Friends of Padre

With Permission from Dr. Donna Shaver Today, 1 loggerhead nest was found in Texas, at Padre Island National Seashore. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 110 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 Bolivar Peninsula 1 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 1 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 1 Matagorda Peninsula 3 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 5 Mustang Island 78 North Padre Island, including 70 at Padre Island National Seashore 19 South Padre Island 1 Boca Chica Beach LOGGERHEAD TURTLE So far this year, 1 nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 North Padre Island, including 1 at Padre Island National Seashore 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 Do not cite or quote without permission.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 -- Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park Service, Padre Island National Seashore Texas Coordinator, Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Telephone (361)949-8173, ext. 226; fax: (361)949-9134; pager (361)851-4255 E-mail: donna_shaver@nps.gov http://www.nps.gov/pais/ Facebook: Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery

With Permission from Dr. Donna Shaver Yesterday, 1 Kemp’s ridley nest was found in Texas, at Padre Island National Seashore. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 103 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 Bolivar Peninsula 1 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 1 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 1 Matagorda Peninsula 3 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 4 Mustang Island 72 North Padre Island, including 64 at Padre Island National Seashore 19 South Padre Island 1 Boca Chica Beach 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 Do not cite or quote without permission.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

The water was off color but not completely brown. Driving was on the high road in two wheel drive until the seven mile area where conditions required four wheel drive. Jeff Wolda and I only made it down to the eight mile area as this was a late afternoon trip. One white tailed hawk was observed in addition to several groups of cattle egret and the usual laughing gulls, brown pelicans and shorebirds. Several juvenile green turtles and numerous stingrays were observed in the wade gut. Terns were observed feeding over scattered ladyfish. The tide is low in the evening but driving is not advised in the low road due to soft spots of rotten sargassum hidden below what looks to be "packed" sand.

Corpus Christi, Texas)– Padre Island National Seashore will offer a variety of fun and educational activities on Saturday, June 14, 2014 from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. for National Get Outdoors and Junior Ranger Day. Other than the park entry fee, there is no charge to participate in any of the activities. National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. In addition children may earn their Jr. Ranger badges by completing a short booklet of educational activities. Participating partners including the Texas State Aquarium, the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, and Texas Sea Life Center will offer opportunities for families to experience traditional and non-traditional types of outdoor activities. We will have sand sculpting lessons, kite building, live animals, education programs for families and much more! Feel free to bring a friend or make it a family outing, and enjoy the experience! For additional information contact the Malaquite Visitor Center at (361) 949-8068. --NPS--

With permission from Dr. Donna Shaver Update: Yesterday, 2 additional Kemp’s ridley nests were documented on the Texas coast, on South Padre Island. So far today, 1 Kemp’s ridley nest was found in Texas, also on South Padre Island. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 76 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 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 2 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 2 Mustang Island 52 North Padre Island, including 48 at Padre Island National Seashore 18 South Padre Island 1 Boca Chica Beach 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 -- Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park Service, Padre Island National Seashore Texas Coordinator, Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Telephone (361)949-8173, ext. 226; fax: (361)949-9134; pager (361)851-4255 E-mail: donna_shaver@nps.gov http://www.nps.gov/pais/ Facebook: Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Address for mail: Padre Island National Seashore P.O. Box 181300 Corpus Christi, TX 78480-1300 Address for express mail services: Padre Island National Seashore 20301 Park Road 22 Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Posted with permission via Dr. Shaver Yesterday, 13 Kemp’s ridley nest was confirmed in Texas (two of these were reported earlier in the day). The 13 included: 1 on Mustang Island, 1 on North Padre Island north of Padre Island National Seashore, 7 at Padre Island National Seashore, and 4 on South Padre Island. Five additional track sites located in Texas yesterday will be investigated further today. KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE So far this year, 61 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 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 1 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 1 Mustang Island 45 North Padre Island, including 41 at Padre Island National Seashore 13 South Padre Island 0 Boca Chica Beach 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 -- Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park Service, Padre Island National Seashore Texas Coordinator, Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Telephone (361)949-8173, ext. 226; fax: (361)949-9134; pager (361)851-4255 E-mail: donna_shaver@nps.gov http://www.nps.gov/pais/ Facebook: Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Address for mail: Padre Island National Seashore P.O. Box 181300 Corpus Christi, TX 78480-1300 Address for express mail services: Padre Island National Seashore 20301 Park Road 22 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 -- Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park Service, Padre Island National Seashore Texas Coordinator, Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Telephone (361)949-8173, ext. 226; fax: (361)949-9134; pager (361)851-4255 E-mail: donna_shaver@nps.gov http://www.nps.gov/pais/ Facebook: Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Address for mail: Padre Island National Seashore P.O. Box 181300 Corpus Christi, TX 78480-1300 Address for express mail services: Padre Island National Seashore 20301 Park Road 22 Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Via Jeff Wolda Air Temp: 82 Water Temp: 73 Wind: 5NE-15SE Waves: 2-3ft Water Clarity: North of the 25 is clearing, south is chocolate milk to the 3rd bar. Driving: Still good to the 6mm. The farther south you go the worse it gets. No road south of the 40. DO NOT DRIVE THE LOW ROAD AT THE WATERS EDGE EVEN AT LOW TIDE!! SINK HOLES DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF WEED ON THE BEACH WILL SWALLOW YOUR TRUCK. It appears some people were not aware of this. Hit the beach this morning with the intention of spending a couple of days down range. After a 4 hour grind to get to the 43 I gave up. Driving is as bad as it’s going to get. The only road is the high road. Lots of dead weed in the water and new mats offshore from the 25 south. I did not make a single cast today, did some birding and beachcombing instead. (like I had a choice) Heart, hamburger and mary’s beans were in good supply. We really need a steady SE blow for a couple of weeks to clear things out. To solve the beach driving, I hate to say it but, looks like we need a tropical storm in the gulf to get the storm surge to push everything to the dunes.

We received this nice letter from Padre Island National Seashore Superintendent, Mark Spier and thought we would share it.