Successful National Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Drive

Now that the 19th annual letter carriers stamp out hunger food drive has  been completed and over a quarter of a million pounds of food have been  delivered to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, volunteers are urgently needed to sort it for distrobution.

"As fast as food comes through the door we try to get it out to the agencies here in Southwest Florida that serve families, children and seniors who are most at risk," said Al Brislain.

Half Day schedules are available Moday to Saturday.  Businesses, groups and individuals can call Bedzaida Bryan at 334-7007 ext 141 to volunteer.

Great Video Of Sea Turtles Swimming in the Gulf

Sea Turtle Nesting Update

Sanibel East End
2 Nest
7 False Crawls

Sanibel West End
19 Nest
28 False Crawls

Captiva
10  Nest
0 False Crawls

Please do not disturb nesting sea turtles. There have been reports of several nesting attempts disturbed by onlookers. If a turtle fails after several nesting attempts, she will eject her eggs into the Gulf, so failed attempts -- false crawls -- are serious.
Click here for more info.

From Our Kitchen to Yours !

Kathy and John Petel offer a Recipe for Fine Living

Sea Turtle Nesting Update

Nesting season is off to a great start !  Here are the totals so far:

East End:
0 Nests
0 False Crawls
0 Hatches

West End:
5 Nests
4 False Crawls
0 Hatches

Captiva:
1 Nest
0 False Crawls
0 Hatches

False Crawls are when the sea turle returns to the ocean before laying her eggs.  This could because of flashing lights or bright lights on the beach.  Please remember to turn off your flashlights when on the beach at night.

Last year at this time there where no nest or false crawls on any Sanibel or Captiva Beaches.

Get Free Sanibel and Captiva Lisitng Alerts !

Do you want to live the Sanibel Lifestyle?  Sign up for free Sanibel and Captiva Listing Alerts to keep track of the current real estate market.  Specify what you are looking for in a home on Sanibel or Captiva and get automatic listing alerts matching that criteria directly to your email.

Follow the link to sign up today !

http://www.realtor.com/#searchassist&loc=33957&advid=474452

Summer Celebration at The Dunes

Saturday, May 28th    11a.m. until 5:00p.m.

The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club will kick-off celbration of Summer 2011 on Memorial Day weekend with an open house and fun activities for all.

$25.00 per adult unlimited golf all day

Children under 16 years of age play golf for free accompanied by paying adult.

Free Golf Clinics

Free swimming all day

All You Can Eat BBQ buffet
Adults $10.00, Children $7, $1 Drafts

New World Record-Size Shells

 The Bailey-Mathews Shell Museum received four exquisite worl record size shells on loan from Dr. Bill Reid, a resident of Marco Island.  These shells will be incorporated into and add conrent to the shells museum's new World Record Size Shell Exhibit. 

The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club funded the design and fabrication of this permanent exhibit which was installed in the Great Hall of Shells in February.  The striking exhibit displays large showy shells against mirrors mounted on a continuously rotating carousel, affording 360 degree views.

Amazing Manatee Encounter !

You will have amazing experiences when living on Sanibel.  This is what people mean when they say you are not just buying a home but a lifestyle.  There photos where taken last week while kayaking through the Sanibel canals.  There was a large manatee, a medium sized and a baby manatee hanging out in the canal next to Beach Road.

18th Annual Island Night is May 18th

A special evening of festivities, fun, fellowship and fastballs for Sanibel and Captiva Islanders.  The 18th annual Sam Baileys Island night will take place Wed May 18th at Hammond Stadiumin Ft Myers.

Many islanders gather early for tailgate parties.  The stadium gates open at 5:30 pm with an always exciting pre-game parade and opening ceremony.

Snowy Plover Nesting Season on Sanibel

Snowy plover nesting season began in February and Sanibel now has five snowy plover nests, with three chicks. This year, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) is also monitoring one Wilson's plover nest. Nesting season will continue until mid-August and it is important that beachgoers help to protect these endangered shorebirds. Please keep a few things in mind as you enjoy the beach: • Honor the leash law. An unleashed dog can kill an adult bird or chick or trample a nest.bandon their nest. Always remain outside of the staked area. • Avoid flying kites near nesting areas Plovers view kites as predators. A kite flying overhead can cause a bird to abandon its nest. • Never chase birds on the beach. Shorebirds use the beach to nest, rest, and feed. Forcing them to fly interferes with all of these activities. • Fill in holes. Holes on the beach can trap chicks unable to fly. If trapped, chicks can die from predators or exposure. SCCF (the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) monitors the summer nesting seasons of snowy plovers, Wilson's plover and sea turtles. Last year Sanibel hosted at least eight pairs of snowy plovers. Those pairs laid a total of 15 nests, nine of which hatched, producing 23 chicks. Out of those 23, only seven survived to fledge. These numbers are lower than they have been in recent years. Learn more about these nesting shorebirds at SCCF's Snowy Plovers program, offered on May 12 at 10 a.m

Sea Turtle Nesting on Sanibel Island

A Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, a species rarely found on Florida's beaches, nested on Sanibel on Friday, April 22.

The turtle laid its eggs a full eight days before the official start of sea turtle nesting season, which is May 1, and she did it during the day. Sea turtles usually nest at night. At approximately 11 a.m., a Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) came ashoreand Ray Albright, Jr., saw it and notified Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). He stayed nearby until SCCF Biologist and Sea Turtle Coordinator Amanda Bryant arrived to stake the nest.

Kemp's Ridleys are the smallest and rarest sea turtle in the world. They weigh approximately 100 pounds and are two to 2 ½ feet long at maturity. They nest from April-July and it is common for them to nest several times during that period. If you come across a sea turtle nesting on the beach, notify SCCF immediately by calling 472-2329 during business hours or 470-3360 on evenings and weekends. The species is found in Southwest Florida waters, but they rarely nest here. 

The last Kemp's Ridley nest recorded on Sanibel was in 1996. The bulk of Kemp's Ridley nesting occurs at Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, with additional nesting at Padre Island, Texas. There were only eight Kemp's Ridley nests in Florida in 2010. Most Sanibel sea turtle nests are loggerhead turtles, with an occasional green turtle. Two years ago, a leatherback nested on Sanibel, only the second recorded leatherback nest in Southwest Florida. SCCF monitors sea turtle nesting on Sanibel and Captiva islands Over 100 volunteers help patrol the beach every morning from May through August to stake and monitor nesting and to get a count of hatchlings after the nest has hatched.

Learn more about sea turtles at SCCF's Turtle Tracks, offered Thursday, May 5 at 10 a.m.