A Season of New Beginnings
Sea turtles and shorebirds nest across Rookery Bay
More than 15,000 baby sea turtles have emerged from nests monitored by Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve this year, marking a dramatic turnaround from a nesting season that got off to an unusually slow start.
At the same time, several of Rookery Bay’s threatened and endangered beach-nesting birds are returning to sites where they have not nested in years, making 2026 a season of encouraging developments for wildlife along the reserve’s coast.
From May through October, Rookery Bay’s sea turtle team monitors the remote reserve beaches from Cape Romano to the Ten Thousand Islands. Each morning during nesting season, staff and interns look for tracks left overnight by female sea turtles, identify and document new nests, and install protective cages to reduce disturbance from predators.
While this year’s season began with fewer nests than usual, activity increased dramatically in early June. The team’s work was supported by the Friends of Rookery Bay’s Adopt-a-Sea-Turtle-Nest-Program. The program has become an important source of support for Rookery Bay’s sea turtle conservation efforts.
Shorebirds Return to Historic Nesting Sites
Sea turtles are not the only coastal species giving Rookery Bay biologists reasons for optimism this year. For the first time in approximately a decade, least terns have nested on Morgan Beach. Black skimmers have also returned to nest on Sand Dollar Island for the first time in three years.
Another closely watched species is the American oystercatcher. Successful American oystercatcher nesting is rare in Collier County, but for the past two years, Rookery Bay avian ecologists have observed a pair attempting to nest within the reserve. Their nests have not yet produced fledglings due in part to predation from coyotes and fish crows, but their continued attempts offer another promising sign.
Visitors can help by following posted signs and seasonal beach closures, keeping dogs leashed and away from bird colonies, and giving groups of resting or nesting birds plenty of space. Rookery Bay recommends staying at least 500 feet from large concentrations of birds whenever possible and changing course if birds begin reacting to your presence.
As Rookery Bay’s 2026 nesting season continues, thousands of sea turtle hatchlings have already reached the water, while least terns, black skimmers, and American oystercatchers are attempting to raise the next generation along the reserve’s beaches.
For the scientists and interns monitoring those shores, each track in the sand, newly discovered nest, and fledgling represents another piece of the larger picture of how wildlife is using and responding to Rookery Bay’s protected coastal habitats.
To learn more about Rookery Bay’s research and conservation efforts, visit rookerybay.org.
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