SCCF

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation protects and cares for Southwest Florida's coastal ecosystems. SCCF includes Sanibel Sea School and Coastal Watch.

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Renest success with the help of so many amazing community members! 🪹💙

Recently, our Coastal Wildlife team received a call from our friends @crowclinic about an osprey chick found on the ground near its nest in Pine Island, unable to fly. The chick was brought to CROW for evaluation. After it was determined the chick was healthy and uninjured, Osprey Program Coordinator Amanda along with volunteer Rita met the Pine Island/Matlacha Fire Department to renest the chick! Once the chick was back in the nest, it took less than 5 minutes for the mom to return!

If you come across sick, injured, or fallen ospreys, please call our osprey hotline at 919-8-Osprey (919-867-7739). Call CROW or a wildlife rehab center near you to report all other sick or injured wildlife.

#renest #sccf #swfl #osprey

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

At SCCF, Earth Day isn’t just one day, it’s every day 🌿🌊 From guided walks to hands-on conservation, every small action helps protect our coast and wildlife.

How many squares can you check off? ✔️ Grab our Earth Month Bingo card, get outside, and see how many you can complete! Tag us and share your progress to your stories, we’d love to feature you.

#SCCF #EarthDayEveryDay #OceanLove #ProtectOurCoast #SanibelLife #Conservation #BingoChallenge

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

First day of sea turtle monitoring! 🐢

Starting today through Oct. 31, SCCF staff and trained volunteers will survey 18 miles of beaches on Sanibel and Captiva every morning to look for signs of sea turtle nesting activity. When a nest is found, it’s staked off and monitored daily throughout incubation. Help sea turtles thrive this year by following the tips below:

🌃 After 9, it’s turtle time! Turn off/shield all lights visible from the beach, which disorient baby sea turtles
⛱️ Remove obstacles to nesting females such as beach furniture, toys, and sandcastles
🪣 Fill in holes, which can trap sea turtles, especially hatchlings
🚮 Pick up all trash on the beach. Litter can attract predators, and sea turtles can ingest or become entangled by discarded trash and fishing line
🚷 Keep at least 10 feet from marked sea turtle nests and do not disturb nesting females
🐢 Call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 (978-SAVE-ONE) to report issues with nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings

SCCF’s sea turtle monitoring activities are conducted under @myfwc permits MTP-047 and MTP-170.

#seaturtles #seaturtle #nestingseason #sanibel #sanibelisland #captiva #captivaisland #sanibelislandflorida #sccf #turtles #sharetheshore

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Members of the Coastal Wildlife team recently presented research about impacts of beach renourishment and migration strategies at the 44th International Sea Turtle Symposium in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

This symposium, held annually by the International Sea Turtle Society, brings the sea turtle community together to celebrate achievements, commitments, and successes worldwide.

Our team shared their research with peers from 55 countries and learned about conservation challenges and successes and emerging challenges from fellow biologists. 🐢✨💚

#ISTS_Symposium44 #seaturtles #seaturtleconservation #sccf

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Take action now to save our estuary for the future💧💙

If you’ve been around the waters of the Caloosahatchee estuary recently, you’ve probably noticed how beautiful it looks. The turquoise waters of the Gulf have surrounded our islands, providing picturesque views stretching from the shore to the horizon, but there is currently a disaster unfolding beneath the surface.

For a healthy estuary, Gulf waters must be balanced by freshwater flows from the Caloosahatchee watershed. Salty Gulf water is kept out of the upper estuary by fresh water coming through the S-79 Franklin Lock and Dam. The optimum amount for these flows is 750 - 2,100 cubic feet per second (cfs), a range that maintains the salinity balance required for oyster and tape grass habitat while protecting species with low salt tolerances.

As of mid- March, the 14-day moving average flow at S-79 has been below the optimum flow envelope for 142 days and below the mandated minimum flow level (MFL) of 457 cfs for 109 consecutive days.

Please help us send the message to water managers to increase flows at the Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) to the range required for the health of the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Click the link to take action. 👇
https://t.co/8mEz6jlwkh

#waterquality #sanibel #sccf #takeaction #swfl

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

How many times have you walked past this without noticing? What looks like an empty stretch of beach actually contains a state-threatened #snowyplover on top of a new nest scrape!

One of our volunteers noticed this scrape and associated nesting behaviors over the weekend, on the first official day of shorebird nesting season in Southwest Florida.

Please give nesting shorebirds space to thrive this season: watch your step, pick up your trash, leash your pets, and avoid disturbing birds.

📷: Joe Foster

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

A rare bird surprise at SCCF’s Pick Preserve! ✨

Several excited birders recently alerted us of a surprising visitor to our preserve: A scissor-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)! Known for its elegant gray and yellow-orange coloring and unmistakably long, forked tail, this striking bird is usually found in the south-central United States but occasionally wanders far beyond its typical range during migration.

At one point, there were two at the preserve!

Scissor-tailed flycatchers typically favor open landscapes with scattered trees and shrubs, habitats much like those found at SCCF’s preserves, where they can hunt insects and rest during migration. Sightings like this are a reminder of how important protected habitats are for migratory birds traveling through Southwest Florida.

*Note* SCCF’s Pick Preserve does not have public parking.

📷: Photos 1 & 3 by Susan Griffith Berthelot, Photo 2 by Debi Griffith

#scissortailedflycatcher #bird #migration #sanibel #sanibelisland

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Three takeaways from the Paul McCarthy Memorial Lecture Series 👇

Jean-Michel Cousteau left us with powerful reminders:
• Ocean conservation has never been more urgent
• Our community’s commitment to conservation is inspiring
• Exploration and science can drive meaningful change 💙

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special event.

