Now You Know: Rookery Bay to celebrate National Estuaries Day

From 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday, May 4, Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, located at 300 Tower Road, Naples, will offer free admission all day for National Estuaries Day 2024.

There will be something for everyone in the family – kayak demos on the water, boat rides, art, kids’ crafts and activities, face painting, photo booths, food trucks, nature and wildlife exhibits, marine-life touch tank, boat tours and an art gallery exhibit.

It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about the coastal environment as well as the research and conservation taking place at Rookery Bay including sea turtle monitoring, shark research, shorebird monitoring, water quality, natural history, indigenous peoples and pioneers that inhabited the area long ago. 

For more information: RookeryBay.org.

Duffy replaces Brooks at MIYC

The Marco Island Yacht Club recently announced the appointment of Missy Duffy as general manager, replacing Carrie Brooks.  Duffy is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the club’s operations.

Duffy brings extensive experience in marine hospitality and will lead the Marco Island Yacht Club into its next phase of growth and success as an expansion project gets underway.

She most recently served as Dockmaster at MIYC. She is about to finish an MBA in finance from Florida Gulf Coast University.

“Missy’s leadership skills, combined with her passion for delivering exceptional member experiences, made her the ideal candidate to lead our club,” said Dave Everitt, chairman of the Board at MIYC. “We are confident that under her guidance, the Marco Island Yacht Club will continue to thrive as a jewel of Marco Island.”

“I am committed to delivering an unparalleled level of service to our members,” said Duffy. “Every day we’re working to make the temporary facilities a surprisingly great venue—and I’m especially excited about creating that ‘Wow!’ moment for members when we re-open the new clubhouse in the fall!”

A graduate of Florida Atlantic University where she was a NCAA Division 1 athlete in swimming, she also holds a masters’ degree in literature from the University of South Carolina, graduating Cum Laude.

Building owners provide rooftop-nesting habitat for shorebirds

Shorebirds and seabirds typically nest directly on beaches along Florida’s coasts but as shorelines get busier, species such as black skimmers, least terns, roseate terns and American oystercatchers increasingly use gravel rooftops to nest and raise chicks.

Shorebird and seabird nesting season takes place in Florida between Feb. 15 and Sept.1 – varying by region and county. Most rooftop nesting occurs between April and September. Building rooftops provide important alternative nesting habitat for shorebirds and seabirds, as most species nesting on rooftops are imperiled. Approximately 50 percent of Florida’s least tern population relies upon rooftops for nesting.

FWC says building owners and managers are key to the success of shorebirds nesting on rooftops. If you own or manage a building where shorebirds or seabirds are nesting on the roof, you can help with nesting success by giving the nesting birds space and coordinating with your FWC Regional Shorebird Biologist. To find a regional shorebird biologist near you, go to MyFWC.com/Shorebirds and click on “Shorebird Nest Dates and Contacts.”

For buildings that have shorebirds nesting on rooftops, it is recommended that routine maintenance and nonemergency repairs be conducted outside of shorebird nesting season, between September and February. If unexpected repairs are required during the nesting season, building owners can work with FWC regional shorebird biologists to determine if take could occur and how to apply if a permit is needed.   

For more information, go to MyFWC.com/Shorebirds and click on “Rooftop Nesting.”

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