More than 12,000 baby sea turtles emerged from Rookery Bay beaches this year thanks to the dedicated  work of Rookery Bay’s sea turtle team and support from the Friends of Rookery Bay’s Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest program. The proceeds from 96 adopted nests were able to fund three sea turtle interns to monitor Cape Romano, Sea Oat Island, Cannon Island and the Ten Thousand Islands for sea

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center auditorium played host to staff, volunteers and partners for a special screening of Guardians of Yellowstone: The Yellowstone Cougar Project. The documentary highlights more than 35 years of groundbreaking wildlife research in Yellowstone National Park.   

More than 35 children and their parents spent a day exploring Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve last week during the inaugural “Rookery Bay Roots of Adventure Kids Event.” The half-day experience was held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School (EPSS) and gave conference attendees' families an opportunity to experience Rookery Bay’s estuary 

For the first time in ten years, Least terns have nested on Morgan Beach and for the first time in three years, Black skimmers have returned to Sand Dollar Island. These rare encounters are a promising sign that Rookery Bay’s avian monitoring is making a positive impact on these imperiled species.     

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center recently welcomed a group of fourth and fifth graders participating in the Grace Place summer camp program. These visits often serve as a child’s first connection to natural Florida and its iconic species.    

Volunteers are the heart and soul of Rookery Bay Research Reserve, contributing their time and talent to help connect people with the Reserve’s coastal environment. Every few months Volunteer Coordinator Donna Young hosts an informational orientation to welcome a new group interested in volunteering. At the last one, seasoned volunteer Beth Thompson took the lead at the Environmental Learning Center Estuary Encounter touch tank.

The tiniest of tiny baby gecko recently made an unexpected appearance inside the Rookery Bay Administrative Building. The little hatchling was so young it still had a little piece of eggshell attached to its foot when staff found it roaming around inside.  

On Saturday, May 2nd, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve welcomed nearly 900 community members to the 2026 Rookery Bay Community Day. This family-friendly event was dedicated to celebrating the connection between people and the coastal environment.   It was a picture-perfect day filled with smiling kids, families and hands-on fun throughout the Environmental Learning Center grounds.

Spring in Southwest Florida means the return of one of nature’s most remarkable events … nesting season for shorebirds and sea turtles. Beginning April 1, beaches throughout the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve become critical nesting habitat for shorebirds such as Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Wilson’s Plovers and Loggerhead Sea Turtles.  

Rookery Bay Volunteer Orlando Hidalgo recently captured special moments of a bald eagle mother caring for her juvenile in the nest and in flight. The young eagle was observed being fed and preened by its parent and later shadowing her in the air to learn hunting and survival skills.  Juvenile bald eagles look dramatically different from the iconic white-headed adults.