination of factors contributes to red tide blooms, human activity has played a consistent role in intensifying them during the past decade.
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Make Every Day Earth Day with These Ways to Help
Living on self-proclaimed sanctuary islands where residents take pride in co-existing in harmony with nature means celebrating Earth Day every day. With an influx of new residents, it's a good time for all of us to remember to be ambassadors in protecting and caring for our coastal ecosystems. We've put together a general list of island-specific ways to help that you can share with visitors, new neighbors, and others who may need to be reminded, especially now as sea turtle and shorebird nesting is underway, it's the height of dry season, and terrestrial turtles are migrating.
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Share the Word!
Campaign Launches to Control Rats without Poison
In response to the rodenticide poisoning of bald eaglet last year on Captiva, SCCF partnered with the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (C.R.O.W.), and the City of Sanibel on an educational campaign. An informative postcard is now in the mail to all island residents that features a brief explanation of why rodenticides aren’t a good idea. It has a QR code linking to more information that can be downloaded. READ MORE
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SCCF, Chamber Present Green Energy, Climate-Change Resiliency Panel
Join SCCF and the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce on May 9 for an engaging panel discussion about embracing renewable energy to prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Moderated by SCCF CEO James Evans, the goal of the community forum is to involve business owners, homeowners, and city representatives in an open conversation about the opportunities that a greater reliance on green energy can provide. READ MORE
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Marine Lab Continues Macroalgae Study at Refuge
SCCF's Marine Laboratory has focused on water quality and seagrass habitat conditions in J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge for more than a decade. Our lab facility was built in partnership with Ding Darling and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Together, we are working every year to document the conditions and observe the marine flora that so many wading birds, fish, and other wildlife depend upon. READ MORE
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Moore Haven Life Skills Class Experiences Ocean Love
On April 14, Sanibel Sea School hosted 15 students from Moore Haven Middle-High School in Glades County for the third time this year. Because they are almost two hours from the coast, most of the students had rarely been to the beach, if at all, before their trips with Sanibel Sea School.
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Students Study Soil Types in SCCF's Pick Preserve
Karen Thompson’s second-grade class augmented their class studies on rocks and soil by taking a close look at the soil types in the Pick Preserve with SCCF Educator Richard Finkel on April 11. Students observed how soils differ in their components, particle sizes, textures, and colors from habitat to habitat. READ MORE
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Meet the Wildlife Tech Intern: Peyton Niebanck
Peyton Niebanck graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife sciences through the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. At SCCF, Niebanck is assisting with departmental wildlife monitoring projects including the Florida box turtle (Terrapene bauri) and freshwater turtle research, as well as ongoing conservation efforts. READ MORE
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Become a Field Biologist with Sanibel Sea School
Sanibel Sea School educators are super excited to offer their first ever A Week in the Field teen camp from June 27 to July 1! Designed for campers ages 13 to 15, this week focuses on introducing teens to the scientific method, field research techniques, and a day in the life of a biologist at SCCF. For example, campers will venture to the beach with SCCF Shorebird Biologist Audrey Albrecht to complete a shorebird survey. READ MORE
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SEEKING PHOTO SUBMISSIONS
Do you have a Sanibel wildlife photo to share?
Thanks to Charlie Lais for sending this shot of a swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) in flight.
Please send your photos to
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