Friends of Padre

Via Dr. Donna Shaver Today (12 January 2015), 21 cold stunned green turtles were found on the Texas coast. Yesterday, 98 cold stunned sea turtles were located in Texas. So far during the 2014-2015 cold stunning season (from 13 November 2014 through 12 January 2015), 408 cold stunned sea turtles have been found in Texas, including the following: All were green turtles except for two loggerheads, one Kemp’s ridley, and one hawksbill turtle. Area Total Galveston Area/ Inshore 19 Lavaca/San Antonio Bay 35 Copano Bay 6 San Jose Island 2 Mustang Island/Aransas Pass 40 Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay 205 Padre Island National Seashore Gulf Beach 3 Lower Laguna Madre 98 Boca Chica Beach 0 TOTAL 408 Condition Total Alive 345 Dead 63 TOTAL 408 Thank you to staff and volunteers from the National Park Service, ARK, Sea Turtle, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sea World San Antonio, NOAA-Fisheries, Texas Sea Life Center, Texas Master Naturalists, Gladys Porter Zoo, University of Texas, Texas State Aquarium, other organizations, and private citizens for their help to find, document, rehabilitate, and release cold stunned turtles on the Texas coast this year.

From 29 December 2014 through 5 January 2015, 8 cold stunned green turtles have been found in Texas. Continued cold temperatures are predicted for the next week. Earlier during the 2014-2015 cold stunning season (from 13 November 2014 through 7 December 2014), 240 live and dead cold stunned sea turtles were found in Texas. The numbers of cold stunned turtles found to date during the 2014-2015 cold stunning season are as follows: All were green turtles except for one loggerhead and one Kemp’s ridley turtle. Area Total Galveston Area/ Inshore 5 Lavaca/San Antonio Bay 35 Copano Bay 6 San Jose Island 2 Mustang Island/Aransas Pass 34 Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay 89 Padre Island National Seashore Gulf Beach 0 Lower Laguna Madre 77 Boca Chica Beach 0 TOTAL 248 Condition Total Alive 198 Dead 50 TOTAL 248 Thank you to staff and volunteers from the National Park Service, ARK, Sea Turtle, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sea World San Antonio, NOAA-Fisheries, Texas Sea Life Center, Texas Master Naturalists, Gladys Porter Zoo, University of Texas, Texas State Aquarium, other organizations, and private citizens for their help to find, document, rehabilitate, and release cold stunned turtles on the Texas coast this year. Please watch for and report cold stunned sea turtles on the Texas coast. To report cold stunned turtles (found alive or dead) please call 361-949-8173, ext. 226 (business hours) or 361-876-8462 (after hours) if you are at/near the Upper Laguna Madre and North Padre Island. If you are at/near Corpus Christi Bay and Mustang Island, call the ARK at 361-749-6793 (business hours) or Tony Amos at 361-442-7638. Elsewhere in Texas, call 1-866-TURTLE5 to get the appropriate contact number for your region.

12/04/2014 Friends of Padre took home the award for Conservation Nonprofit Group at the 12th Annual Coastal Bend Bays Foundation Banquet held December 4th at Northshore Country Club in Portland, TX. Friends of Padre President, Captain Billy Sandifer and Vice President Dr.David McKee accepted on behalf of the group. Thanks to CBBF for this prestigious honor and to KRIS Weatherman Maclovio Perez for doing a great job as emcee and videographer! Here is a complete list of this year's honorees from the CBBF The Awards Banquet theme this year is “Restoration in the Coastal Bend.” CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING AWARD WINNERS Coastal Steward – Beth Hoekje Coastal Community – Baffin Bay Volunteers Education K-12 – Yolanda Aviles Higher Education – Dr. Mike Wetz Nonprofit Organization – Friends of Padre Island Industry – Port of Corpus Christi Authority We are especially pleased to announce the President’s Award Mr. Scott Murray For Outstanding Vision and Leadership for Baffin Bay Natural Resource Conservation Assessments Mr. Murray received support from the following: Kleberg County – Funding Partner for Baffin Bay Natural Resource Conservation Assessments Celanese – Bishop Facility – Funding Partner for Baffin Bay Natural Resource Conservation Assessments Friends of Baffin Bay -Supporting Partners for Baffin Bay Natural Resource Conservation Assessments Proceeds from the Banquet benefit the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, and help us provide outreach, habitat restoration, and educational opportunities that promote conservation of our precious natural resources.

