Snowbird Season – or as locals simply call it – “season,” is over. Or at least it has definitely slowed down. Our roads are quieter; that’s good. Restaurants are easier to get in; that’s good for locals (but not so good for owners). Publix aisles are navigable; that’s great! The beach has fewer people on it; nice. But now it is a different kind of “season.” It is one for Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) and nesting shorebirds, such as Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger), Least Terns (Sternula antillarum), and Wilson Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia). This “season” is quite busy for these species. It’s time for them to nest, produce young, and keep the fragile marine ecosystem of the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico healthy.

A Wilson Plover nesting out on the Sand Dollar spit, Big Marco Pass. Photo by Jean Hall

Not just sea turtles and shorebirds are producing, but many other marine species are getting in on the action! Have you seen the snake-like “skins” curled near the surf and high tide line? These are egg casings from many species of mollusks, such as Horse Conch (Pleuroploca gigantea), Queen Conch (Strombus gigas), and even Pear Whelk (Busycon spiratum). Have you noticed groups of Spotted Eagle Rays (Aetobatus narinari) skimming the surfaces of the canal waterways, bays and near shore surf? They are congregating and feeding in the warm waters we so fortunately call our backyard.

With water temperatures already in the mid 80’s, Loggerhead Sea Turtles are ready to nest. Typically, 78 degrees Fahrenheit triggers the female sea turtle to nest. She will crawl out of the Gulf of Mexico, looking for the highest, driest place on the beach and dig a nest cavity about 30 inches deep using only her two back flippers. She then will drop approximately 100 soft-cased, leathery eggs in the nest cavity, re-bury them, and then return to the sea. Never will she return to the nest or care for her hatchlings.

A mature female may nest up to seven times in one season, then not nest for two to three more years. The eggs incubate in the warm sand and at about 60 days, the hatchlings will emerge, all trekking to the waiting moon and star-lit Gulf of Mexico. Only in one thousand hatchlings will survive to maturity (15 + years). The females never leave the water except to crawl out onto shore to nest. With these odds, it is easy to understand why every egg counts, and conservation and protection of the nests on Marco Island is crucial for this species and the ecosystem’s integrity. Last season, 52 nests were created, but only 19 hatched successfully. Early spring storms and very high tidal cycles destroyed nests completely or flooded many – making the unhatched eggs nonviable. This season, there is hope for high numbers and successful hatchings. The South Beach has been renourished (sand filled) and the entire beach laser graded (sand moved to improve drainage and topography); all improving beach habitat.

It’s perfect timing for the Loggerhead Sea Turtles to make their way to the beautiful sandy beaches of Marco Island and nest. Hideaway Beach’s North Beach is in the midst of renourishment though the stable beaches from past projects will be enticing for nesting sea turtles.

The Sand Dollar “spit” – the long, hooked beachfront that fronts the Tigertail Lagoon and Hideaway Beach to the Gulf on the northwest corner of the island – is a federal Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) called Big Marco Pass CWA. This is due to the high number of wintering, nesting and resident shorebird species that use and need this habitat to survive. It is one of the top five flyways for the planet. Yes. The planet. For shorebirds that migrate from the poles to South America and back, this time of year, several of these species of birds nest here. They dig shallow scrapes in the sand as “nests” to lay camouflaged eggs no bigger than a Ping-Pong ball. So small and unseen are the nests and eggs, areas are posted for the Least Terns, Black Skimmers and Wilson Plovers to keep people aware and remind them to walk with care.

Mary Nelson, our famous Sea Turtle Lady, and the shorebird monitors will ensure all nests are protected and hatchlings counted. You can help them out easily by treating our beach with the love and respect we have for it.

Leave only your footprints.

Sea turtles nest and hatch throughout SW
Florida in the summer months.

Remove all trash and beach gear from the beach when you leave. Remember no glass bottles on the beach – they break easily when hit by the beach sand rake. Broken glass can and has caused injury to beach goers and wildlife.

Dispose of plastic and fishing line properly – wildlife such as dolphin, sea turtles and rays often mistakes plastic bags for jellyfish, a food the love to eat. Fishing line gets easily tangled on all wildlife, from fish and birds to dolphin and manatees.

No wheeled vehicles on the beach – except for strollers, fishing gear trolleys, and wheel chairs. Please note that no bicycles are allowed on the beach.

No open fires – unless permitted for a special event. This includes fireworks, campfires, charcoal grills, and torches.

No dogs on the beach – No dogs, leashed or unleashed, are allowed on the beaches in Marco Island. Even if dogs are onboard a boat, they are not allowed on the beach. Outside of Marco Island city limits, dogs are allowed on leashes on the beach, such as Keewadin Island to the north.

Fill in the hole – It is always fun to dig a hole in the sand. When leaving the beach, please fill it in. Large holes left on the beach cause human safety and wildlife mortality. A hole is difficult to see for a beach walker and a public safety vehicle. Sea turtle hatchlings, fish and live shells get trapped in holes and die when they cannot get out.

If you are out on the beach and see a beach walker with a creamsicle orange shirt that says “Ask Me A Question” on the back, you have spotted a City of Marco Island Volunteer Beach Steward. Please ask them a question! They are the ombudsmen for the Marco Island beach and can give you plenty of information.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or have any wildlife or beach related questions, please contact Nancy Richie the City of Marco Island’s Environmental Specialist at 239-389-5003 or by email at  nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

Thank you for enjoying and taking care of Marco Island’s most beautiful and valuable asset – the beach!

For more information on local locations to see wildlife, or interest in volunteering, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island, at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

Do Your Part, Keep Our Beach Dark

Between May 1st and October 31st, all lights, including flashlights, lanterns, mobile phone and camera flashes, need to be off or not used on the beach after 9 PM. This is for sea turtle nesting season. Artificial lights that shine on the beach disorient female sea turtles from nesting and confuse hatchlings trekking to the Gulf. All beachfront lights and windows need to be off or shaded from shining on the beach by 9 PM. This allows the moon and stars to naturally light the Gulf of Mexico’s surface, keeping the beach dark for the females and drawing the hatchlings to the water successfully.

Read the Sign and Respect the Wildlife

There is plenty of beach to share. Please do not enter posted areas for nesting wildlife. Sea turtle nests are posted typically in yellow tape. Give the area 25 feet to ensure the nest of eggs is not impacted. Shorebird areas are posted with stringing and signage. If birds are diving at you or flying away, you are too close. Respect the signs and use the rest of the beach.

The following are brief updates, “animal bites,” on the unique mammal populations that are monitored in and around Marco Island. All are locally, state and even federally protected. Please enjoy the wildlife life, but do not intrude in their space, feed, water, or harass them in any way – this is against the law. If wildlife acts startled, agitated, or leaves the site as you approach, it is considered harassment. Move away slowly and enjoy the animal and its natural behavior.

Gopher Tortoises

It is estimated that the Florida Gopher Tortoise population has decreased overall by 30% in the past few years. Due to building and habitat loss, the Marco Island population closely mirrors this statistic. Past studies and surveys estimate the current population of gopher tortoises on Marco Island to be 300 to 400 tortoises. Being an isolated Florida population, this island population is further sub-isolated with large concentrations of tortoises found in the Estates and Sheffield/Dogwood Drive areas. Smaller numbers are seen on Spinnaker Drive and the west side of Hideaway Beach, on Horr’s Island (Key Marco) and areas that were previously disturbed such as the Steven’s Landing property. In the current city septic tank replacement project, over 300 tortoise burrows were surveyed just in the right of way areas of the Estates. Over 80 tortoises were moved out of the way of this construction project. They were protected and not removed from the island. As the area builds out, planting native plants, keeping natural areas and education on living with this species is the key to sustaining the dwindling, keystone species that is the Gopher Tortoise.

