Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring is making tracks on the beach.
The team began surveying the beaches April 15 to monitor for sea turtle nesting activity.
The Florida nesting season officially begins May 1 and continues through Oct. 31. However, Kristen Mazzarella, AMITW executive director, says, “Turtles don’t follow our calendar and are usually nesting here prior to May 1.”
Several sea turtle species swim and feed around AMI. The most common to nest on the island is the loggerhead. The females usually crawl onshore at night to create a nest and deposit eggs, about 100 per nest.
AMITW documents the nesting activity, surveying the beaches at sunrise for sea turtle tracks.
“The team is approximately the same this year as last year. Around 30 turtle patrollers,” Mazzarella says.
Some with AMITW already have been on the beaches this spring, scrutinizing the habitat for sea turtles six months after hurricanes Helene and Milton caused widespread devastation on AMI.
“For the most part, the beach is still pretty wide,” Mazzarella says. “Many rock revetments have come uncovered.”
The director said Manatee County has built the start of dunes in the Coquina Beach area and some new dune-building plants have been placed on the beaches.
Still, Mazzarella says, “The biggest concern we have is the loss of the dunes and the large dune plants and trees which created the dark background and blocked a lot of the artificial light that could be seen from the beach and created a barrier between the beach and the road.
“Without dunes and dune plants, more lights that had previously not been a problem will now be seen from the beach,” she continued.
Artificial light can disorient nesting sea turtles and hatchlings and, without barriers like dunes, more turtles might crawl into roads.
In 2024, a loggerhead sea turtle became disoriented after nesting and crawled onto Gulf Drive South in Bradenton Beach, where it was struck and killed by a vehicle.
“Our biggest concern for sea turtles this summer — now, more than ever — is lighting,” Mazzarella says. “We want to be proactive so we don’t have any tragedies like we did last summer from turtles wandering into the road toward artificial light. People can use turtle-friendly bulbs and shields, block the lights or shut them off. Especially if they can be seen from the beach.”
Turtle watch also has been on the shore looking for nesting shorebirds, including terns, plovers and skimmers.
This time of year and continuing through the summer, many shorebird and seabird species nest directly on beaches, camouflaging their eggs in the sand.
“We continue to keep an eye out,” Mazzarella says of shorebird monitoring. “We have spotted some least terns on Longboat Key, so we know they are in the area.”
Save the dates
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring will usher in the 2025 nesting season on Wednesday, May 1, with the inaugural Sea Turtle Nesting Season Kickoff Party at Coquina Beach Lifeguard Tower #9 in Bradenton Beach.
On AMI, May 1 is Suzi Fox Day in honor of the late Suzi Fox, longtime leader of the turtle watch program.
From 3-6 p.m., AMITW will distribute outreach materials and turtle-friendly bulbs, as well as conduct games and activities for kids.
Singer-songwriter Mike Sales will perform.
In addition, through the season, beginning in May, turtle watch will hold weekly Sea Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts talks at 10 a.m. Mondays at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
For more information about Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and nesting season, go online to islandturtlewatch.com or call 941-301-8434.