News from FMNP listserve

News and Announcements:
Mote Marine Has Rare Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Nest
Sea turtle nesting season officially starts today, but Mote has already received a special surprise: On Saturday, April 25, an endangered Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), nested Saturday on Casey Key in Sarasota County. Kemp's ridleys are one of the smallest and rarest of the seven sea turtle species found worldwide. The nest is only the third Kemp's ridley nest ever laid and verified in Sarasota County.

Beachgoer Alyson McCoy, of Ovieda, and staff from the Island House watched as the turtle came ashore to nest - during the day.

"My husband likes to dive for sharks teeth and I was sitting on the beach watching his dive flag when I saw the turtle," McCoy said. "I've seen loggerhead turtles nest before on New Smyrna Beach. But I've never seen one by accident and never in broad daylight!"

Thinking quickly, McCoy ran to her room and grabbed her camera. Mote staff were later able to verify that the turtle was a Kemp's ridley based on her images. Kemp's ridleys are smaller, flatter and grayer than loggerheads, which usually emerge from the water to nest at night.

Saturday's nest was Sarasota County's third Kemp's ridley - the first two were verified in 1999. The species usually nests on beaches of Taumalipas, Mexico, and Padre Island National Seashore, Texas.

"It's exciting to have a Kemp's Ridley turn up in our county," said Tony Tucker, manager of Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. "In 2008, Florida only had 13 Kemp's ridley nests in the state. Kemp's ridley populations in Mexico and Texas are beginning to rebound strongly with help from a special program in Galveston, Texas, and protection at the nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Also important is the fishing industry's adoption of turtle excluder devices, which protect turtles from being caught in shrimp trawls. Now, increases in Kemp's ridley populations might be bringing more stray, solitary nesters to Florida."

This rare nest on Casey Key will be checked daily by Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, which has monitored 35 miles of Sarasota County shoreline for more than 28 years thanks to about 200 staff, interns, and volunteers.

Tim Oldread
Director, Center for School and Public Programs Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-388-4441
Fax: 941-388-2174
http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Tim.Oldread@mote.org
http://www.mote.org/

2. Scrub Jay Watch Looking for Volunteers

We have 3 sites in Manatee County (and maybe another one if all goes well) and another in southern Hillsborough County, as well as many others throughout the species' range, and we could use more volunteers, and Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists would be great volunteers. I've attached a flyer for the Manatee County Jay Watch training. It's not only a fun project working with fantastic people and captivating birds in interesting environments, but the data are used to plan management to protect the species, so it's valuable too. We ask people to help us survey for three days between mid-June and mid-July at any given site because that's when we get the best chance to not only see which scrub-jays are where, but also to distinguish the young of the year from adults to find out how productive they are.

For more information, please see the attached flier or contact:

Cheryl Millett, Biologist
The Nature Conservancy, Lake Wales Ridge
P.O. Box 630Babson Park, FL 33827-0630
http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cmillett@tnc.org(863) 635-7506 Ext. 205 (Phone) (863) 443-0263 (Mobile) (863) 635-6456 (Fax) nature.org

3. Immediate opening for an Everglades Eco-tour Guide
with the Everglades Day Safari - The Everglades #1 Ecotour. This is a fun, educational, environmental tour that requires a high energy, personable guide.
Qualified candidate MUST: • have clean, valid, Florida driver's license • be 25 years of age or older • have a strong background in the BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES and an excellent understanding of the south Florida ecosystems • have a strong environmental ethic and a basic understanding and appreciation of eco-tourism • have an engaging personality and the ability to effectively communicate a narrated tour to guests • must be able to work independently as well as work with other guides providing tours Position Responsibilities include: • Safely driving tour vehicle while narrating and identifying plant and animal life throughout the Everglades. • Guide is responsible for maintaining vehicle (cleaning, routine maintenance, quarterly servicing) and may have the opportunity to keep the vehicle at their personal residence. • Guide would offer 3 weekly informational presentations at local resorts on Sundays and Mondays Tour: • Includes an airboat ride, wildlife drive, nature walk, boat cruise and lunch • Tours begin at 7:15 am and conclude at 5:30 pm http://www.ecosafari.com/
Pete Corradino
Director of Operations
Everglades Day Safarihttp://www.ecosafari.com/239-671-8373

4. The Florida Trail Association is seeking to fill the position of Trail Crews Coordinator on its professional staff. This is the position that was formerly held by Bob Woods which was not filled. Please see the attached announcement for more information. Thank you for your assistance. Kent L. Wimmer, AICPFlorida National Scenic Trail LiaisonFlorida Trail Association, Inc.http://us.mc510.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kwimmer@fs.fed.us(850) 523-8576 (w)(850) 523-8578 (fax)(850) 528-5261 (cell)(850) 386-8442 (h)Mailing address:325 John Knox Rd, F-100Tallahassee, FL 32303-4160

5. FMNP Central West Regional Meeting
June 13, 2009 in Plant City, FL
Contact Woodchikjm@aol.com to RSVP

6. FMNP Northeast Regional Meeting
July 17, 2009 in Jacksonville, FL
Please contact Carol for more information, including how to RSVP

If you would be interested in having a table to display books that you have authored, artwork, crafts, or any other projects that you have participated in contact Carol Wyninger at http://us.mc510.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=wyninger@comcast.net .

7. Tick Research
from Carol Wyninger wyninger@comcast.net

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Kerry Clark who is a professor at UNF and is involved in tick disease research. As part of his ongoing effort to gather data about the types of tick-borne diseases in Florida, he is studying ticks that are found in your area. If you find a tick that has actually attached to your skin you can send the tick to Dr. Clark. Attach the tick to a piece of paper with clear tape and mail to: Kerry L. Clark, M.P.H., Ph.D., Department of Public Health, UNF, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road South, Jacksonville, 32224. Include information about where and when you think you picked up the tick. He will identify the tick and keep it on file. If you think you have contracted an illness related to the tick bite, further testing may be done with the tick specimen. If you have any questions you may contact Dr. Clark at kclark@unf.edu or (904) 620-1427. Dr. Clark is also interested in speaking to groups about ticks!