Attention Volunteers!!! 2015 is almost here and that means the 20th Annual Billy Sandifer Big Shell Beach Cleanup is around the corner. This cleanup can not happen without the help of our volunteers and your help is needed again. See you there! The Big Shell Beach Cleanup will be held Saturday, 28 February, 2015. Volunteers will meet at Malaquite Pavilion on PINS and the event will commence at 8 a.m. To reach Malaquite Pavilion, stay on South Padre Island Drive (SPID) through Corpus Christi out onto North Padre Island where it becomes Park Road 22. Just keep driving till you come to the entry gate of PINS. Tell the attendant you are there to volunteer for the beach cleanup and you will not be charged admission. The second set of buildings is the Malaquite Pavilion and turn into the huge parking lot. It’s on the left side of Park Road 22. All volunteers will be back at the pavilion by 3 pm. Four wheel drive vehicles, trailers for hauling trash in and out of the work area, and working volunteers are needed. Walking volunteers (those arriving in two wheel drive vehicles) are welcome and will be afforded transportation to and from the work area. Those unable to pick up trash but having four wheel drive vehicles are most welcome to aid in hauling volunteers and trash. The event will not be rescheduled and will take place rain or shine. Snacks, water, and soft drinks will be available in the work area and refreshments will be available at Malaquite following the event. Long pants and sturdy foot wear are recommended. Don’t pick up broken glass or flammable items. Report all hazardous items to your section leaders. Volunteers will receive free event t-shirts. This is a worthy event and it’s only possible because of volunteer participation. Please come and join us. Thanks, Friends of Padre

Via Donna Shaver Additional cold stunned turtles were reported for yesterday (November 19); the revised tally is 46 cold stunned turtles recorded in Texas yesterday. No cold stunned turtles have been reported so far today (November 20). Numbers of cold stunned turtles found in Texas since this event began include: November 18 - 12 November 17 - 8 November 16 – 0 November 15 – 31 November 14 – 85 November 13 - 2. All were green turtles except for one loggerhead and one Kemp’s ridley turtle, both found alive. Area Total Galveston Area/ Inshore 3 Lavaca/San Antonio Bay 28 Copano Bay 2 Mustang Island/Aransas Pass 4 Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay 75 Padre Island National Seashore Gulf Beach 0 Lower Laguna Madre 72 Boca Chica Beach 0 TOTAL 184 Condition Total Alive 179 Dead 5 TOTAL 184 Thank you to staff and volunteers from the National Park Service, ARK, Sea Turtle, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sea World San Antonio, NOAA-Fisheries, Texas Sea Life Center, Texas Master Naturalists, Gladys Porter Zoo, University of Texas, other organizations, and private citizens for their help to find, document, rehabilitate, and release cold stunned turtles on the Texas coast this year.

So far today (Monday November 17), 6 cold stunned turtles have been found in Texas. Numbers of cold stunned turtles found in Texas during each day of this event include: November 16 – 0 November 15 – 31 November 14 – 85 November 13 - 2. All were green turtles except for one loggerhead located alive on the first day of cold stunning. Area Total Galveston Area/ Inshore 3 Lavaca/San Antonio Bay 0 Mustang Island/Aransas Pass 1 Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay 50 Padre Island National Seashore Gulf Beach 0 Lower Laguna Madre 70 Boca Chica Beach 0 TOTAL 124 Condition Total Alive 122 Dead 2 TOTAL 124 Please continue to report strandings to 361-949-8173 ext. 226.

Friends of Padre was out in full force 11/10/2014. The organization recently joined the Adopt-a-Highway program by volunteering to maintain the stretch of Park Rd. 22 from Commodores and Whitecap. Next time we plan a cleanup we'll be sure to post on our Facebook page so that everyone can come out and participate! Bring OFF!

Via Captain Billy Sandifer Water was flat and crystal clear the entire length of the beach with the wind blowing from the West. Driving was somewhat bumpy but 2 wheel drive the entire length of the beach. Dead sargassum was present on the North end but there was none South. Redfish, Spanish mackerel, skipjacks, jack Crevalle and Blacktipped sharks were present but awfully hard to bait in the gin clear water. We observed 6 Blue Land Crabs/Great Land Crabs in the 30s and what makes these noteworthy is they are the first ones I have ever seen on PINS. Finger and medium sized mullet were present the entire length of the beach and some Tarpon were seen free jumping. Migrating birds included 237 Red Knots, 45 Long-billed Curlew and 3 American Golden Plover. Common Tern were in good supply but it seems the Black and Least Terns have move on as have most of the Wilson’s Plover.