A Birdseye View from St. Vincent Island

The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on what occurred during the past year on St. Vincent Island.  It was a busy year for the turtles, a courting year for the wolves, and a good harvest year for the managed hunts.  Federal funding cuts make it even more important for St. Vincent Island to have local supporters and volunteers to help be the caretakers of this unique wildlife refuge The Supporters group is currently preparing for the annual meeting in February and the open house on the island in March. We hope to expand our Supporters group and our volunteers and have the pleasure of introducing St. Vincent Island to more of the local population.

The Supporters Group of St. Vincent Island NWR will be holding its annual meeting on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 1-4 p.m. ET at the St. Joseph Peninsula Bay Buffer Preserve on County 30-A.  This is a wonderful time to join this dedicated group.  The Buffer Preserve is 4.5 miles south of the junction of U.S. Highway 98 and County 30-A and five miles north of the Indian Pass Raw Bar.  The guest speaker will be Dr. James J. O'Brien, Professor of Meteorology and Oceanography at Florida State University.  He will discuss the effects of climate change across Florida, review the latest ideas about hurricane patterns, and give a hint about future predictions.  He will also discuss the rising sea level and how El Nino and La Nina affect our Florida weather.  Lunch will be provided by Paul Gant.  Memberships to the Supporters of St. Vincent NWR will be sold at the door - $15 for individuals and $20 for families.

   The final count of turtle nests on St. Vincent in 2011 was 53 and those nests yielded 2,375 hatchlings.  There were seven additional nests which were inundated and/or washed away.  This year also had the first recorded green sea turtle nest on the island.  The green turtle is much larger than the loggerheads that traditionally nest on the island. The “Adopt-A-Nest” program had about 15 participants and it will be offered again this spring.  Proceeds from “adoptions” are used to help fund the sea turtle patrol activities.  Florida Fish and Wildlife has reported a decrease in the number of nests on Cape San Blas.  This decline may be the reason that the number of turtle nests on St. Vincent Island is increasing.  These numbers will continue to be monitored.

There are three managed hunts each hunting season on St. Vincent Island.  The November hunt (Nov. 17-19) is an archery hunt and 63 hunters harvested 11 White-tailed deer (four bucks and seven does) and five feral hogs.  The Sambar deer hunt took place on Dec. 1-3 with 103 hunters participating.  Six Sambar deer were harvested – four stags and two hinds – along with six feral hogs.  The January hunt (Jan. 19-21) – a primitive weapon hunt (muzzle loader and bow) – had 134 hunters participating. They harvested 27 white-tailed deer and 24 hogs.

The Open House is the most popular event held on St. Vincent Island.  Mark your calendars for Friday, March 30.  The Open House begins at 9 a.m. (EST) and concludes at 4 p.m.  The event is free of charge and you do not have to be a member of the Supporters Group to attend.  The event includes exhibits, nature hikes, lectures, live music, wagon tours of the island, and snacks.   Free transportation to and from the island will be provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

The monthly island tours are once again taking reservations.  All tours are on the second Wednesday of each month. The dates available before the summer break are March 14, April 11, and May 9.  Our enhanced website will give you a lot of details about the tours plus a convenient place to sign up.  Just click on “Island Tour Sign Up”.  The tour is free, but participants must make a reservation on the web @ www.stvincentfriends.com and seats are filled on a first come, first served basis. There is a small charge for boat transportation to and from the island. Bring everything you need, including drinking water – and leave only your footprints behind.  

This monthly column is provided by the Supporters of St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Please visit our web page for more information and volunteer opportunities – www.stvincentfriends.com - and never miss an opportunity to visit St. Vincent Island.