Manatee. Submitted Photos

Manatees

Red Tide, Karenia brevis, the toxic micro algae that bloomed and lingered off the southwest coast of Florida for months this year, has caused a record number of deaths to Florida’s favorite marine mammal. To date approximately 176 manatees in Florida have died due to exposure to this Red Tide event. Four have been recovered in the Marco Island area waters since January. Currently there is no presence of red tide in and around the Marco Island waters, but the bloom does persist off the coast of Charlotte and Lee counties in low levels. Manatees are commonly seen in the Marco Island River, island bays and canals. Look for the “footprint” they leave with their large tail fluke as they slowly swim below the surface looking for sea grasses to eat and calm water to sun on the surface. If boating, keep a 100-foot distance from the marine mammals and never chase with your boat or feed them. It has been an extremely tough year on our state’s “gentle giant;” please give them the chance to survive.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Last season’s Loggerhead Sea Turtles were impacted by Mother Nature. Early in the season, storms and high tides destroyed many nests on the Marco Island beaches. The final count of the season resulted in 52 nests created by these huge marine turtles but only 19 hatched, producing 1,453 hatchlings that made it to the Gulf of Mexico. With two major beach renourishment projects started on our beaches: one at South Beach; the other on Hideaway Beach’s North Beach, Mary Nelson, sea turtle monitor, has an early and busy season of monitoring to ensure these projects do not impact nesting or hatching.

To prevent disorientations and deaths to sea turtles, all beachfront properties and beachgoers need to be mindful of posted nest sites and must have no lights or illumination on the beach each night after 9 PM between May 1st and October 31st which is the Loggerhead sea turtle nesting and hatching season. Window shades should be closed, landscape lighting off, and no lanterns, fires, flashlights or photographic flashes are allowed after 9 PM. Every hatchling that makes it to the Gulf counts towards future generations of the turtles.

Black Bear

Late last fall, the island had a visitor for about 48 hours that took advantage of a resident’s swimming pool and many trash receptacles in the Sheffield Drive area of Marco Island. It was never seen or caught, but left a trail of tell-tale evidence of its visit. Residents of Key Marco and Hideaway Beach have also had bear visitors in past years. And areas in Naples, too. Bears have a very keen sense of smell. Pet food and trash receptacles should be secure or inside a closed area if bears are frequenting an area.

Bobcat. Photo by Frank Steiger

Bobcat

A very common big cat seen all over the island, the Florida bobcat is easily identified by its “bobbed” tail and its tawny, golden coat. Last summer, one local bobcat would lounge like a bored house cat on the Tigertail Beach boardwalk in the early morning sun; Villa De Marco condominium enjoyed one on their riverside dock; Stevens Landing had bobcat kittens raised in their native Florida landscape; and there are many sightings of bobcat crossings on San Marco Drive between the Publix shopping center and Vintage Bay Drive. Slow down and be on the lookout.

Coyotes

For a few years, many sightings of coyotes have been reported near and around the golf course, along San Marco Drive and in the Estates area. Typically, very timid towards people, they feed on small mammals and carrion, even fruits and berries. Trash receptacles and pet food should be kept secure, dogs kept on leashes and cats and other small pets kept inside.

Wildlife Ethics

Please remember to give all wildlife respect and space to ensure they are not frightened and do not abandon their location. We all enjoy seeing Marco Island’s wildlife, so make your visit ethical: always approach quietly and if in a group stick together without surrounding the animal or its burrow location; do not lean or go under any site fencing or posting; if the animal is agitated, back away immediately.

Remember a photo of scared or startled wildlife is not a good photo! Any taking or harassment of wildlife should be reported immediately to the FWC at the 24 hour, 365 day/year toll free hotline phone number 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC).

For more information on local wildlife, locations to see wildlife, or interest in volunteering, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island, at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com. Get out and enjoy our paradise and please keep it wild!

For more information on local locations to see wildlife, or interest in volunteering, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island, at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

The following are brief updates, “animal bites,” on the unique bird life populations that are monitored in and around Marco Island. All are locally, state and even federally protected. Please enjoy the wildlife life, but do not intrude in their space, feed, water, or harass them in any way – this is against the law. If wildlife acts startled, agitated, or leaves the site as you approach, it is considered harassment. Move away slowly and enjoy the animal and its natural behavior.

Burrowing Owls

Please do not harass wildlife – enjoy their normal behavior. Here is a Burrowing Owl stretching… Owl Ballet?

The popularity of the Marco Island Burrowing Owl population has boomed like never before this season. Most of the 117 Burrowing Owl burrow sites have visitors daily – some hourly – by walkers, bikers and vehicles. Everyone living or visiting on the Island, plus their friends and families, must have dozens of photos of these owls! This nesting season – which occurs from February 16th through July 14th every year – has just begun. Two of the sites already have confirmed chicks emerging from their burrows. Since last fall, at least a couple dozen new burrow locations have been documented and posted. As of right now, there are approximately 73 pairs of adult owls and approximately 11 single adult owls. This is almost a 20% increase in population – a sign of a healthy and sustainable population. With the first chick noted on March 8th, volunteers are continuing to monitor and count chicks.

Bald Eagles

Both documented Bald Eagle nesting sites this season have not been as productive as the many seasons past. The Island Country Club nest had a pair of Great Horned Owls take over the nest on the golf course. According to watchful residents, the Great Horned Owls have produced three owlets in the eagles’ nest. At the Marco Eagle Sanctuary, located at 995 Tigertail Court and managed by the Marco Eagle Sanctuary Foundation (MESF), it has been reported that nest building by the pair began right on time in mid-October 2012, with the pair showing mating activity in November 2012. In December 2012, an Audubon representative reported the eagles’ behavior patterns were indicative of the presence of eggs in the nest which would mean eaglets would hatch in January 2013. MESF reports that on New Year’s Eve, vacationing renters in a house located near the Sanctuary, set off multiple and extremely loud fireworks (comparable to those set off from the barge used for 4th of July beach fireworks). These explosive sounds frightened the eagles causing them to flee their nest and eggs for several hours. Typically eggs cannot survive for more than an hour unprotected, especially in seasonal cold temperatures. Behavior after this incident indicates that the eggs did not survive and no eaglets were hatched this season. Mating behavior of the two adult eagles was observed in early February 2013, but to date no nesting and subsequent hatchlings have been documented. The two adults have not abandoned their nest and the site is still considered active. The two magnificent adult Bald Eagles can best be seen at the nest, the nest tree or in one of the important perching trees on the site around 7 AM or between 5 and 7 PM daily. The MESF has a very informative sign on site for visitors.

Shorebirds

Wintering shorebirds have long found Marco Island the perfect habitat to rest and feed as they migrate south to the Dry Tortugas and South America for the winter months. The Sand Dollar “spit” and Tigertail Lagoon habitat complex is one the top five most important flyways for the planet’s migratory shorebird population. From fall through early spring, species such as, Red Knots, Oyster Catchers, Semipalmated Plovers, Sand Pipers, Piping Plovers, Dunlins, Short-billed Dowitchers, etc. all can be seen finding their niche for feeding and resting along the shores and on the flats of this sensitive and very dynamic ecosystem.

There is diverse habitat from mangroves to lagoons with sea grasses to sandy and vegetated dunes to open beach with a tidal zone that allow the many species of birds to rest and recoup their energy with plenty of food to fuel these birds’ long flights to their southern destinations. Once March turns to April, it is time for the nesting shorebirds to set up and produce young, laying eggs in spring and fledging their young by late summer. Least Terns, Black Skimmers, Wilson’s Plovers and, hopefully, Snowy Plovers, will be nesting very soon on the sandy, wide, vegetation-free beaches of Marco Island.

Year-round the federally designated Big Marco Pass Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) has areas posted for shorebird protection and conservation. Shorebirds, their nests, eggs and young are very camouflaged and sensitive to disturbance. Protected posted areas are recognized by posts, stringing and flagging tape and signage to keep disturbances from crushing eggs and young and flushing birds. Please respect the posted areas and give birds, both resting and nesting, the room they need to survive.

During the spring and summer, more areas of the beach and lagoon are posted, including on the main Marco Island beach area south of the Tigertail Lagoon, adjacent to the South Seas condominiums. The emergent sandbars in Caxambas Pass are also posted for nesting birds.

No vessel landing is enforced by the FWC. As bird populations decline all over the planet, our small island on the edge of the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades is vitally important for many of these shorebird species to survive into the next decades.

Wildlife Ethics

Please remember to give all wildlife respect and space to ensure they are not frightened by your encounter and do not abandon their location. We all enjoy seeing Marco Island’s wildlife, so make your visit ethical: always approach quietly and if in a group stick together without surrounding the animal or its burrow location; do not lean or go under any site fencing or posting; if the animal is agitated, back away immediately.

Remember a photo of scared or startled wildlife is not a good photo! Any taking or harassment of wildlife should be reported immediately to the FWC at the 24 hour, 365 day/year toll free hotline phone number 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC).

