Friends of Padre: News

Via Dr. Donna Shaver Today, 8 Kemp’s ridley nests were located on the Texas coast, including 3 at Padre Island National Seashore and 5 on South Padre Island. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 11 nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 0 Bolivar Peninsula 0 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 0 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 0 Mustang Island 0 North Padre Island north of Padre Island National Seashore 5 Padre Island National Seashore 6 South Padre Island 0 Boca Chica Beach GREEN SEA TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): LOGGERHEAD TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Donna Shaver for further information. Updates regarding nesting are also posted at the Padre Island National Seashore website: www.nps.gov/pais

Via Dr. Donna Shaver Today, 2 Kemp’s ridley nests were located on the Texas coast, including 1 at Padre Island National Seashore and 1 on South Padre Island. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 3 nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 0 Bolivar Peninsula 0 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 0 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 0 Mustang Island 2 North Padre Island, including 1 at Padre Island National Seashore 1 South Padre Island 0 Boca Chica Beach GREEN SEA TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): LOGGERHEAD TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Donna Shaver for further information. Updates regarding nesting are also posted at the Padre Island National Seashore website: www.nps.gov/pais

Friends of Padre members with help from Burners Without Borders Corpus Christi cleaned up both sides of Park Rd 22 and the median between Commodores Dr. and Whitecap Blvd. Then is was off to Heritage Park for Earth Day Bay Day 2016 We were presented with a Thank You Certificate from the Texas General Land Office. Friends of Padre TrashOff 2016 certificate (2) Thanks to everyone who came out!

via Dr. Donna Shaver Today,1 Kemp’s ridley nest was located on the Texas coast, at Padre Island National Seashore. This was the first confirmed Kemp’s ridley nest found in Texas this year! KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 1 nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 0 Bolivar Peninsula 0 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 0 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 0 Mustang Island 1 North Padre Island, including 1 at Padre Island National Seashore 0 South Padre Island 0 Boca Chica Beach GREEN SEA TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): LOGGERHEAD TURTLE So far this year, 0 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Donna Shaver for further information. Updates regarding nesting are also posted at the Padre Island National Seashore website: www.nps.gov/pais

A group not affiliated with Friends of Padre will be holding a cleanup on the Fish Pass this Saturday. Details from organizer Jeff Wilson below. We will be on the beach from Access Rd. 2 --> south towards the jetty, filling yellow bags and having a bbq in the afternoon, from 12-5pm this Saturday, April 2. For more information, check in on our Facebook Event Page for "Fish Pass Spring Beach Cleanup" or contact Jeff Wilson at 361-945-2895 or jeffwilsoncc@gmail.com. THANK YOU!

https://www.facebook.com/events/121718184886818/

Corpus Christi Masonic Lodge 189 presented it's prestigious "Community Builder Award" Wednesday evening to Captain Billy L. Sandifer with these words "His contribution to our community has been unique compared to the contributions of previous selectees. The Padre Island National Seashore has not had a better friend, nor have our turtles who nest there. Through his coordination, hundreds of citizens clean up the seashore annually, and he is active in management of the dunes and the wildlife." With Worshipful Master David Scherzer Left to right Troy Adler, Jim Mayo, Leon McNinch, Mark Spier, Capt. Billy, Susan McNinch. Billy and the Padre Island National Seashore contingent. Left to right Superintendent Mark Spier, Billy, Ranger Buzz Botts, and new Chief Ranger Joe Roberts. The pupil - Eric "Oz" Ozolins and the master! Good friends Stephen and Donna Gregory. There's always that one guy in a photo! Billy wrapping things up with the cake made specially for the event.

Thanks to everyone who came out to make this a record-setting 21st Billy Sandifer Big Shell Beach Cleanup! We were dealt good weather and great attitudes, which allowed 700 volunteers to remove 60 tons of trash from 18 miles of PINS! We've received several comments on how well the cleanup went and we have to say it's because we have the best volunteers! Friends of Padre would also like to acknowledge our generous sponsors. They are each imperative to ensuring the cleanup is the perennial success that it has become. Thanks to the businesses, organizations, and individuals who go above and beyond! This year's sponsors included many long-time donors, as well as several first time sponsors. We hope to have made them all proud with our efforts. Cleanup sponsors included: Sharkathon, CCA, Ainsworth Trucking, Ruth Parr Sparks Foundation, Frank Edwards, Steve and Donna Gregory, Domino's, HEB, SmartShield, Ben Beaty, Gambler Specialties, Trac-Work, Inc., Texas State Aquarium, NuStar, ValueBank Texas, Graf Plumbing, Inc., Security Service Federal Credit Union, Federal Steel, Padre Island Moon, David Sikes and the Caller Times, Saltwater Angler, Coastal Bend Audubon Society, corpusfishing.com, extremecoast.com, and Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. We hope you all had as much fun as we did and we hope you'll be back for the 22nd cleanup. If you weren't able to make it this year, we'd really like for you to help us grow this event by coming out next year.

Rachel Cole did a story for the Friends of Padre on KRIS 6 News. Pictured in the photo: Left to Right, Friends of Padre Board Members Tyler Thorsen, Jeff Wolda, KRIS 6 Morning Anchor, Rachel Cole, and Friends of Padre Board Member, Troy Adler Below

http://www.kristv.com/clip/12241045/volunteers-needed-for-big-shell-cleanup