Month: July 2020

For loyal followers of our blog, you may be delighted to learn that the first leatherback sea turtle nest ever on Captiva has hatched!

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation has been keeping us up to date on this very rare occurence.

SCCF Volunteer Permittee Kerry Salatino saw that the leatherback nest had hatched recently and was able to photograph two hatchlings that were still making their way the sea.   » Read more

2019 Contest First Place Winner: Kent Jager – White-eyed Vireo

The popular “Ding” Darling Day Amateur Nature Photography Contest is back!

The submission deadline for this year’s contest is Sept. 15, 2020.  All entries must be submitted electronically.  Cash award prizes in honor of the refuge’s 75th anniversary celebration this year are $300 for first place, $225 for second,  » Read more

R. S. Walsh Landscaping recently donated new grasses to help with the important task of preventing beach erosion on the islands. They installed 250 Native Seashore Paspalum grasses, 70 Seacoast Marsh Elders and 250 Sea Purslane to help protect and enhance the beach at the end of Sanibel-Captiva Road, near Blind Pass.

“We are proud to help enhance this project, and the city has done an excellent job of executing the project in a fast-tracked manner to protect the roadway,” said Jeremy Walsh,  » Read more

Ocean’s Reach owners Ed and Lisa C., who recently moved from Barrington, IL to Sanibel Island, along with their daughter, Nicole, participated in the Fourth of July Golf Scramble at the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club.  

The terrific threesome, pictured above on the 15th hole, won the event with a gross score of 59.

For fellow hackers out there,  » Read more

Photo from Smithsonian Ocean

Did you know?

A sea sponge does not have a head, mouth, eyes, feelers, bones, heart, lungs or brain, yet it is alive!  » Read more

Photo from SCUBA magazine

Did you know?

A shrimp’s heart is in its head!  » Read more

Photo from Hakai 

Did you know?

At 188 decibels, the call of a blue whale is the loudest sound made by any animal on the planet.  » Read more

Photo from How Stuff Works

Did you know?

An octopus has blue blood.  It also has three hearts … and nine brains!  » Read more

Photo from PBS

Did you know?

Jellyfish have been around for more than 650 million years, pre-dating dinosaurs!

   » Read more

Photo by John Cassani

Consider yourself a good listener?

The Southwest Florida Amphibian Monitoring Network, or Frog Watch, collects long-term data on frog communities of our region. Volunteers, which include researchers, students, and members of the public walk specific routes at night during the summer listening for the sounds of frog calls and collecting that data.

Their goal is to determine potential factors that might influence long-term changes in frog populations and communities,  » Read more