For more information on local locations to see wildlife, or interest in volunteering, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island, at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

The Marco Island Burrowing Owl population is very popular this season. So popular, in fact, that many burrow sites on the main thorough fares are being invaded by visitors for drive-by photos and amateur tours. Some sites have people approaching all day long by car, bike, foot – even crawling under the flagging tape with cameras – time will tell if this owl population will tolerate and sustain this impact. Just a friendly reminder – please approach all wildlife sites quietly, if in a group, stay together, don’t surround the posted area or wildlife that is being viewed, and give the wildlife some space – a photo of a frightened bird or animal, is not a great photo and an owl or bird flying away, running in its burrow, hissing and acting agitated, is considered harassment and may cause the animal to abandon the site.

There are actually a few other species of owls on the island, more secretive and camouflaged. One is considered the “tiger in the sky” due to its predatory voraciousness. The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is also nicknamed the “hoot owl” or “cat owl” in some regions due to its hunting technique, distinct vocals and prowess. It has been a resident of Marco Island – and our nation – longer than most.

Its range is common throughout North America and into South America. It was first seen and described in the Virginia colonies in 1788 by German naturalist Johann Fredrich Gmelin. Very distinctive due to its large size, the Great Horned Owl can be almost two and a half feet in height weighing over five pounds.

It can be found throughout Florida, but not in the Keys or through the Caribbean. Typically, its feathers are brown but can have changing characteristics depending on its range; darker in the northern ranges to almost white in the tundra. Here in Florida, it is typically mostly brown, barred with white, brown and gray feathers in color, with a burnt orange to tawny face disc. It has rather distinct ear tufts – “plumicorns” – not horns or ears, just feathers that stand up. The ears are not symmetrical, but at different elevations on their head, so hearing is augmented at a head slant or turn, and also used as funnels, giving them a better depth perception and hearing range than humans.

Large, with a barrel-like body, its wing span can be over four feet in width with intricate feather layers to ensure silence in flight. They have bright yellow eyes – eyes locked into place with binocular vision, so its head can swivel 270 degrees to look around, thanks to 14 vertebras in it’s neck – twice as many as humans. The females are slightly larger than the males, but the males have the deeper voice that calls a “hoot hoot hoo hoo hoo,” a three to six score cadence that can be heard for over a couple of miles. This species is simply unique and gorgeous.

Great Horned Owls have no known predators except potentially the Snowy Owl in the north ranges, and interestingly, they do not build their own nests. This owl will not hesitate to use abandoned nests of herons, osprey and Bald Eagles and will aggressively take over their nests; just as a pair did this year on the Island Golf Country Club property to a long-time Bald Eagle pair. Reports of this take-over were that the long-time resident Bald Eagle pair was chased away from their nest in the nesting season but then the Great Horned Owls never nested themselves. The eagles did not return to nest either. This attack was possibly a territorial dispute between two magnificent birds of prey at the top of the food web. This same scenario also happened the first year the young Bald Eagle pair settled at the Marco Island Eagle Sanctuary site. The owls never did nest themselves at the Eagle Sanctuary site and the Bald Eagle pair did come back and defend their nest site. They have since nested successfully for several successive years. Hopefully, this will happen on the golf course as well, and the owls can find a different nesting site they can settle into.

The eco-drama regarding Great Horned Owl nesting patterns has played out on Marco Island for years. The owls have produced young at several different locations here: Fieldstone Court, within Hideaway Beach, South Heathwood Drive and on the fringes of Barfield Bay.

The owls look for tall, dense trees and apparently abandoned nests. This year, there has not been a documented active nest on Marco Island, but there are nesting pairs with two owlets each nearby in GooEarly nesters, the Great Horned Owls, court and mate in early December and will have young by late January or early February – in the dead of winter. Both the male and female will incubate the one to five eggs, commonly hatching just two chicks. The chicks fledge (can fly) in six to eight weeks, but can will stay months, sometimes through October, in Florida, with their parents.

Here’s a tip: never get too close to a nest of Great Horned Owls – both adults will not hesitate to protect (i.e. this means “attack”) anything or anyone that gets too close to their nest or young. Get your long lenses out, photographers!

Being birds of prey – and nocturnal – they will perch on tall trees, structures or snags (dead standing trees) as the sun is setting and into the dusky night to watch and wait for prey. Prey is virtually anything – amphibian, fish, reptile, bird and mammal. They are the only animal that will eat a skunk! They swoop down silently, due to their fringed and intricate feathers, and are very efficient in picking up the target prey with their large feathered talons. By the way, the talons have the crushing power of up to 300 pounds per square inch! They eat their prey whole, then produce a pellet of fur and bones. Known to be a hunter of crows and their young, crows will travel for miles to congregate in large groups or “mobs” to harass the owls.

International Earth Day is April 22nd this year. Please remember, with all the bounty of wildlife on our beautiful island, Earth Day is every day on Marco Island. Give our wildlife respect and space so the populations are sustainable and so that we and future generations can continue to enjoy them.

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Florida, originally called “La Florida” or “flowery land” by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513, is home to an amazing and impressive array of wildflowers and butterflies. Florida is known for many unique characteristics such as having the longest contiguous coastline in the lower 50 states (1,197 miles), the only State to have two oceanic borders (Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean) and, of course, the famous Everglades. But it is the vast and diverse number of native plant and butterfly species that really are the most spectacular characteristics for year- round residents and visitors alike to simply enjoy.

There are seven major ecosystems recognized in Florida, with as many as 82 distinct natural plant and animal communities. The state’s very flat landscape has minor elevation changes throughout the peninsula and surprisingly, the water, or lack of water, determines the extreme changes to plant and animal species in a particular habitat. Examples on Marco Island include the mangrove habitat fringing Barfield Bay compared to the sandy, scrub habitat of the Estates area of the island. Diversity of species is also due to the geographic location of Florida, allowing temperate and semi-tropical climates for wildflower and butterfly species to thrive. And thrive they do; with approximately 2,800 native plant species and more than 180 butterfly species documented.

Living in Florida, the opportunity to invite beautiful butterflies in your yard is simple. Go native! How? Just plant native flowering plants, including nectar plants for adult butterflies and host plants for the larvae. Butterflies have four life stages: egg, larvae (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult (winged butterfly). By planting host plants for the larvae and adults, food is provided for the pupa to eat, grow, and create the chrysalis then morph to a butterfly. Providing the plants to host the adult butterfly enables the butterfly to stay in your yard for your pleasure. The official Florida state butterfly, the Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius) is found throughout the state and can live for several months. The adult will lay small yellow eggs on the young leaves and tendrils of the Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) and produce numerous generations each year. The City’s Calusa Park on Winterberry Drive has an established butterfly garden designed and maintained by the Beautification Advisory Committee. Purple Passionflower is planted there as a major larvae food source. The beautiful and tropical Coontie plant (Zamia pumila), used in Florida Friendly Landscape (FFL) designs such as the demonstration garden at City Hall (50 Bald Eagle Drive), is host to the endangered Atala (Eumaeus atala) butterfly. It also is drought tolerant and does not require any maintenance.

No need to re-landscape your entire yard; start with a small area or bed and plant four or five native flowering plants to attract butterflies and feed larvae, too. Your butterfly garden should have full sun as well as partial shade; plants that bloom at variable times; plants that have different heights, flower colors, shapes and sizes; and a water source should be nearby for adult butterflies (a bowl, fountain or small pond). These guidelines will attract a diversity of butterfly species providing you enjoyment as they flit and fly through the yard. A simple example list of native plant species for your Marco Island yard could be: Porter Weed, Milkweed, Purple Passionflower, Firebush, Coreopsis (state wildflower) or Wild Coffee. For more information about Florida native wildflowers and butterflies, visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wildflower.

Marco Island is one of the many jewels of “La Florida”. To celebrate this fact, this month the City of Marco Island’s Beautification Advisory Committee is promoting the beauty and extravagant flowers that bloom on our island with the “Marco In Bloom” contest. Entries are judged for the use of native or Florida Friendly Landscape (FFL) plants, water conservation, use of diverse species and flowering plant colors, visibility from the street and creative landscape design. The six award categories include residential properties that are professionally landscaped, residential properties landscaped by the homeowner, condominium, commercial, cul-de-sac and industrial. To enter your own property or nominate a property, entry forms can be found at Mackle Park (1361 Andalusia Drive) or at City Hall (50 Bald Eagle Drive) and also can be downloaded at www.cityofmarcoisland.com. For more information, please call Patty Mastronardi at Mackle Park at 239-389-5035. The entry deadline is March 20, 2013. Category winners will be announced April 1, 2013 at the City Council meeting.

