Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring documented four sea turtle hatch disorientations early Aug. 13 from the 200 block of Gulf Drive North and the 1200 block of Gulf Drive South in Bradenton Beach.
As a result of those overnight disorientations, AMITW said 55 dead hatchlings, run over by vehicles, were collected from Gulf Drive.
A live hatchling also was recovered, found by a woman on the mini golf course at the Fish Hole, 115 Bridge St.
“That hatchling is likely from one of the disorientations that day; whether it crawled all the way down the road or was picked up by a bird and dropped there, we do not know,” AMITW executive director Kristen Mazzarella said.
AMITW provides documentation of disorientations to island code enforcement departments, which deal with applying sea turtle protection ordinances that prohibit artificial light that can interfere with nesting activity May 1-Oct. 31.
“There are little to no streetlights in most of that area,” Mazzarella said of the Gulf Drive stretch. “The cause was multiple lights from businesses, homes and condos — both interior and exterior.”
There were four other hatches that disoriented Aug. 12-13.
AMITW deems shorebird season successful
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring reported a successful shorebird nesting season despite challenges from predators that impacted two threatened bird species.
The shorebird season in Bradenton Beach began in May with the possibility of a banner year, according to AMITW. More than 120 black skimmers and 80 least terns were observed on a high number of nests on a section of beach in the north part of the city.
However, avian and mammalian predators hit both colonies.
The least tern colony that remained included 39 adult birds tending 18 nests. The colony produced 17 chicks, 11 of which survived to become flight-capable — a 65% fledging rate.
Six of the chicks were fitted with colored identification bands so birders who spot a banded tern can report its location, helping scientists track the bird’s movements and learn more about the species’ migration and survival.
All 11 surviving chicks became flight-capable and joined migrating flocks on their journey toward the Caribbean.
Least terns are designated as a threatened species in Florida and are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Their nesting in Bradenton Beach highlights the importance of protecting suitable nesting habitat and giving these vulnerable birds the space they need to raise their young, according to AMITW.
Turtle talks with AMITW
AMITW’s Turtle Tracks & Shorebird Facts is a free weekly presentation at 10 a.m. Mondays at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
The talks will end in late August.
For more information, visit islandturtlewatch.com or call 941-301-8434.
By the numbers: Sea turtles
As of Aug. 14, AMITW reported 457 nests, 569 false crawls, 20 adult disorientations, 54 hatchling disorientation incidents, 8,722 hatchlings.