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.

Panhandle Outdoors LIVE – Webinar – Wednesday Sep 2

Identification and Management of Invasive Cogongrass

12:00 – 12:30 CDT

1:00 – 1:30 EDT

This series of webinars is replacing the Panhandle Outdoor LIVE program we typically do but cannot due to COVID-19. The will broadcast the first and third Wednesdays of each month from August 19 through December.

You can find a calendar of all presentations at the link below.

You can register for a talk by clicking on the title.

http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/panhandle-outdoors-live-online/.

Water Quality Updates

Health Advisories

• Aug 17 – Bayou Grande (POOR – ADVISORY ISSUED) Bayou Chico (MODERATE), bayou Texar, Big Lagoon SP, Johnsons Beach, Sanders Beach, Perdido Key SP (GOOD)
• Aug 18 – Park West (POOR), Casino Beach, Park East, Park West, Opal Beach, Ft. Pickens, Quietwater Beach (GOOD)
• Aug 19 – Park West (GOOD – no advisory issued)
• See all data below

Rainfall

• Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
• Jan (4.0) Feb (2.8) Mar (0.6) – Winter (7.4”)
• Apr (3.2) May (1.6) Jun (6.5) – Spring (11.3”)
• Jul (9.1”) Aug (1.9”)

Salinity

• The objective to see who has a MEAN, MEDIAN, and MODE 20‰ of higher for seagrass and scallop restoration.
• 2020 2^nd Quarter Update
• > 20‰: Big Sabine, Old River, Bayou Grande, Little Sabine, Kees Bayou, Big Lagoon,
• < 20‰: Lower Perdido Bay,

Longnose Killifish Monitoring

• Longnose killifish (Fundulus similis) is being used as an indicator of freshwater tributaries.
• Project on hold due to COVID-19

Red Tide & Harmful Algal Blooms

• Report Date – Aug 14
• Red tide reported from one location in Charlotte County in SW Florida
• No reports from the panhandle
• No reports from the east coast
• HABs not detected in panhandle this week

Fish Kills

• No fish kills reported this week.
• No Fish Kills reported in Escambia / Santa Rosa for Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun
• Report fish kills to FWC at – https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.

Habitat Restoration Updates

• Living Shorelines
• – In the process of monitoring existing projects – reports coming. If interested in a living shoreline contact me.
• Seagrass Monitoring
• – We have begun monitoring in Big Lagoon. A few stations do need volunteers. Some stations will require a boat to access. If interested – contact me.
• Mangrove Surveys
• – We have 10 transects to survey. 3 have been completed. If you are interested in doing one let me know. Paddle craft needed for this, paddleboard works best. If interested – contact me.
• OCEAN HOUR IS BACK IN! BUT the time has changed. They are now meeting at 7:45 AM and cleaning from 8:00 – 9:00. Tomorrow they are cleaning at

Wayside Park East – meet at the visitors center

William Bartram Park

They will be practicing social distancing. Bring your own gloves, closed toed shoes, and water.

Wildlife Monitoring Updates

 

• Terrapin Surveys – ongoing until Sep 30 – if interested contact me
• Horseshoe Crabs – will resume in the fall – Oct 1
• Barrier Island Cottonmouth Survey – ongoing until Halloween – 7 found – update report in fall
• The Great Scallop Search – WE ARE READY TO BEGIN! This is to survey Big Lagoon. You will need a team of 3 to do this survey. Requires snorkel gear. Underwater gloves recommended. Some locations require a boat to reach. Contact me if you would like to do this.
• The Great Scavenger Hunt – planned for week of Sep 13-19; one on Perdido Key, one on Pensacola Beach – may be impacted by COVID – stay tuned.
• Manatee Watch – More of reports this week. Some post-dated but needed none the less. Reports coming from all over the bay area. 56 reports since Jan 1
• – PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SIGHTINGS (roc1@ufl.edu)
• – ALSO, APPROACH SHORE AND DOCKS SLOWLY WITH A LOOKOUT IF YOU CAN
• IT IS BIRD NESTING SEASON ON OUR BARRIER ISLANDS – please slow down

 

Invasive Species Updates

 

• Cuban Treefrog Records – there has been an increase in reports of these animals in our area. Read the following article to find out where and how to manage this before they become a bigger problem –

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/07/02/are-we-being-invaded-by-cuban-treefrogs-maybe/.

We had a webinar on this topic Aug 19 – you can view this by visiting the Panhandle Outdoors Facebook page – be sure to follow us!

• Halloweed – coming in October
• Lionfish
• – LRAD has been canceled – there are plans for one next spring!
• The Great Scavenger Hunt – scheduled for the week of Sep 13-19; one on Perdido Key, one on Pensacola Beach – WATCHING COVID SITUATION

 

Seafood in Peak Season for August

• Rolling out of peak season
• – Crawfish
• – Pink shrimp
• In peak season
• – Clams
• – Flounder
• – King Mackerel – children, pregnant women should only consume one serving a week
• – Brown shrimp (bay shrimp)
• – Rock shrimp
• – White shrimp (Gulf shrimp)
• – Snapper – check state limits and accessibility; change frequently
• – Yellowfin tuna
• Beginning peak season
• – Spanish mackerel
• – Spiny lobster
• Seafood Safety Guidelines – Escambia County Division of Marine Resources – https://www.myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/seafood-safety.

Upcoming Programs

 

PANHANDLE OUTDOORS LIVE – WEBINAR

Sep 2 – Identification and Management of Invasive Cogongrass

12:00 – 12:30 CDT

1:00 – 1:30 EDT

Register, and see other webinars, at

http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/panhandle-outdoors-live-online/.

BITE SIZED SCIENCE WEBINARS

WE’RE COMING BACK – MORE COOL WEBINARS ON MARINE RELATED TOPICS ARE BEING PLANNED AND SCHEDULED AS WE SPEAK – STAY TUNED.

Round #1 is completed – however, you can view any of the past ones by visiting http://bit.ly/bite-sizedscience

 

SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS

WE ARE ALSO COMING BACK! MORE COOL RECIPES AND SEAFOOD DISHES FOR YOU TO TRY – STAY TUNED.

Round #1 have all been completed. You can view any of the past programs by visiting the Florida Sea Grant Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/floridaseagrant/.

Or get the recipes at our website – https://www.flseagrant.org/.

Current Articles

 

Weekly “What is it?” – American Beautyberry

Carrie Stevenson

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

 

Barrier Island Mammals

Another series being developed to learn more about our marine, and estuarine, wildlife.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

A Second Look at Dandelions

Molly Jameson – Leon County Extension

http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/

 

2020 Year of the Turtle – WE HAVE COMPLETED ARTICLES ON ALL FLORIDA SPECIES

You can find any species you are interested by visiting the link below – find the search box near the top entitled “what can we help you with?” – and type in the turtle you are interested in.

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/escambia/?topic=natural-resources#county-feed.

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	29	10	10	.34
Sanders Beach	26	3	0	.00
Bayou Chico	21	4	4	.19
Bayou Grande	20	6	6	.30
Big Lagoon SP	18	2	0	.00
Perdido Key SP	20	0	0	.00
Casino Beach	19	0	0	.00
Park East	19	1	0	.00
Park West	19	1	0	.00
Quietwater Beach	19	0	0	.00
Ft. Pickens	7	0	0	.00
Opal Beach	7	0	0	.00
TOTAL	224	27	20	.09

 

 

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
Jun	0	0
Jul	2	NR	Baitfish at Navarre Beach and Perdido Key; probably a discard
Aug	0	0
TOTAL	2	0