#SCCF #McCarthyLecture #OceanConservation #Sanibel #Conservation #MarineScience #ProtectOurOceans

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

How can you see all this and not want to protect it? 🌎

Every shoreline, trail, and habitat needs people who care enough to show up. Volunteering with SCCF is more than giving time, it’s helping preserve the places that make Southwest Florida so special.

Join us in protecting what we love. Comment “PROTECT” for more information on how to get involved
#SCCF #ProtectOurLand #VolunteerForNature #Sanibel #Conservation #SWFL #GiveBack #LoveWhereYouLive

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Bald eagle update from Sanibel’s ‘Dairy Queen nest’ 🦅💙

SCCF staff and volunteers have been closely monitoring bald eagle nests across Sanibel and Captiva, and the 2025 nesting season is off to a strong start. On Sanibel, four of five known nests have hatched, including the locally beloved “Dairy Queen nest” (pictured), where two eaglets have hatched.

On Captiva, our three monitored nests have hatched a total of five chicks. Unfortunately, the North Captiva nest was less successful and failed following a territorial dispute between other adult eagles.

“It can be difficult to confirm the exact number of chicks in the early weeks after hatching, as eaglets are small and tend to remain low in the nest,” said SCCF Shorebird Biologist Audrey Albrecht. “Once they grow bigger and more adventurous, they are easier to spot.”

In Florida, bald eagle nesting season runs from Oct. 1 to May 15.

#baldeagles #baldeagle #sanibel #captiva #eagle

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

What an incredible day at Point Ybel Brewery! 🍻 Thank you to everyone who came out to support SCCF’s wildlife research and habitat management of the Sanibel Slough. 

From live music by PIT Tag to ambassador animals, lightning talks, and family-friendly fun — this community truly showed up for conservation. Every drink, every conversation, every moment made a difference. 🌿

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Love is in the air, and tomorrow it’s in the sand, too, with Feb. 15 marking the beginning of shorebird nesting season in Southwest Florida. 🐦

Sanibel provides critical habitat for several shorebird species, including state-threatened snowy plovers (Anarhynchus nivosus), pictured here. Perfectly camouflaged against the sand, their nests, eggs, and chicks are easy to miss, which means a little care from beachgoers goes a long way.

You can help by leashing pets, watching where you step, and giving posted nesting areas plenty of space (especially when taking photos). Our shorebird team will be out every day through August monitoring and protecting these vulnerable beach nesters.

Learn more about how to share the shore: https://t.co/YPOCNS3U0B

#shorebirds #snowyplover #sharetheshore #sanibel #ValentinesDay

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Meet the striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii)! 🐢 Native to Florida, these aquatic turtles can be found in ponds, ditches, and seasonal wetlands throughout the state. Look for their dark shells with three vertical stripes, and two bright yellow stripes along each side of their heads.

During the dry season, striped mud turtles go into estivation, which is like a mini hibernation, by burrowing underground to survive when water is scarce. Their habitats rely on healthy freshwater systems, which can be affected by human water use and hurricane events.

🛑 On Sanibel, one of the biggest threats to this species is road mortality. If you see a turtle crossing the road, slow down and help move it safely in the direction it was going. It can save their life!

At SCCF, we are following the movements of several striped mud turtles so our biologists can better understand their ecology and movement on a barrier island.

#stripedmudturtle #turtles #sanibel #mudturtle #turtle

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like a nature pun. 🌿💙

Send these SCCF-inspired Valentine’s cards to that special someone. :)

#sanibel #captiva #valentinescards #conservation #wildlife

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

#BeerintheBushes 2026 is coming soon. 🍺✨ We’re excited to welcome @snzippers to the stage on April 4 at our biggest SCCF event, which will include craft beer and a food truck alley! Sponsorships are available now, and tickets go on sale Feb. 25.

https://t.co/6ENq6hBIXB

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Freshwater flows to the Caloosahatchee have been below the optimum for 100+ days, and our estuary and fisheries will pay the price.

Seagrass and oyster reefs support water quality and juvenile habitat for many species, but low flows raise salinity, stressing these critical ecosystems. Prolonged low flows can weaken fisheries for years, impacting biodiversity, water quality, and coastal economies.

Stay informed by subscribing to SCCF’s Weekly Water Conditions Report: https://t.co/gjUXz2XYUI

#waterquality #caloosahatchee #habitat #fisheries #sanibel

[Mrs. Rameau @MrsRameau]

3rd graders conducted research on loggerhead sea turtles to start the #EvergladesWeek, as PSE is organizing a fundraising to purchase turtle tracking devices for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. @SCCF_SWFL @ParksideProud @collierschools
@EvergladesNPS

[David Ware @mrwarescience]

2nd grade students have been coming to the STEM Lab to monitor the water quality of the water near Parkside and our 5th grade students have been helping to raise funds for the @SCCF_SWFL and teaching younger students about sea turtles! @TeachEverglades @collierschools

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

Happy #WorldWetlandsDay. 💙 Today and every day, we recognize the importance of the interior wetlands that protect #Sanibel from flooding, filter our water, and support an incredible web of life.

At SCCF, we are actively working to conserve and restore these vital ecosystems, protecting the biodiversity of our marshes and the natural uniqueness of our island.

[SCCF @SCCF_SWFL]

At a moment that matters deeply for the future of the Everglades, SCCF joined our fellow scientists, advocates, and partners for the 41st annual Everglades Coalition Conference this week.

This year’s conference arrives at a pivotal time for Everglades restoration, making it all the more important to unite around science, collaboration, and our shared responsibility to protect this extraordinary ecosystem.

SCCF has been here participating in panels, connecting with partners, and continuing the conversations that move restoration forward for Florida’s water quality, wildlife, communities, and future.

#evco2026 #evco #Everglades #evergladesnationalpark #restoration