Coastal Breeze News

PROTECTING & PRESERVING  Nancy Richie  [email protected]  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. Southern Slash Pine  The Southern Slash Pine is a native tree ... Read More »

City of Marco Island  Marco Island has six miles of spectacular beaches, including a three-and-a-half mile crescent beach. From Tigertail Beach with its abundance of native flora and fauna, to South Beach, where a variety of beach experiences and activities are available, Marco Island offers a unique and fantastic beach experience to all of its visitors and residents. Tigertail Beach  Tigertail Beach, part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, is operated by the Collier County Parks and Recreation Department and hosts 60 species of migrating and resident coastal birds. The widest beach in Collier County opens up south of Tigertail ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING  Nancy Richie  [email protected]  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 ... Read More »

Submitted The City of Marco Island Beach Advisory Committee hosted a Beach Clean-Up on Sunday, November 18, at South Beach. Over thirty participants collected garbage. Publix provided the water, bags and gloves for the clean-up; MICA provided the vehicle to haul trash, supplies and participants if necessary and also disposed of all trash collected. Two large pieces of lumber were removed from beach between the two jetties at Cape Marco and over forty bags of trash were removed from the beach. Participants reported an abundance of cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps, but much fewer straws than usual. Thank you ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie  [email protected] 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. ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING  Nancy Richie  [email protected] 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 ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] Sandhill Cranes (Grus Canadensis pratensis), one the most common cranes in the world, is not commonly found in our area of southern Florida. Being dependent on freshwater marshes as habitat, the coastal, brackish and saltwater wetlands are not suited for this bird species. On occasion there will be sightings of Sandhill Cranes on a golf course or open park area in Collier County, but that is rare. So common that it is worldwide, it is rare down here, especially on Marco Island. Driving northwest to Lake Okeechobee and further up the middle of the state, ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff There are five species of sea turtles that nest on Florida’s beaches. The most common is the loggerhead. The green turtle and leatherback are also found frequenting beaches throughout the state. The Kemp’s ridley and hawksbill sea turtles nest in Florida but not very often. All five species are listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Sea turtles are considered to be a keystone species within their ecosystems. The extinction of any one of the many sea turtle species would affect many other organisms within both beach systems and marine systems. ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff    As more and more sea turtle nests are hatching along Marco’s beaches, it is important to consider ways to safeguard the threatened species. One of the best ways to make a personal impact is by properly disposing of your garbage – whether on the beach or not. It is estimated that Americans use 380 billion plastic bags every year. Considering that only two percent of these bags are recycled and the other 98 percent will take 1,000 years to biodegrade, it is no surprise that sea turtles and other marine creatures are beginning to ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] 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 ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] 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 ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] 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, ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING  Nancy Richie  [email protected] The City of Marco Island is part of the Florida Shorebird Alliance, a partnership that includes Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), City of Naples, Collier County Government and Sheriff’s Office, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR), Sea Grant, the Conservancy of SW FL, Inc., Friends of Tigertail and Collier Audubon Society. The goal of this Alliance is to support those entities involved with volunteer management, materials and information to improve public outreach and education, while monitoring and protecting resting and nesting shorebird populations. Due to smaller staffs and budgets in all entities, ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff The City of Marco Island is hosting a photo contest in honor of Earth Day 2012. The contest opens Wednesday, February 1st and runs through April 6th. The theme of the contest is Southwest Florida Native Flora and Fauna. The contest is open to any amateur photographer, 14 years or older, who resides in Collier County full or part-time. Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist for the City of Marco Island commented, “We live in such a beautiful and diverse area, why not celebrate it through photography? The Southwest Florida and Everglades’ environments with all of the ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] On Wednesday, January 4th, 2012, volunteers ranging from professional scientists to amateur birders canvassed Collier County for an approximate twelve hour period counting species and numbers of all birds observed. This is the 112th year for this national bird count, having occurred between December 14th through January 5th each year since 1900. It is the longest running wildlife census in our country. Using dedicated experts and “citizen scientists” who help assess the health of bird populations has given Audubon and other organizations data to help guide conservation actions. Some families have made this a tradition ... Read More »

By Dennis Giardina  Courtesy of The Friends of the Fakacatchee  My intention was to write an update about the restoration of the cigar orchid, Cyrtopodium punctatum in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. This has been a collaborative effort between the park and Atlanta Botanical Garden that has been generously supported by the Friends of Fakahatchee. Over the past few years we have made real progress in terms of the conservation of this species, but there’s something bothering me and that’s what I really feel like writing about. Before I do; a little background. Cigar orchids are the biggest and ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom  [email protected]  The state of Florida, Collier County Parks and Recreation and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserve have teamed together to create a new park in Collier County. The Isles of Capri Paddle Craft Park, located on the corner of US-951 and Isles of Capri Boulevard is slated to open by March of this year. With only the finishing touches left, the park will have much to offer both Collier County residents and visitors. The park, which sits at the entrance to the Isles of Capri, will feature two open-air pavilions and public restrooms. Its greater purpose, however, ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff  The 8th Annual Southwest Florida Nature Festival will take place January 13th to the 15th. The event, hosted by Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Center will feature numerous events, expeditions and speakers that will hi-light the unique ecosystem that is Southwest Florida. Beginning on Friday and running through Sunday, the center will host field trips at 20 different locations. Some of these trips include birding walks, turtle walks, canoe and kayak excursions, swamp buggy tours and more. These field trips take place all over Collier County and a few are even in Lee County. Some ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] The Skunk Ape Research Center in Ochopee, Florida has added a fascinating new piece to its collection of weird and wild. Stop at the research center and camp ground on US-41 to see and feel the skin of a 20-foot reticulated python. According to David Shealy, owner of the Skunk Ape Exhibit, the reticulated python “was found on US-41 and Burns Road, which is located in the Big Cypress Reserve, about two-and-a-half miles from our shop here. The snake was found by a hunter on the side of the road and it was assumed the snake ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] Marco Island is currently experiencing a red tide event caused by a harmful algae bloom (HAB) of the algae species, Karenia brevis. Karenia brevis is a microscopic algae species that naturally occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Atlantic Ocean waters. The “bloom”, or a higher than normal amount or concentration of this algae in the water, creates decreased dissolved oxygen in the water, immediately causing fish to die and wash ashore onto the beaches and float in the bays and canals. The higher than normal concentrations of Karenia brevis in the water ... Read More »