Attention Sanibel Shell Club members: The first ever “Live Mollusk Count” will be held on January 3, 2022 only from 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM. This is the lowest tide of the year and most likely you will be at the beach anyway so get out your sunscreen, your camera and be a part of this important survey. After the count concludes, we will meet at the Shell Museum at 9AM to turn in the log sheets and enjoy a beverage and a homemade cookie or two.
We need your help, but please SIGN UP BEFORE DECEMBER 15 IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE.
Not a member? JOIN NOW!
It is an easy assignment, walking a half-mile of beach and counting the live mollusks you see within the two-hour window. Note that the beach sections will be assigned “first come – first served” so be sure to RSVP to Joyce by Dec 15!
SIGN UP NOW!
Joyce Matthys
joycematthys1@gmail.com by December 15th
(503) 871-1082
NOTE: after you are registered, you will receive an emailed log sheet for your count.
DETAILS
Live Mollusk Count
When: Monday, January 3rd, 7:00 – 9:00 AM
• Times for the lowest tide of the year (-1.3):
o Captiva – Low tide is at 6:36 AM
o Lighthouse – Low tide is at 7:52 AM
Who: You! We suggest two people work as a team.
Where: Sanibel’s beaches have been broken down into 23 sections that are 1/2 mile in length and one section that is 1 mile long.
• Select your 1st and 2nd choices from the “Beach Sections List.”
• Email your choices to joycematthys1@gmail.com by December 15th. Please note if another person will be working with you, include your name and your preferred telephone number in your email.
• Your confirmation email will include additional details about the event.
Entry and Exit points:
• In some cases these access points are at a resort. We are contacting the resorts to get permission for you to park in their parking lots from 7:00 to 9:00 AM. You will be provided with a sign to put on the dashboard of your car that will identify you as a “Mollusk Count Participant.”
What you will do:
• Prepare for the event by scouting out the starting and end points of your section prior to January 3rd.
Sections 14 through 23 do not have mile markers.
o Scouting your section example:
–Section #14 begins at Beach Access #4 and ends at Beach Access #7.
–Drive to Beach Access #7, walk to the beach and take a photo of this point. It is where you will turn around and walk back to Beach Access #4.
• Prior to the event, you will receive a log sheet to document the live mollusks you see on the beach or in the shallow waters that can be seen from the water’s edge.
• The day of the event: Walk your section of beach and use the log sheet to document these things:
o The location where the mollusk was seen:
–First half of your section
–Second half of your section
o The common name or scientific name of the mollusk
o If more than one mollusk of the same species was in the immediate area, estimate the number seen.
o There is the possibility that you might not see any live mollusks. Their absence is also valuable data.
o If you see a mollusk trail in the sand, you may uncover the mollusk to identify it, just be sure to put it back where you found it and in the position you found it. Gently cover it with sand if it was buried.
o Information about taking photos of some mollusks will be given to you closer to January 3.
When you reach the end point of your section, walk back to your starting point, but do not continue to count the mollusks.
• At 9:00 AM go to the Shell Museum and turn in your log sheet. We plan meet at the tables outside the museum where you can exchange your stories of what you found while enjoying a beverage and a cookie or two. If the weather doesn’t cooperate we will meet in the lobby.
• When the log sheets have been tallied, the data will be turned over to the museum.
A big thank you goes out to Joe Heitz for creating our log sheets and for offering to consolidate the data.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. If I don’t answer the phone, please leave a message.
Joyce Matthys
(503) 871-1082
MOLLUSK COUNT DATA SHEET