Ponce de Leon got it perfectly correct when he named this beautiful state “La Florida”! Let’s go native and keep Marco Island blooming!

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Even birds on a wire were counted.

By Nancy Richie

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

The 113th Audubon Christmas Bird Count was held nationwide between December 14th, 2012 and January 5th, 2013. For over one hundred years, citizen scientists gear up with binoculars, a favorite bird guide and checklists, and brave the elements to count birds in their backyards and neighborhoods. Generations of families have participated; from avid birders to students to scientists to folks who just enjoy the outdoors. The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running wildlife consensus of bird populations in our country. Audubon and many other organizations use the counts to monitor and assess the health and of bird populations. The information and data collected has been found to be critical for population analysis and invaluable source for bird conservation.

Cormorant.

Marco Island had two participants this year: Karyn Allman, an avid birder and biologist for South Florida Water Management District, and Sally Stein, also an avid birder and the Director of Public Programs for Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Both have conducted this count on Marco Island for numerous years. The area they canvas, called the Christmas Bird Count “circle,” is the interior of Marco Island (not the beaches) to Goodland. They started at 7:00 AM on Friday, January 4th, 2013 ending that day at 3:00 PM. In those eight hours, they traveled two miles by foot and 51 miles by car to count birds within the Ten Thousand Islands Marco Island “circle.” It was the first time the weather was warm in many years!

Other volunteers counted along Tigertail Lagoon, the beaches and into the estuaries and river surrounding Marco Island in other designated “circles.” There are over 2,000 Christmas Bird Count “circles” organized throughout our nation, into South America and the Caribbean with over 60,000 volunteers participating to count bird numbers and species. The numbers of locations and volunteers is amazing. At its start in 1900, they had only 25 locations and 27 volunteers!

Brown Pelican. Photos by Natalie Strom

This year on Marco Island, Karyn and Sally documented 68 different species and 998 birds total in the eight-hour period. Starting at the Island Golf Course, traveling through many neighborhoods to Mackle Park, Lee Plummer Park, Indian Hill, Otter Mound to Key Marco and Goodland, the species and numbers were tallied throughout the day.

Duck species, such as Mallard, Mottled, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler and, of course, Muscovy, were seen paddling in the golf course and park lakes. Red-breasted Mergansers, Loons, Pied-billed Grebes, Gallinule and Coot were also spotted using the edges of our urban lakes.

On the wires along the streets, European Starling, Belted Kingfisher, Loggerhead Shrike, Crow (both American and Fish), Grackle (both Common and Boat-tailed), Dove (both Mourning and Eurasian) and American Kestrel were seen.

Egret.

In the tropical hardwood hammock of Otter Mound many species were flitting around the native trees and shrubs, such as, Ground Doves, Warblers (Yellow-Rumped, Yellow-throated, Prairie, Palm and Black-and-White), Eastern Phoebes, Great Crested Flycatchers, Gray Catbirds, White-eyed Vireos and more.

Commonly seen in residents’ yards were White Ibis, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and even a few Goldfinch.

Great Blue Heron, Great, Snowy, Little Blue, Tricolored and Reddish Herons were noted, with the most unusual sighting being the juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

The Island’s birds of prey did not go unnoticed either, with large numbers of Burrowing Owls, Red-Shouldered Hawks and a couple of Bald Eagles counted.

Flying overhead, Brown and White Pelicans, Double-Crested Cormorants, Anhingas, Magnificent Frigatebirds, and Vultures (both Black and Turkey) were tallied. Killdeer were seen in open, undeveloped lots with an occasional Laughing, Ring-billed or Herring Gull hanging around.

Cardinal. photo by Jean Hall

It was quite a diverse and productive bird count for Marco Island this year. If you are interested in participating in the next Christmas Bird Count here on Marco Island or in another region of the country, go to http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count. For more information on birds on our island and if you need a bird identified or have identified an unusual bird, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com. Thank you and enjoy the outdoors!

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Nancy Richie

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Burrowing Owl Chick. Photos by Jean Hall

It is common knowledge on Marco Island that Florida Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) are present, popular and so abundant that they are found in almost every neighborhood on the island. Not only do our residents enjoy these charismatic birds of prey, but people travel from all over the world to see them. Professional photographers charge top dollar to school the amateur how to photograph them in the “best light,” though any ol’ camera will do. One can’t go wrong when the subject has big yellow eyes, long downy legs and attitude that could take on a Bald Eagle (well, maybe)!

The Burrowing Owl nesting season each year, defined by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in the Florida Administrative Code 68A-9.002 and 68A-27.005, is February 16 through July 14. This is variable on Marco Island, one the most southern and semi-tropical ranges for the Florida Burrowing Owl. Due to warm weather and year-long mild temperatures, nesting season can be earlier and burrows used year long.

This year, with such warm winter temperatures, Burrowing Owl nesting and hatching may be the earliest recorded.

A few burrow locations are already showing signs of nesting characteristics, such as very protective owl behavior, well-dug burrow tunnels and “decoration” or “feathering” of the burrow opening and mound. “Decoration” or “feathering” is material brought by the mating pair of owls to the burrow, such as feathers, shredded vegetation and debris and even animal feces. It is done by both male and female birds, but predominantly done by the male to “court” the female and camouflage the nesting site from predators. Over the years, interesting “decoration” has been noted, from beautiful red hibiscus flowers, shredded coconut husks, Big Gulp straws, men’s underwear (yep!), pieces of carpet and insulation, mini alcohol bottles, dollar bills and even a Marlboro cigarette case. Proving the old adage, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and perhaps giving us a window into a particular neighborhood’s activities!

A clutch of Burrowing Owl chicks at the burrow.

The official nesting/hatching season commences in July with all chicks fledged (able to fly). The 2012 season final count was 89 burrow sites on the island with 60 pairs of adult owls producing approximately 209 chicks with an average of three chicks per pair. These numbers are above average in fecundity statistics reported in prior studies by biologists in Florida studies of this species. The typical fledgling survival rate is reported to be approximately one fledgling per clutch (A clutch can be one to seven owl chicks).

Last season on Marco Island, the Burrowing Owl population produced a “bumper crop” – more than any season since 2004. This may be due to an average rainy season after a few years of drought which provided increase of the food supply – insects, amphibians and small reptiles – for the chicks to eat, increasing survivability.

Since August, 22 new locations have been documented with new burrows. Eight of these new burrow locations already have a pair of adult owls, an indication that young will be produced. This is an approximate 24 percent increase in number of Burrowing Owl burrow locations on Marco Island. This percent increase may equate that the island Burrowing Owl population is sustainable as Marco Island continues to develop.

New volunteer and recently retired American Airlines flight attendant, Jean Hall, has taken an avid interest in the Marco Island Burrowing Owl population. She does weekly maintenance of about a dozen burrows – keeping overgrown grasses trimmed, maintains flagging tape, posts and signs and keeps sites clean of trash. She has also photographed each of the 111 burrow sites for documentation and reference for city data. Her magnificent photographs of Marco Island Burrowing Owls and their incredible behavior accompany this article.

If you want to enjoy the Marco Island Florida Burrow Owls up close, are interested in volunteering or have a burrow in your neighborhood that needs maintenance or posting, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist at 239-389-5003 or email at nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

The Florida Burrowing Owl is a Florida listed species of special concern and it, its burrow, eggs and flightless young are protected under Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) Chapters 68-9.002 and 68A-27-005, the Federal Migratory Bird Act and local City of Marco Island Protected Species Ordinance #01-34. For more information please go to http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/owls/burrowing-owl/ or contact Nancy Richie at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@comcast.net. Please give a hoot!

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Nancy Richie
NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Sightings of Razorbills in Florida. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Something is going on. Razorbills, an alcid bird or a web-footed, diving seabird, have been seen all over Florida by avid birders and beach goers. A few have been reported on Marco Island’s Tigertail Beach as well as in Caxambas Pass. Being a peninsula with one of the longest coastlines in the country, Florida has seabirds, so why is it so unusual to see the Razorbills? Historically, there have only been 14 documented sightings of this species in Florida. But since early December, there have been over 20 reports from Jacksonville to Marco Island of single and flocks of the Razorbills! This is a bird rarely seen south of North Carolina! So what is going on?

