Extension offices across the district are now slowly opening on a limited basis. Some essential programs are being provided with limited attendance and social distancing. It is still best to contact us by phone or email.
A few of our CITIZEN SCIENCE projects will begin again this week. Read below for details on which and when.
SAVE THE DATE – STORMWATER MANAGEMENT WEBINAR
The panhandle natural resource team will be providing a follow-up to last years stormwater management workshop but as a 2-day webinar this year. Each webinar will be 2-hours. The first will be June 15 and the second will be June 22. Information on the agenda and registration coming. SAVE THE DATE!
FLORIDA INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK (FLISAW)
We will have our last broadcast on this issue this morning at 9:00 AM CDT.
Today we will discuss What Can You Do?
You can view this, and the other posted videos at
https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleOutdoorsNews/.
BITE SIZED SCIENCE WEBINARS
Florida Sea Grant is presenting short webinars are a variety of marine science related topics.
They will be broadcast each day from now until May 29. 3:00 PM CDT. Registration link http://bit.ly/bite-sizedscience
TODAY – 3:00 PM
Purchasing Local Seafood – Holly Abeels
NEXT WEEK
Mon NO PROGRAM – MEMORIAL DAY
Tue Spotted Seatrout – Brittany Scharf
Wed Diamondback Terrapins – Rick O’Connor
Thu Bioplastics – Dr. Maia McGuire
Fri Offshore Aquaculture – Dr. Laura Tiu
SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS
Live broadcast of local seafood items and how to prepare them. The presentations will include cooking!
Each Wednesday – 5:00 PM – http://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/seafoodatyourfingertips/
This Week: May 27 – African Pompano Ceviche
MANATEE SIGHTINGS – no manatees reported this week
Please contact me if you see one. Thanks
FLORIDA INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK (FLISAW)
This annual event educates the public about local invasive species issues. This year the UF IFAS Extension NW District Natural Resource team will be presenting a series of Facebook Live broadcast each morning at 9:00 AM CDT.
Mon May 18 – Kick-Off we will begin by discussing local issues and terms
Tue May 19 – Giant Salvinia – this is problem pond plant in some parts of the panhandle.
Wed May 20 – Feral Hogs – this is a problem everywhere.
Thu May 21 – Regal Demoiselle – this is a new tropical fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
Fri May 22 – Wrap Up – we will review all and explain how you can help
Join us each morning at https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleOutdoorsNews/
YOUTH SCIENCE LESSON FROM THE ROY HYATT ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Metamorphosis of the Insect!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBJDG4Uwp1c
Plants Are Alive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4re8FXB3LY
In Search of a Carnivore!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxC2lMSLO6A
Ant Mound Mystery!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqwu0OFuQxU
Whooo Left That Behind? and What in the World Is It?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ4V_pBMzB8
Snakes, and Scales, and Turtle Tails! part 1: Reptiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7B58fxwf2g
Snakes, and Scales, and Turtle Tails! part 2: The Crocodilians
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyUmFdH4vT0
Snakes, and Scales, and Turtle Tails! Part 3: The Turtles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7B58fxwf2g
The Secret Life of Plants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyUmFdH4vT0
CURRENT ARTICLES
ESCAMBIA COUNTY EXTENSION NATURAL RESOURCE BLOGS
Weekly “What is it?” – Sea Pork
Carrie Stevenson
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/05/20/weekly-what-is-it-sea-pork/.
Embrace the Gulf 2020 – The Nemertean Worms
Continuing this series about the natural and cultural history of “The Pond”
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/05/13/embrace-the-gulf-2020-the-nemertean-worms/.
2020 Year of the Turtle – Diamondback Terrapins
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/05/17/2020-year-of-the-turtle-diamondback-terrapins/.
Panhandle Outdoors
Sea Pork – A Shoreline Oddity – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
How to Become an Expert Naturalist – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
2020 Year of the Turtle – Diamondback Terrapins – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
UF IFAS Water Management Lunch & Learn Courses
The lunch and learn In-Service Training opportunity, Introduction to Water Resources Management in Florida has been updated to ensure the safety and security of these webinars. We have changed the Zoom link and are requiring registration for all webinars.
| Topic | Presenter | Date | Click Link to Register |
| TMDLs overview | Mary Lusk | 3/17/20 | Video recording here |
| BMAPs overview | Lisa Krimsky and Charles Barrett | 4/28/20 | Register here |
| BMAPs – Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) | Eban Bean | 5/19/20 | Register here |
| BMAPs – On-site sewage systems | Andrea Albertin | 6/16/20 | Register here |
| BMAPs – Ag BMPs | Lakesh Sharma | 7/14/20 | Register here |
| Hydrology 101 and using the DBYHYDRO environmental dataset | Haimanote Bayabil | 8/18/20 | Register here |
You can view the past webinars at : https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/martin/sea-grant—martinst-lucie/.
Water Quality Updates
Health Advisories
- May 18 – Bayou Chico, Perdido Key SP (both good)
- May 18 – Big Lagoon SP (moderate)
- May 18 – Bayou Grande, Bayou Texar, Sanders Beach (POOR) – Advisories issued for Grande and Texar
- May 19 – Casino Beach, Park East, Park West, Quietwater (all good)
- See all data below
Rainfall
- The rain is returning… and the fires are under control
- Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
- 2019 rainfall total in East Hill was 47.5”. Rainfall for airport was similar.
- Jan (4.0) Feb (2.8) Mar (0.6) – Winter (7.4”)
- Apr (3.2) May (1.4)
Salinity
- The objective of this citizen science project is to determine the mean/median/mode of salinity in local waterbodies for the purpose to assess the potential success of restoration projects: such as bay scallop and specific species of seagrasses. We are looking for a mean/median/mode of 20‰ or higher. We are hoping to get a minimum of 100 measurements from each location.
