Panama City Beach Turtle Watch

Turtle Watchers were joined by our friends from Florida Audubon and FWC for our annual group photo and party. We had a good season for sea turtles and shorebirds on Panama City Beach, thanks to the efforts of these dedicated volunteers and biologists. Eight loggerhead nests remain on the beach and will be monitored through mid-October. See our Facebook page for updates on nest excavations.

High surf from Tropical Storm Gordon washed over all nests on Panama City Beach. Of the 47 nests found this year, 16 were still on the beach when the storm hit, and three were completely washed away. We’re continuing to monitor 13 remaining nests.

We’ve passed the halfway point of the hatching season, which should continue through the end of September if the hurricanes stay away. Nest 31 at Sandpiper Beacon, 17403 Front Beach Rd, will be excavated Monday 5:30 pm. Use access on west side of motel (parking limited). We “excavate” nests to count hatched and unhatched eggs, and any live hatchlings still in the nest are released into the Gulf.

This picture of gorgeous royal terns with a fledgling (far right) on Panama City Beach was taken by Bonnie Samuelsen of Florida Audubon. Bonnie reports that all of the chicks are flying, and the posted nesting sites have been taken down. While the numbers are low, the productivity rate was high for PCB this year, with fewer impacts from unleashed dogs in the posted areas. Audubon has teamed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to mark and protect shorebird sites on PCB. We appreciate their good work!

Lots of nests are hatching! Please check our Facebook page for information on nest excavations which are performed three days after hatchlings emerge. The public is invited to these events which are your best opportunity to possibly see a live hatchling and learn about our efforts to protect sea turtles on Panama City Beach.

Woohoo, hatching season has arrived! Three nests hatched Sunday night and will be excavated Wednesday afternoon. See our Facebook page for the schedule.  Please call the Beach Police at 850-233-5000 if you see hatchlings on the beach, and remember not to shine lights or take flash photos.

Two nests this morning brings our total to 42, keeping us on pace for a record season! Nests will start hatching soon, so please check our Facebook page for news on nest excavations which are open to the public. If you see nesting or hatchling turtles on Panama City Beach, immediately call the Panama City Beach Police at 850-233-5000. Please no flash lights or flash photos while turtles are on the beach.

We’ve found 34 loggerhead nests so far this season, including two yesterday. Call the Panama City Beach Police at 850-233-5000 if you spot a sea turtle nesting on our beach (no flash lights or flash photos). And if you’re enjoying the beach on this holiday week, please practice the principles of Leave No Trace and take your stuff at the end of the day and fill in holes. Happy 4th!

Please respect our posted shorebird nesting sites and do not enter them for any reason (unless you’re a turtle).

Volunteers Jadwiga Tabaka and Jeff Krepper encountered two nesting loggerheads Monday night, thanks to observant bystanders who saw the turtles and called the Panama City Beach Police 850-233-5000. We’re up to 31 nests, all loggerheads, and remain on record pace!