Experts surmise this “invasion” is food driven. There may be a shortage of food within the Razorbills’ core range that may have driven them further south to Florida. Their core range is typically over the Continental Shelf from the Atlantic Provinces of Canada south to the mid-Atlantic United States to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. A food shortage and weather conditions would drive the foraging seabirds to places south where conditions could be better.

The Razorbills forage and eat small crustaceans (krill) and small fish in the smelt family. They dive deep, gulping the krill and smelt. If the food is not there and oceanic conditions disturbed, feeding is impossible. There are reports, particularly last fall, that an unusually large Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomaly off the northeast coast, along the Continental Shelf, was approaching temperatures of 4 degrees Celsius above normal. This anomaly presumably had significant changes in types and distribution of fish and other food for the foraging seabirds. It could be an event that changes long range dispersals as NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Center states that sea surface temperatures for the first half of 2012 were the highest ever on record for the Northeast United States. Concurrently, the surface waters off Florida have been cooler than normal, so Atlantic Ocean surface water temperatures have been warm creating lack of food sources and the waters off Florida have been relatively more productive. In addition, there is a possibility that the disruption of Hurricane Sandy may have been the tipping point to drive the wayward Razorbills to Florida to seek food.

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida Wildlife Rehab Center has had about twenty birds brought in for care since early December from Marco Island north to Estero beaches; unfortunately all not surviving. The biologists report the birds are emaciated and exhausted. This is due to the long flight down and not enough food to sustain the long range dispersal from their normal range. The type of fish also may not be the same as the smelt they eat in their core range. Smelt tend to be oilier and may not be as nutritious to the Razorbills compared to the Gulf and southern Atlantic fare.

It is exciting to see the Razorbills in such unusual conditions and locals, but it is concerning that they are so far out of their home range. Avid birders may enjoy getting a bird on their “list” but reporting is important for population monitoring. So, if you see a Razorbill or other out of range alcids, report your sighting at www.ebird.org.

If a dead bird is found, please report http://legacy.myfwc.com/bird/default.asp. For more information on Razorbills or other shorebirds, please contact Nancy Richie, 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Nancy Richie 
NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com 

Did you attend the City’s Christmas Tree Lighting last weekend? Have you gone by Veterans’ Park to see this beautifully trimmed tree? If not yet, take a look and Merry Christmas! On our semi-tropical barrier island, there are predominantly three species of pine-like trees. None would make for a hearty Christmas tree, but all have a value in our community. So, put up your artificial tree or get one from a big tent; the pines on Marco Island are not your traditional Christmas trees.

Bald Eagles often make nests in Australian Pines.
PHOTOS BY JEAN HALL

Southern Slash Pine 

The Southern Slash Pine is a native tree in Florida and important ecologically, commercially and aesthetically. Growing from 80 to 115 feet and having five to eleven inch needles and a pine cone that can be five to eight inches, it is one of the two species of slash pine in the state of Florida. The larger species of the Slash Pine, (Pinus elliottii) is found north of the Everglades in the coastal plains of north and central Florida. The smaller species is the Southern Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii densa), and was historically tapped in Florida for the naval stores industry for the saps used to make turpentine and rosins. Not much of that is done now; it is, however, used for lumber and pulp – a dense wood – and when planted and harvested can produce two cords of wood per acre. These pines are found naturally in wet flatwoods and swamp lands and edges of ponds and lakes. It is called “slash,” as its habitat typically breaks up or “slashes” other habitats such as cypress swamps and wetlands and, in south Florida, typically has Saw Palmetto and Sabal Palm growing as understory and compatible species. It is considered a fire-dependent species, having thick fire-resistant bark. Other hardwoods will not survive a fire, while Slash Pine will not only survive but thrive. The Slash Pine uses periodic fires to keep the forest free of competitive trees and open for its own seedlings.

Island Country Club hosts a number of Slash Pines.

On Marco Island, this native pine is found in the more natural, undisturbed inland, “upland” areas that were not dredged and filled when creating a canal community. Slash Pines can be seen in and around the Island Country Club and its neighborhood area, near the YMCA and its neighborhood area, down San Marco Drive and Bald Eagle Drive and parts of Hideaway Beach. Throughout south Florida, the Southern Slash Pine is ecologically important as food sources for grey and fox squirrels as well as turkeys. On Marco Island, they are also important to cavity nesting birds, like Eastern Screech Owls and Red Cockaded Woodpeckers. Nesting birds, especially the American Bald Eagle, have found Southern Slash Pine stable homes for their large, heavy nests here on Marco Island and in Corkscrew Sanctuary in Naples. There is a long history of Bald Eagles using Slash Pines as nest trees on Marco Island near the YMCA and for years at the Island Golf Club on the golf course. A pair is nesting in one such pine there now.

Norfolk Island pine 

The Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) is not technically a pine, but an evergreen. It is a native of Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, east of Australia. Popular in tropical climates, it is a houseplant gone wild! Cute, whimsical, potted Norfolk Pines are frequently given as gifts at Christmas with bows and tiny ornaments adorning its symmetrical branches. Once out of the pot, it can grow up to 200 feet in South Florida, often towering over most houses and small condominiums. It is a hardy tree as it can grow in poor soils, wet or dry. It does not do well in strong winds, such as hurricanes. Typically the first tree to blow over or break in a storm, its tall trunk will snap, sometimes causing the top to act like a spear, slicing through roofs, lanais and block roadways. The broken top will grow back, most likely with many suckers; some trees on Marco Island have multi-trunk tops due to past storms. Being the tallest structure in most neighborhoods in Marco Island, American Osprey and Great Horned Owls have nested in these trees. Though great nesting trees, caution should be taken if this species is considered in a landscape. The height should be controlled as it grows and if an older tree has an unbalanced or multiple trunk top or the tree leans in any direction, removal should be considered for storm protection.

Bald Eagles often make nests in Australian Pines.
PHOTOS BY JEAN HALL

Australian Pine 

The third most common “pine” seen around Marco Island is one of the most controversial. Listed as one of the most invasive, exotic tree species of Florida, it is the Australian Pine (Casuarina sp.). Interestingly, it is called a pine, and, yes, it is a native species of Australia, but it is not a pine or conifer species. This tree is actually a flowering tree with separate male and female flowers; what looks like pine needles, are actually green “twiglets” made of tight circles of tiny leaves. The tree was brought to Florida to soak up the “swamp,” “hold” beaches, create wind breaks and perhaps planted for beauty and shade. A very prolific tree, it seeds quickly, with saplings growing five feet or more per year, impacting natural ecosystems by creating mono-cultures (single species in a habitat) due to the herbicide chemical it emits that kills all other plants that grow in its vicinity. The root systems are not deep, but shallow and spread out. In hurricanes they topple over easily wreaking havoc to neighborhoods in a storm’s path. Most native species of trees can sustain a storm event; they bend easily, have deep roots, or the ability to drop branches when needed. Not so for the exotic Australian Pine. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew felled most of the pines in the YMCA area, an area once known as “the pines” to long-time Marco Islanders. Roofs, lanais and yards had major damage. The few Australian Pines that were still standing in 2005 in this area were completely down after Hurricane Wilma blew by, taking a few roofs and lanais with them again.

These exotics were once thought to “hold” beaches, so many were planted then self-seeded in the coastal dunes. It was found that the shallow, spreading root systems aggravate erosion, especially in storm events and prevent sea turtles from digging for nesting in the dune area. The shade caused by them also changed the male to female ratio of sea turtle hatchlings. Beaches were shaded most of the day, keeping nests at cooler temperatures, causing longer incubation periods. Statically, more male sea turtle hatchlings are produced from each nest when this occurs. Temperature of a sea turtle nest, as with most reptiles, during incubation dictates the sex of the offspring. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection actively removes Australian Pines from dune and other ecologically important systems due to these scientific studies.

On Sanibel Island, after Hurricane Charlie so many trees, both natives and Australian Pines went down, the few standing pines that were subject to removal by the State, were saved, and protected by a residential group that formed and was named: Save the Pines (www.australianpines.org). They made the case that the trees that made it through the storm are used by diverse wildlife and provide the storm-devastated island with shade, tree canopy and character. As Sanibel recovered from the busy hurricane season, the standing Australian Pines were the building blocks for the landscape.

Norfolk Island Pine.

On Marco Island, there are about eleven acres of land, now known as the Marco Eagle Sanctuary Foundation (MESF, www.marcoeaglesanctuaryfoundation. com), that also hosts Australian Pines. The predominant species of trees in this area were also protected by a residential group that formed to ensure conservation of the nesting Bald Eagles on site.