- 2020 1st Quarter Results
- Those with Mean/Mode of 20‰ or higher: Grande, Big Lagoon, Lower Perdido Bay, Old River
- Those below 20‰ at this time: Kees Bayou, Little Sabine
- MONTITORING BEGINS AGAIN THIS WEEK – 2nd Quarter Report coming
Longnose Killifish Monitoring
- ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Red Tide & Harmful Algal Blooms
- Last report for RED TIDE was posted May 15 (FWC)
- Panhandle – not detected
- SW Florida – background concentrations in Manatee and Collier counties
- East Coast of FL – not detected
- HABs not detected in panhandle this week
Fish Kills
- No Fish Kills reported in Escambia / Santa Rosa for Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, or May
- Report fish kills to FWC at – https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.
Marine Science Academy – Washington High School – Fish & Water Quality Data – updated
http://whs-ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/MarineScienceAcademy.
Habitat Restoration
- OCEAN HOUR IS BACK IN ACTION ON A SMALL SCALE
- – Meet at 8:45 AM; clean ups are from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
- – They encourage you to bring your own gloves, bucket, and grabber
- – Sunscreen, water, closed toe-d shoes, and mask are recommended
- – If more than 10 arrive, they will be redirected to other locations
- – If rain/thunder/lightning occur – it will be canceled
- – This Week: Wayside Park / Graffiti Bridge (Pensacola Visitors Center) & William Bartram Park across from Seville Square.
- Living Shorelines – NO SITE VISITS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Seagrass Monitoring – WILL BE RESUMING THIS WEEK
- – If interested in this citizen science project – contact me.
- Mangrove Migration – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Wildlife & Fisheries Updates
- Panhandle Diamondback Terrapin Project – WILL BE RESUMING THIS WEEK
- – If interested – contact me.
- Horseshoe Crabs – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Barrier Island Cottonmouth Survey – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- The Great Scallop Search – PLANNED FOR JUNE 13 – ON HOLD FOR NOW
- The Great Scavenger Hunt – PLANNED FOR SEP 12
- Manatee Watch – PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SIGHTINGS (roc1@ufl.edu)
- 2020 Goliath Grouper Count – coming in June; more details coming
Invasive Species Updates
- Florida Invasive Species Awareness Week (FLISAW) – May 18-22
This year UF IFAS Extension will be providing Facebook Live broadcast of how to identify and remove selected local invasive species.
Monday May 18 – Intro to the Invasives and Terms; Scott Jackson, Julie McConnell (UF IFAS)
Tuesday May 19 – Giant Salvinia; Derek Fussell (FWC)
Wednesday May 20 – Feral Hogs; Jennifer Bearden (UF IFAS)
Thursday May 21 – Regal Demoiselle; Rick O’Connor (UF IFAS)
Friday May 22 – How to Report Invasive Species; Scott Jackson, Rick O’Connor (UF IFAS)
- Weed Wrangles – ON HOLD FOR NOW
- Lionfish
- – 2020 Emerald Coast Open – ON HOLD
- Inshore Lionfish Surveys – ON HOLD – IF YOU SEE ANY LIONFISH NEARSHORE OR IN THE BAY, PLEASE CONTACT ME
- Regal Demoiselle – Currently working on post on how to identify and report this reef fish
- – For information on this view video at https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleOutdoorsNews/.
- Brown (Cuban) Anole – REPORT TO EDDMAPS IF FOUND IN YARD
- Tropical Fish Species of Concern – Currently working on publication; MORE SOON.
Seafood Updates
- SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS
– Each Wednesday @ 5:00 PM – http://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/seafoodatyourfingertips/
- – THIS WEEK – AFRICAN POMPANO CERVICHE
- Local Seafood is here and available! Consider local seafood for your meal choices
- Here’s what’s in Peak Season for MAY
- – Softshell blue crab
- – Clams
- – Crawfish
- – Mahi-Mahi
- – Brown shrimp (bay shrimp)
- – Pink shrimp
- – White shrimp (Gulf shrimp)
- – Snapper – check state limits and accessibility; change frequently
- – Spanish Mackerel
- Seafood Safety Guidelines – Escambia County Division of Marine Resources – https://www.myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/seafood-safety.
HEALTH ADVISORY DATA
Enterococcus bacteria count rubric for health advisories (Florida Department of Health)
GOOD 0-35 colonies/100ml of sample
MODERATE 36-70 colonies/100ml
POOR 71> colonies/100ml
Health Advisory Frequency
Data provided by the Florida Department of Health’s Healthy Beaches Program
| Body of Water | # of samples collected | # of POOR reports | # of advisories issued | % frequency of advisories |
| Bayou Texar | 16 | 5 | 5 | .31 |
| Sanders Beach | 13 | 1 | 0 | .00 |
| Bayou Chico | 8 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Bayou Grande | 7 | 1 | 1 | .14 |
| Big Lagoon SP | 6 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Perdido Key SP | 7 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Casino Beach | 6 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Park East | 6 | 1 | 0 | .00 |
| Park West | 6 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Quietwater Beach | 6 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Fish Kill Data provided by FWC (Escambia and Santa Rosa counties)
| Month | # of Fish Kills reported | # of Dead Fish reported | Cause |
| Jan | 0 | 0 | |
| Feb | 0 | 0 | |
| Mar | 0 | 0 | |
| Apr | 0 | 0 | |
| May | 0 | 0 |
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