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AMITW Nesting Numbers 4/24/2026
Bradenton Magazine
Bradenton Magazine

AMITW Nesting Numbers 4/24/2026

Sea Turtles:

As of 4/24, we have not had any sea turtle crawls for 2026. We started our surveys on April 15 and are looking forward to finding our first nest. The first nest on the Gulf Coast was found in Fort Myers Beach on Wednesday, 4/22, so we could see one on Anna Maria any day now! 

As a reminder, sea turtle nesting season officially starts on May 1st. Please remember to take a look at your property from the beach to make sure that it’s turtle friendly as soon as possible so that we can prevent the turtles from traveling towards the land instead of the Gulf on their way back to the water. If you stand by a light and can see the beach in any direction, it can be seen from the beach. There are many options for how to make your lights turtle friendly. You can: 

  • Turn them off
  • Change them out to turtle friendly bulbs (red or amber LEDs) with shields
  • Block them from the beach by planting native vegetation
  • Move interior lights away from the windos and close your blinds
  • Do not use lights on the beach

Some other turtle friendly tips include: 

  • Fill in your holes, knock down sandcastles, and remove your beach items and trash every night when you leave the beach. 

Shorebirds: 

AMITW is monitoring an area on AMI where we have been observing shorebirds courting, mating, and other pre-nesting behaviors. We are excited that we may have a new shorebird nesting colony in the next week or so. Stay Tuned!  Remember to protect our shorebirds by: 

  • When you see large flocks of birds, give them space so you don’t disturb them. 
  • Never intentionally force birds to fly.  When birds are chased or disturbed, they use energy they need for nesting and migration.
  • Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or take flight, you are too close!!  
  • Respect posted areas.  Avoid posted nesting and resting areas and use designated walkways.
  • Don’t fly kites or drones near areas where birds may be nesting; they may be perceived as predators and disturb them.
  • Keep dogs away from nesting areas. Keep cats indoors. Even well-behaved pets are regarded as predators.
  • Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife.  Food scraps attract predators such as racoons and crows to the beaches.  Litter on beaches can entangle birds.
  • Spread the word!  If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently remind them how their actions may hurt birds’ survival.  If they continue to disturb nesting birds, please call and report their activities to FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922)

Upcoming Events: 

2nd Annual Suzi Fox Day – Sea Turtle Nesting Season Kickoff Party
– May 1 st from 3pm –6pm at Coquina Beach Cafe. There will be FREE outreach materials and turtle friendly light bulbs, an educational booth, games and activities for kids, and music by Scott Blum & Bill Vinhage. Anyone who picks up educational materials gets a FREE BEER from Coquina Beach Café.


Order FREE outreach materials at https://islandturtlewatch.com/get-involved/educate/  

Provide to guests or post in rooms. Rack cards, door hangers, posters, and window clings, educate visitors about how to protect sea turtles and shorebirds on AMI. Please

Sea Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts talks start May 4th! 
May – August at Holmes Beach City Hall on Mondays from 10am – 11am (except
for Memorial Day when City Hall is closed).

AMITW 24-hour Hotline: (941) 301-8434

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