Protecting the birds, in turn protects the trees. Since 2003, American Bald Eagles have built a huge nest in an Australian Pine on this site. Bald Eagles use the same nest tree and perch trees throughout their lives. The federal and state conservation and protection rules prohibit the removal of the nest tree and vital perch trees that are in the vicinity of the nest tree, for up to five years of active nesting. The Bald Eagle pair has been using the MESF site for nine consecutive years to produce an average of two fledglings per year.

So, as you travel around the island this time of year, you will see wonderful holiday trimmings, many traditional Christmas trees, but also a few other “pine” trees standing tall and strong, supporting the Island’s wildlife and beauty.

Nancy Richie 

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com 

One the largest and oldest known birds in our nation, named by a German naturalist in 1789, is the White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. It migrates from the north to winter in south Florida, particularly Sarasota to south of Marco Island, giving the moniker, “snow bird,” real meaning. Once hunted as sport, the White Pelican is protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918 and is listed as a species of special concern in the State of Florida and several other states.

This species of pelican, one of the two in the United States (the other is the smaller Brown Pelican, a year round resident of the Gulf of Mexico) breeds and lives in the northwest from Manitoba, Canada through Minnesota to northern California. Then, as the weather gets colder, migrates to the southern, coastal lowlands from Mexico to Florida, to feed and rest, much to our enjoyment.

With a heavy looking, all white body, a very large, creamsicle-orange bill with a “horn” during the breeding season, a body length of about five feet, a wing span of nine feet and weighing on average 17 pounds, the White Pelican is the most striking and largest bird one can see. Between December and March each year, the bird resides along the Gulf of Mexico coast of South Florida.

On Marco Island, rarely, a few may be seen in the Tigertail Lagoon or Sand Dollar Island. Last winter about a dozen were feeding and resting in the north area of the lagoon, near Hideaway Beach for just a couple weeks. More commonly, a large flock is seen in Morgan Bay, behind Kice Island, resting and sunning on a sand bar and mud flat that is exposed in the low tides. Another flock can be seen in the quiet, secluded Barfield Bay. These “snow birds” are timid and shy, seeking calm, shallow back waters, not open water. It is always startling and thrilling, when boating in the back waters, to come around a bend or mangrove island and suddenly see a flock of White Pelicans. They are shy birds and easily agitated and flushed by onlookers getting too close, so one should keep a respectful distance.

PHOTO BY JEAN HALL

Differences between the Brown and White Pelican species are obviously size, color, residency, but also fishing styles. Brown Pelicans dive and singularly hunt their fishy meals white Pelicans will hunt in groups, swimming in half circles, herding schools of fish towards the shoreline shallows or toward each other. Using their large bills, they easily scoop up fish, holding them in their large, expandable neck pouches to drain sea water and position the fish for swallowing whole. They are also known for stealing fish from other birds. So gulls, herons, cormorants and other pelicans beware!

Large but quiet, White Pelicans are not vocal, with a large flock not making much noise other than a grunt or two. They communicate by poking each other with their large bills as warning or alarm signals. For a sign of aggression, the head is kept upright while the large bill is opened and stretched. They are gregarious by nature, breeding and feeding in large groups with individuals shoulder to shoulder most of the time, so perhaps loud noises are not necessary.

As the “snow birds” from the north flock to our Island in the winter months, our streets, stores and restaurants get crowded, but we do have another “snow bird” that graces the natural beauty of Marco Island. While out boating in the back bays, you may have the opportunity to see a majestic flock of these “snow birds” or you make look up and see a great “V” of large flying white birds.

Monthly, different local groups and residents make the effort to organize and pick up trash on Marco Island’s beach. Weekly, we all make the effort to throw trash in the appropriate receptacle; the regular trash bin which goes to our overflowing county landfill or the recycling bin which keeps excess trash out of the landfill so that products can be repurposed and reused. Those are our choices at home and work. Daily, we pick up trash as we take walks in our neighborhoods, parks or on the beach. Trash; it is part of our life. We create it, dispose of it, pick it up and throw it away. Is it really out of sight and out of mind? Are we making the correct decisions?

Focusing on a more global look at the environment, not just what is on our island, it is apparent that our world is accumulating trash – toxic trash – at an alarming rate. The five major oceans of the earth have circular currents, or gyres, due to the earth’s rotation, causing clockwise currents and ever-changing weather conditions. These factors allow debris and trash to accumulate in flotillas or patches in the middle of the circulation of the gyres, much like soap bubbles and foam do in the middle of a Jacuzzi bath.

During the 2010 British Petroleum Deepwater (BP) Horizon Oil Spill, the Gulf of Mexico gyre was monitored closely – hourly – to predict where the oil plume would travel. Ultimately, the gyre was a large part of what kept oil from reaching the Marco Island beaches. This gyre accumulates debris, including the remains of that spill and will be monitored and studied for decades to come.

Alarmingly, in the Pacific Ocean, scientists have named an area of the North Pacific Gyre the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” due to the accumulation of debris and trash, specifically plastic. The North Pacific Gyre is formed by four specific Pacific Ocean currents: the North Pacific, the California, the North Equatorial and the Kuroshio currents. There are two areas of vast accumulation of debris: the eastern and the western patches. The eastern patch is between Hawaii and California; the western is off the coast of Japan. The eastern patch, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, has a high accumulation of manmade debris that cannot be seen by space, satellite, aerial photography, an airplane or by “Google Earth.” Most times, not even ships passing through the Garbage Patch can see it. Why? The accumulated, decomposing plastic is in the upper levels of the ocean’s water column, suspended just below the surface. The amount of plastic that has accumulated is significantly higher than average than the rest of the ocean.

There is argument about how big the Garbage Patch really is: the size of the Hawaiian Islands; of Maine; of Texas; or is it really twice the size of the United States? It is difficult to measure due to the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and the location of the patch of trash, as the edges of the gyre change with currents, weather, or the earth’s rotation. The depth of the decomposing plastic is unknown since comparison of toxic components to what should be clean ocean elements is, to date, impossible to measure scientifically. A study of the eastern gyre area by Scripps Institution of Oceanography / Project Kaisei SEAPLEX, in 2009, did find plastic marine debris of large pieces, but the area was largely made up of smaller items that increase in concentration toward the gyre center, with confetti- sized pieces clearly visible just beneath the ocean’s surface. There is agreement within the scientific community and conservationists alike, that it is out there and growing, affecting the health of the ocean and the health and documented demise of wildlife (Now, up to 267 species have been impacted, most of which don’t even live on or near the gyre). It ultimately affects the health of us, mankind.

From samples taken, the plastic marine debris found ranges in size from fishing nets, parts of containers, buoys, nylon line, toys and down to micro-pellets used in abrasive cleaners. Plastic photodegrades; it does not decompose like wood, paper or even metal-type marine debris. As it photodegrades, it disintegrates into ever smaller pieces while still remaining a polymer (manmade product). It will disintegrate to a molecular level, being ingested by marine organisms. As it becomes very small (confetti-like), marine animals ingest these plastic pieces, even feeding it to their young and thus, this plastic toxic trash has entered the food chain. To add to this dismal scenario, plastics that have photodegraded, leach chemicals such as PCB, derivatives of polystyrene and bisphenol A – all toxic to animals and humans.

This may all seem far away from our island paradise, but it is a global issue we all need to be conscious of: the use and disposal of plastic products. In the monthly, weekly and daily trash we encounter, how much of it is plastic? Do you think it never reaches our canals, rivers or beaches, ultimately ending up in the Gulf of Mexico? From surveys taken during the local monthly beach clean ups, more than 80% of all trash collected on the beach is a type of plastic – straws, cup lids, Styrofoam cups, water and soda bottles, bottle caps, wrappers from snack food, fishing line, plastic toys, sandals and flip flops; the list goes on and on. This is the trash – the toxic trash – which ultimately ends up in our local waters. Short term convenience of plastic containers is resulting in long term pollution that affects us all. Let’s all make a difference locally; manmade trash does not belong in our oceans and waterways. Remember to:

• Buy products with the least amount of plastic packaging
• Enjoy tap water out of a reusable container; don’t buy bottled water in plastic containers
• Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose
• Buy products made from recycled materials
• Take reusable bags to the grocery store rather than taking multiple plastic bags
• Pick up trash and dispose properly when you see it
• Support local commercial fisheries, farms and businesses (less packaging, shipping, etc)
• Tell businesses to change their practices – ask them to not use plastic products and to recycle

For more information on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the ongoing studies, check out www.marinedebris.noaa.gov/ info/patch.html 

Nancy Richie 

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Long and leggy Snowy Egrets appear to dance. PHOTOS BY JEAN HALL

One of several larger shorebirds that are spectacular to watch while walking the beach, especially along the Tigertail Lagoon and Sand Dollar beach peninsula area, is the Snowy Egret (Egretta thula). Just saying the name can cool one off on a hot Florida day at the beach.

