Category Archives: Barrier Islands

Sea Turtles of the Panhandle: 2016 Nesting Numbers and Notes

Posted on June 3, 2017 by John

There are five species of sea turtles that nest from May through October on Florida beaches. The loggerhead, the green turtle and the leatherback all nest regularly in the Panhandle, with the loggerhead being the most frequent visitor.  Two other … Continue reading →

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Respecting the Rip

Posted on April 14, 2017 by John

It was disheartening to read that even with double red flags flying, 22 people had to be recused from the Gulf near Destin, FL recently, and one person lost their life.  In that spirit, I believe it is important to review … Continue reading →

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Transient Birds and Beach House Refuge

Posted on July 22, 2016 by John

Birds, migration, and climate change. Mix them all together and intuitively, we can imagine an ecological train wreck in the making. Many migratory bird species have seen their numbers plummet over the past half-century – due not to climate change, … Continue reading →

Posted in Barrier Islands, Birds, Climate, Environmental Education, Florida Panhandle, Habitat Conservation, Research, Sustainable Living, Swamps, Waterfronts, Wildlife, Wildlife monitoring | Leave a comment

Sea Turtles in the Florida Panhandle

Posted on May 8, 2016 by John

  Florida has the highest number of sea turtles of any state in the continental US. Three species are common here including loggerhead, green and leatherback turtles. The Federal Endangered Species Act lists all of sea turtles in Florida as … Continue reading →

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Oil Spill Science: Five years later, what have we learned?

Posted on April 22, 2016 by John

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill occurred about 50 miles offshore of Louisiana in April 2010. Approximately 172 million gallons of oil entered the Gulf of Mexico. Five years after the incident, locals and tourists still have questions. This article … Continue reading →

Posted in Barrier Islands, Environmental Education, Estuaries, Fisheries, Florida Master Naturalist, Oil Spill, Sea Life, Seafood, water quality, Waterfronts | Leave a comment

Life’s a Beach! Practice Beach Safety and Etiquette

Posted on March 12, 2016 by John

It is that time of year again. Spring Break brings locals and visitors back to the beach for fun in the sun. It is important to remind folks that part of having fun is playing it safe. At the beach, … Continue reading →

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From Fear to Fascination: White Sharks in the Panhandle

Posted on February 12, 2016 by John

From Fear to Fascination: White Sharks in the Florida Panhandle UF/IFAS Extension – Florida Sea Grant  By Rick O’Connor (Escambia County) and L. Scott Jackson (Bay County) Recently, I was walking on our local Gulf fishing pier checking fishing line … Continue reading →

Posted in Barrier Islands, Beach Safety, bull shark, Curiosities, Florida Master Naturalist, Florida Panhandle, Recreation, Sea Life, shark, shark attack, sharks, Turtles, Urban Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nature Tourism in the Panhandle – Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) – Pensacola Beach

Posted on February 12, 2016 by John

  All Photos by Molly O’Connor We began our series on Nature Tourism along the ICW at the Alabama state line on Perdido Key and discussed the ICW itself.  This month we will continue in Escambia County with a visit … Continue reading →

Posted in Barrier Islands, Ecotourism, Environmental Education, Florida Panhandle, Hiking, Kayaking, Recreation | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Nature Tourism – The Intracoastal Waterway – Perdido Key

Posted on January 23, 2016 by John

All photos: Molly O’Connor   More and more visitors to the Gulf coast are seeking nature encounters when on vacation. Of course there are still the amusement park fans but there is an increasing number interested in visiting “The Real … Continue reading →

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