Check your watch. It’s turtle time.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring will hold its weekly Tuesday Turtle Talks at 11 a.m. beginning in June at the Annie Silver Community Center, 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach.
The talks will cover the lifecycle of turtles, what beachgoers can do to help and offer turtle artifacts to view. The talks will last about 45 minutes and run through July.
“This meet up is great for kids of all ages and grownups. It is a great family affair to learn to live on Anna Maria Island like a native,” said Suzi Fox, AMITW executive director.
Reservations are not required and the talks are free.
Excavation tours will begin after nests begin to hatch-out — projected to be in late July. The tours likely will be held at nests near Manatee Public Beach or Coquina Beach.
The excavation tours will be posted to the AMITW’s Facebook page — IslandTurtleWatch — several days in advance of each tour.
Sea turtle walks on Longboat key
Mote Marine Laboratory will hold educational Turtle Walks on Saturdays in June and July.
The weekly walks are free and begin at 6:45 a.m., with walkers meeting at a beach access parking lot at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key.
Mote-trained volunteers with the Longboat Key Turtle Watch will show participants evidence of turtle nests or of false crawls — when females come ashore without nesting. They also will describe how scientists and volunteers interpret and document sea turtle happenings.
Participants also will learn how beachgoers, coastal residents and visitors can keep beaches safe and inviting for sea turtles.
Reservations are not required. All ages are welcome, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
— Jennifer Glenfield