When walking the beach, one notices that there are several large white birds with long legs in the tidal zone and lagoon area. The Snowy Egret is easily identifiable by its bright yellow feet. Perhaps they are yellow galoshes?

Not the largest of the long-legged shorebirds, the Snowy Egret is typically around two feet tall, with a wing span of three feet. Its black beak and legs contrast with the bright yellow rings around their eyes and the bright yellow feet. They are year round residents of the beach, lagoons, marshes and wetlands. Eating small crustaceans, such as crab, shrimp and small fish, they swish the mud and sand with those bright yellow feet, hover over the area stirred up and then swoop down with their long necks, grabbing the prey with their long pointy beaks. It is like a well orchestrated dance pleasing to watch, especially if there are a few hunting together in the shallows of Tigertail Lagoon.

When courtship and breeding begins in March or April, adults will show red coloring of the lores (featherless skin around the eyes) and on their feet. The feathers on their heads, back and tails become lacy, like a ballerina’s skirt ready for opening night. Breeding pairs build platform type nests no higher than 20 feet within the branches of mangroves or coastal shrubs, such as coco plum. Around Marco Island, they nest within the ABC Islands, the inside of Kice Island and, of course throughout the 10,000 Islands. The male will gather sticks and twigs and the female will construct the nest. Both take turns incubating the approximately three or four oblong, greenish eggs for about four weeks. When the chicks hatch, they are fed by both parents by regurgitation. As they grow, they will hop around on branches near their nest and eventually fly on their own at about twenty-five days old, leaving the nest area completely at two months.

Once on the brink of extinction, due to plume hunting in the late 1800s, the population is stable due to the federal protection of the Migratory Bird Act. Florida also recognizes the importance of this bird species, listing it as a species of special concern. These protections prohibit hunting, taking of feathers, eggs or chicks, or harassing the bird.

To help the Snowy Egret survive and thrive, please give it space on the beach when you see it; don’t chase or get too close, enjoy its beauty and behavior naturally. Remove all trash when you leave the beach, especially plastics, nets and fishing line debris. Don’t recreate close to bird rookeries such as mangrove islands. Quietly motor by giving the rookery plenty of room to lessen disturbance.

Get out, take a beach walk, if you see a Snowy Egret, take a moment and enjoy its beauty and behavior as it adds to the paradise we call Marco Island.

For any additional information or if interested in volunteering, please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com 

Nancy Richie

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

This adult male Osprey watches over his nest from the Jolley Bridge. PHOTOS BY JEAN HALL

Who hasn’t noticed when crossing the Jolley Bridge leaving the island, the lone American Osprey sitting on the hand rail, the light pole or sign, usually looking to the south, and sometimes, it seems, looking right into your eyes through the windshield? This American Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) has been observed on our bridge for years. My daughters as young girls, then driving to high school on their own, have always noticed it in the mornings, admiring its tenacity perched on the sign as cars zoom by ruffling its feathers and enjoying one of our unique vistas as a Marco Island resident.

Even during the construction of the new span of the Jolley Bridge, this osprey would perch on poles and equipment stored on the bridge. I wondered if all the construction would be the last of this osprey’s time on the bridge. But, no, it is our steady sentinel day after day, year after year! It has the best view on and of the island, no doubt! Its nest is just below the bridge, on a navigational channel marker in the Marco River. This osprey is just overseeing its territory, its family and nest.

Ospreys are residents in Florida year-round. Not suffering from the serious pesticide-related population declines in other states that occurred in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Florida population is large and healthy. They share the same habitat as the Florida Bald Eagle population, being fish eaters and nesting near water bodies. They are expert anglers that can hover above water (the Gulf of Mexico, rivers, lakes, canals), using their excellent eyesight, locate their prey, which is typically hardhead catfish, mullet, and spotted trout, then swoop down for the capture with talons extended. To help them hang on to fish, their toes are covered on the underside with short spines. It is amazing to watch them hunt and the capture!

Often identified incorrectly and compared to a Bald Eagle, American Ospreys are smaller and have a distinctive dark brown line that extends behind the eye to the back of the head. When a Bald Eagle is in flight, the wing span is straight across; in comparison, ospreys’ narrow wings are angled down while in flight.

In and around Marco Island, osprey nests, very large stick structures, can be seen on land and over water. On many of the navigational markers in the Marco River, Capri Pass, Caxambas Pass, and the Intracoastal Waterway to Naples, the large nests almost cover the marker’s numbers. During the nesting season, January to April, it is fun to see the adults catching fish and feeding their young in the nest. Like other birds of prey, osprey mates will stay together and will nest in the same location year after year, if possible. The female will lay up to three buff-colored eggs, and solely incubate them until hatching. Both adults will feed and care for the hatchlings until the young are fledged (can fly and hunt on their own). Our sentinel we see on the bridge is an adult male, watching over his female and chicks.

Though they have adapted well, not just manmade structures attract them, but dead standing trees are nest attractors also. A great place to see this is along the coast of Kice Island. At Tigertail Beach Park, an osprey platform was erected which has had an active nest for a few seasons now – an easy way to see ospreys and their young in action. The platform in Mackle Park, erected by a Boy Scout as an Eagle Scout project, has yet to have a nest built on it, but the ospreys do occasionally feed and rest on the platform that is located at the southeast corner of Mackle Park Lake. The large antenna structure above the Marco Island Police and Fire Department building has had a nest producing at least two young each season for many years.

State Road 92 (the Goodland route off Marco Island) has installed large discs for osprey nesting. LCEC has also long promoted the installment of artificial nesting platforms for the purpose of moving the birds away from their power poles and lines. Since power poles are usually the highest structure in urban areas, ospreys frequently build atop the dangerous poles and wires. Mortality to ospreys from power lines occurs and also causes power outages and other maintenance issues, so over the years, creating a compatible platform away from power lines has lessened osprey deaths due to flight into the wires. It is a win-win situation for maintenance and power outages.

The osprey is a protected species under federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC 703-712) and listed as a “species of special concern” by the state of Florida (Rule 68A-4.001, Florida Adminstrative Code). A permit is necessary from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to take or possess an osprey, it’s young, egg or nest(s) for justifiable purposes. For more information on the American Osprey, or if interested in creating an osprey platform, please contact Nancy Richie, City of Marco Island Environmental Specialist, at 239-389- 5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com or go to www.myfwc.com.

Next time you leave the island, look for our sentinel on the Jolley Bridge! He will be there watching!

Nancy Richie

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Florida Panther.

If you are fortunate to see an elusive Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryii), the first thing you will remember and describe is the long, long, large tail! Many people may think they have spotted a Panther, but it is a probability that a Bobcat (Felis rufus) was the big cat that ran by, especially if it is in an urban area.

There is no doubt there are panthers on Marco Island, patrolling through quiet neighborhoods and the mangrove fringes of Key Marco and Barfield Bay. There have been well-documented sightings and reports. One summer, a paw print on South Beach that was over 4 inches in width was definitely not a feral cat! It was the same summer that deer hoof prints were noted on Sand Dollar Island. It was not hard to imagine a Panther tracking deer, its favorite prey, along the barrier islands of our coast.

Florida Panthers are big. Big-boned, big tail, big head. They are golden brown, except for the first year of life. The coat is spotted for camouflage in the kitten den. They can weigh up to 60 to 150 pounds and can be 7 feet from nose to tail tip. They are quiet, shy and nocturnal. Sometimes, it’s only the tracks that are left that prove a panther has been around. The paw prints, or tracks, are typically 3- 4 inches in width with four toes and no claw imprints. Even the young, juvenile Panther’s paw print is larger than an adult Bobcat.

This photo of a Bobcat was taken by Dennis Andel at Lely Resort.

