Chris Kirkland Durphy, seen here with FPAN archaeologist Rich Eastabrook, pushes the Ground Penetrating Radar device along transects laid out on the cemetery grounds.

Last week resource managers with Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, working with the Kirkland family and the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN), moved forward with a historical research project. Thanks to Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), the process of locating unmarked graves and marking the boundaries of a historic cemetery has become a little bit easier.

Located in the reserve on Shell Island Road, the Kirkland family cemetery rests many of the family’s pioneering ancestors dating back to the 1880s. Several descendants still reside in the area today and have been working to trace and document their family roots. The cemetery is one place where gaps exist in their history, because while some grave sites are well marked, others are not.

Terns in flight

Each spring, migratory least terns scout local coastal areas and select a location that best meets the nesting needs of the colonial birds returning from Central and South America’s wintering grounds. For the past few years, tides and currents have been suitable for the reformation of an emergent sand bar within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Referred to as the “Second Chance” sand bar, it now serves as habitat for the largest beach-nesting colony in south Florida.

Get ready for a fun-filled season of shark-related lectures, activities, kids art classes and Ray Troll art exhibition in the gallery at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Naples through August. Individual “Sharkabet” panels are drawn from Troll’s beautifully illustrated shark alphabet book, where he presents 26 living and extinct shark species along with information about these creatures that have been in existence for more than 400 million years.

For additional information visit www.rookerybay.org.

Early in the nesting season, staff and volunteers at Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, on the south west coast of Florida, began tracking an unusual breeding event on the rookery islands – that of a great blue heron and great white heron. For years, ornithologists thought the great blue and great white herons were two separate species since historically most great white herons were found in the lower Florida Keys. However, the view has shifted among birders and scientists who accept that the white variety is a color morph of the blue.

Four different sets of blue and white pairings were documented in two of the nesting colonies monitored this year. Two nests each produced one white and one blue chick. A third nest contained one blue chick. The fourth nest was unsuccessful. Preserve staff have already recorded a peak number of 73 great blue heron nests to date on the nine active rookery islands for 2011, and nesting season continues through late summer.

Pink feathers washing up on the shores of Estero Bay had residents guessing about the plumes’ origins. Most people believed they were flamingo feathers but later learned that they were actually the plumage from the roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), a Florida native. The species was nearly decimated when their plumage became fashionable in ladies hats; however, they have now made a remarkable recovery.

Did you know that some birds raise their young at the beach?  Instead of making nests in trees, they lay their eggs right on the sand.  Beach-nesting birds such as least terns and Wilson’s plovers find prime habitat on Key (Keewaydin) Island in Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve every year, and with help from reserve staff and volunteers they are better able to nest in peace.

Least terns are migratory species that return from wintering grounds in late March and begin setting up nesting colonies on area beaches.  These birds have some specific habitat requirements, including open sandy areas with low vegetation and shell overwash areas nearby where food can be found.

When Gulf water temperatures drop below 68 degrees, the Florida manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris, can become cold-stressed and begin seeking warmer waters.  Inland waterways are generally shallow, warmer than the Gulf of Mexico, and these freshwater outflow areas frequently serve as manatee gathering areas especially in winter. It is extremely important for boaters to recognize that these areas see a significant increase in use by manatees during the winter months and extra caution is necessary when navigating these locations in winter. This is partly because human activity in manatee habitat directly correlates with manatee mortality. Despite protection under the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, the manatee population in Florida is at risk.

Gulf Oil Spill Survivors Released in Rookery Bay Reserve

More than 100 endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles were released in the past three months at The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, located on the Southwest Gulf coast of Florida. Most of the released turtles had been recovered from the Northern Gulf coast as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and were cleaned and transported to rehabilitation facilities operated by the National Audubon Society, Sea World, Mote Marine Lab, and the Florida Aquarium. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worked in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Conservancy of Southwest Florida to coordinate the release event at Rookery Bay.

Did you know that a purple fire hydrant signals a green activity? Purple fire hydrants provide access to reclaimed water for fire suppression and protection, and whenever you spot one you are spotting conservation at work Water that we usually waste - domestic wastewater - can be filtered, disinfected and used again.

In 2008, Florida used 667 million gallons per day of reclaimed water, saving more than 125 billion gallons of drinkable water while adding more than 79 billion gallons back to available water supplies.

With more and more people living in and visiting Florida, resident wildlife sometimes needs to travel farther to find food and safe habitat for survival. In recent weeks, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s staff and visitors have reported numerous sightings of bobcats, bears and panthers using the Reserve. The opportunity of seeing animals in the wild can be a thrilling one; however, both people and animals can become susceptible to injury or illness as a result of these encounters. For example, inadvertently or intentionally leaving behind food scraps or trash teaches animals that people are a food source, and this frequently results in aggressive behavior. When raccoons, bears or other animals become nuisances, they must be destroyed to keep people safe.

Fort Myers: Population 68,000 (2008). County seat of Lee County. In its entirety, the Cape Coral-Ft. Myers metropolitan area includes 623,000 residents (2008). This gateway to Southwest Florida, or the "City of Palms", is a popular tourist destination, especially for those who enjoy a subtropical climate. Fort Myers hosts five major league baseball teams during spring training. While recreational opportunities like kayaking abound, don't expect to do any mountain climbing- the elevation of Ft. Myers is a mere 10 feet.

Naples: Population 21,000 (2006). Naples is the largest City in Collier County. The Naples - Marco Island regional population is 314,000 (2006). Known as the "Paradise Coast", Naples enjoys a mild climate and abundant fish and game…attributes that led early settlers in the 1880s to call it Naples, after the sunny Italian peninsula. While its economy is largely based on tourism, CNN and Money Magazine rated Naples as one of the top five "best places for a long life in the U.S," partially due to its active performing arts culture. In 2005, Naples was voted "Best Beach in America" by the Travel Channel. Visitors may enjoy a variety of outdoor experiences, and 80 championship golf courses make Naples a golfer's paradise. The average elevation of Naples is 3 feet.

Key West: Population 25,000 (2000). Key West is the County seat of Monroe County. As the southernmost continental city in the U.S., Key West is the seaport destination for many passenger cruise ships. It also lies on the dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Key West is located 90 miles from Cuba, only separated by the Straits of Florida. Despite its tropical climate, Key West is the driest city in Florida. Visitors flock to Old Town, Duval Street, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, the Key West Lighthouse (built in 1847), and Ernest Hemingway's house. A great destination for water lovers, Key West visitors experience great saltwater fishing, diving and snorkeling on nearby coral reefs. Elevation is 3 feet.

Regional Attractions: Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford's Winter Estates, Gateway to Everglades National Park, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Picayune Strand State Forest, fishing in Islamorada and the other Keys.

FWC 2007. "Where to Fish," by Rich Abrams, in Fishing Lines: An Angler's Guide to Florida's Marine Resources, 6^th Edition.  Dan Ellinor and Michelle Owen (editors).  Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Division of Marine Fisheries Management.