The most common sighting, though, are Bobcats. They are not nearly as large as a Panther; typically weighing up to 35 or 40 pounds. They are not heavy-boned and their tail is short and can be tucked along its rump and body. They are abundant here in southwest Florida, as well as throughout North America and have adapted to both rural and urban settings. They are not friendly or approachable, but not as shy or elusive as a panther. One Marco Island resident has a family of Bobcats that regularly rest in his yard under his hammock! They also are not nocturnal – they sleep only two to three hours at a time and can be out and about any time of the day hunting small mammals and birds. Bobcats have “mottled” spots – a beautiful coat of fur. It may be easily mistaken as a young Panther by some, but young Panthers lose their spots the first year of life and will be already 50-60 pounds. A young Panther’s spots are also more defined than the small, speckled or “mottled” spots of the Bobcat.

So what did you really see? A Florida Panther or a Bobcat? It’s the tail and size that give it away! For more information, go to www.floridapanther.org

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Nancy Richie

NRichie@cityofmarcoisland.com

Located on the edge of the Everglades and surrounded by Rookery Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands’ unique mangrove and estuarine environment, Marco Island’s subtropical climate and diverse habitat allows many wildlife species encounters. In abundance and not found in many places, wildlife such as, Bottled-nosed Dolphins, West Indian Manatees, Loggerhead, Green, and Kemp-Ridley Sea Turtles, many species of shore and water birds, Bald Eagles, American Osprey, Burrowing Owls, Gopher Tortoises, Bobcats and even Panthers.

Not a day goes by as an area resident that one does not encounter wildlife. Going to the beach, boating, golfing, and even doing errands around town, one will see wildlife in action. These experiences enhance our wonderful life on the Island, but please remember wildlife needs to be respected and viewed at a distance.

Bald Eagles

There has been a long history of nesting Bald Eagles on Marco Island. Currently there are two active nesting locations of Bald Eagles. There is one nest at the Island Country Club Golf Course and one nest at the Marco Island Eagle Sanctuary (MIES) property at 665 Tigertail Court, formerly known as “Tract K”. They are very large nests built of sticks and debris in pine trees – Slash Pine on the golf course; Australian Pine at the MIES site. This time of year, eagle chicks, or eaglets, are seen perching on the edge of the large nests contemplating flying. Federally and state protected, Bald Eagles, their young, nest and habitat are protected and require a 330 foot zone of protection around the active nesting tree. There is no trespassing at each site; the use of scopes and binoculars is required to respect the Bald Eagles when viewing. The MIES has benches and an informative sign about the Bald Eagle.

Opportunity for a good shot is common but do not disturb your subjects.

American Osprey

Osprey are very large raptors with white heads and underbodies, large birds of prey but smaller than Bald Eagles. They are commonly seen soaring in the Marco Island skies and nesting in the tallest trees or structures available – such as the Marco Island Police and Fire Department antenna. Once identified, their high pitched cries are unmistakable. Many pairs of osprey use navigational markers in waterways as nesting platforms, but there are several sites with artificial stand with nests and feeding sites for osprey at Tigertail Beach Park, Mackle Park and State Road 92. Chicks are hatched and seen in the nests being fed by the parent osprey. Give the nest sites at least a 20 foot buffer. Use binoculars for viewing the feeding and chick activity.

Burrowing Owls 

One of the most charming and abundant species, the Florida Burrowing Owl, can be found throughout Marco Island on 86 sites this season. Listed as a state “species of special concern”, for conservation and public awareness, burrow locations are posted with stakes, orange flagging and signage maintained by City staff and volunteers. Burrowing Owls dig their own burrows, ranging from three to nine feet on Marco Island. A site could have one to five or six burrows for one pair of owls. It is not uncommon to see the owls sitting on the posts of perches near their burrows. This time of year (February- July), is nesting season. The male owl will be seen around the clock at the burrow opening acting as “sentinel” for the nesting female in the burrow. During the months of April through July, chicks can be easily observed. Though so easy to see, it is important to respect the boundaries of the posted burrows. Vehicles should be parked at minimum, 20 feet from posted area. If viewing in a large group, do not surround the posted area; keep to one side and approach slowly and quietly.

Gopher Tortoises 

This burrowing land tortoise (not turtle) is found in the upland, sandy areas of Marco Island, predominantly in the “estates” area (Inlet, Olds, Watson, Ludlow, Caxambas) and the Hideaway Beach neighborhood, but also in the Sheffield/Dogwood/Hawaii Barfield Bay area, Spinnaker Drive, and occasionally in the dunes of the beach. Free-ranging in these areas, vehicles should be cautious on the roadways. Gopher Tortoises live in extensive burrows they dig in the sandy soil, and need open sunny areas for nesting and basking. Signs along the roadways are posted on properties with burrows on site. Keep your eyes open for these tortoises cruising through the grasses or grazing on vegetation. As a state listed “threatened” species, do not touch, pick up or move the animals. If there is one crossing or in the roadway; stop and wait for it to cross, always keeping at least a 20 foot distance from the animal and burrow area.

Manatees and Dolphins 

With over a hundred miles of waterway canals, four large bays, the Marco River, and the Gulf of Mexico surrounding Marco Island, West Indian Manatees and Bottlenose Dolphins are regularly seen in the waters. Look for fins and flukes of swimming and feeding dolphins; a large “bump” or “footprint” (smooth water) from feeding and surfacing manatees. Manatees will surface and sun themselves on the surface of canal waters for hours in the cooler winter months. A popular location to see a manatee is in the Scott Drive canal. If boating when these marine mammals are encountered, for safety and respect, please keep the vessel at idle speed / no wake and stay at least 50 feet from the animal. Dolphins tend to approach a boat wake and “play” which is a wonderful experience; but never chase or surround swimming marine mammals – give them space, it will make the viewing more enjoyable and keep the animals safe.

Sea Turtles 

During the months of May through October, the seven plus miles of Marco Island beaches are habitat for Loggerhead Sea Turtle nesting and hatching. Nests are marked with posts, yellow flagging and signage. Please respect the incubating eggs and keep at least 20 feet from the nest site when enjoying the beach. Sea turtles are rarely seen on the beach, as only the female sea turtle will ever leave the Gulf and only to deposit her eggs, returning again to sea. Offshore, a large head, sometimes mistaken for a crab trap buoy or coconut, may be a Loggerhead Sea Turtle surfacing for a breath of air. Boaters should keep a distance. Green and Kemps-Ridley Sea Turtles are often seen swimming in the nearshore waters. If a resident of or staying on the beachfront, help prevent sea turtle disorientations by turning out or shading lights that could shine on the beach by 9 PM each night, between May 01 through October 31 of each year for the sea turtle nesting season. Also, for conservation measures, no fires, flashlights, or flash photography are allowed on the Marco Island beaches after 9 PM. Do your part, and keep our beaches dark!

Shorebirds 

Tigertail Beach Park located in the northwest corner of Marco Island is the gateway to the Sand Dollar Island / Big Marco Pass Critical Wildlife Area and also part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. This approximately 3-mile spit of land attached to Marco Island at the north end of the beach and buffered by the Tigertail Lagoon, is a federally protected habitat due to the many different species of shorebirds that live year round, migrate through in the winter months and the species that nest in the spring and summer months. Vitally important to worldwide bird populations, there are over 60 species of birds documented that depend on this habitat. Birds are easily seen. Respecting the posted areas, take a walk to the shoreline but do not enter posted areas. In the next few months, Least Terns, Wilson Plovers and Black Skimmers will be nesting. A camera, scope and binoculars are essential for the best viewing. Shorebird Stewards, volunteers for public outreach, are on the beaches to answer any questions and to assist in viewing the beautiful birds and chicks.

Bobcats and Panthers 

Southwest Florida is home to both Bobcats and Panthers with Marco Island within their ranges. Both of these shy, wild cats have been seen on the Island, but sightings typically occur in the very early morning hours and are rare events. Bobcats are smaller, not nocturnal and more commonly seen, especially in the Barfield Bay area of the Island. If you are fortunate to see either, please watch, enjoy and retreat. It will happen fast!

This land allows a close shot from a safe distance.

HOW CAN YOU HELP WILDLIFE? 

Please respect all posted rules for safe distances while viewing. Getting close enough to an animal to make it react, become aggressive or leave the area, is too close! Please back away immediately. Wildlife is best enjoyed when quietly observing their natural behavior; not disturbing or distressing the animal. Please do NOT feed wildlife. 

If wildlife is found dead, injured or being harassed, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Wildlife 24-hour hotline number: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC).

For any additional information please contact Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist, City of Marco Island at 239- 389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland. com