Friends of Padre: News

The 18^th. Annual Big Shell Beach Cleanup will be held on Saturday, 23 February, 2013. The event will commence at 07:00 a.m. and volunteers will be back at the Malaquite Pavilion by 2 p.m.  4 wheel drive vehicles and operators, trailers for hauling trash and walking volunteers are all needed and welcomed.  Walking volunteers will be afforded transport to and from the work area.  Water, sodas and drinks will be available in the work area and at Malaquite after the event but if you feel like you might want something more feel free to bring it.  We changed the date of the event this year as there is a potential change of speed limits on the beach from 25 mph to 15 mph on 1 March and at 15 miles per hour it would take most of our work day to simply travel into and out of the work area.  In addition; over the years we consistently receive requests from volunteers to not hold the event during Spring Break.  So, this date change will alleviate that inconvience as well.  Interestingly enough upon checking back for the past 6 years in my daily log books I found that typically the weather and tides are better in late February than in March.  We have had some tough weather days on our March date cleanups so maybe this will be more user friendly. The event will start at 07:00 a.m. but it would really help if people could arrive a bit early as things are awfully hectic and confusing getting everyone lined out in the dark. It Levitra is requested that all section leaders and those who are going to help in the parking lot get there by 06:15 a.m.  A map will be made available explaining how things will take place in the parking lot prior to the event.  Updates and the map will be available on Friends of Padre, Inc.’s web site, Tyler Thorsen’s message board at corpusfishing.com and on Friends of Padre’s web site at www.friendsofpadre.com .  It was decided BY OTHERS years ago to call this the Capt. Billy Sandifer Big Shell Cleanup but to me it isn’t; it is OUR Big Shell Beach Cleanup; not Billy Sandifer’s.  This is a grass roots event made up of volunteers who care about the condition of this wondrous national treasure and are willing to spend 1 day a year being good caretakers of it.  It’s hard work but it’s a “feel good” experience you’ll never forget filled with wonderful, selfless companions and laughter. This event has never rescheduled regardless of conditions so it is very advisable to bring slicker suits and warm clothing.  It is advised that vehicle operators carry fix-a-flat, tire plugs and a small air compressor in case of flat tires.  It is also advised that volunteers wear sturdy shoes to avoid fish spines.  Be sure to wear appropriate clothing for the forecast weather.  Event t-shirts and goody bags will be given to volunteers.  Big Shell beach is a one of a kind place and this is a one of a kind event.  You are cordially invited to join us. Your Brother in the Sand.  Capt. Billy L. Sandifer

Not many folks realize it and there is no reason they would but about 13 years ago I decided I wanted to learn as much as I could about the total eco-system of PINS. I started studying full time when ever I could between charters and when not repairing gear. I have accumulated a small, but detailed reference library on Padre and being pals with knowledgable folks like Dr. David McKee helps as well. I came to know one of the best birders in the U.S., Mel Cooksey, who was living at Padre Isles at the time. Mel keeps the records of bird sightings for the Coastal Bend for the American Birding Association and is on the State Records committee. He loves to fish and we worked out a trade. I took him fishing and he taught me the birds. MANY hrs. of book study have gone into this as well as field study time. When he considered me knowledgeable enough he suggested that I start including unusual bird sightings or large numbers of certain bird species in my daily log entries as no extended study of the birds on PINS had ever been done. I have been doing so daily ever since. I turn in quarterly annual sightings/abundance reports to the American Birding Assoc., the Texas Ornitholical Assoc. and the PINS Natural Resourses Dept. SUPPOSEDLY ha I can tell you what any bird in Texas is, what it does for a living, where it came from and where it is going. I figure it helps our "Track Record" of positive use of the eco-system and to tell you the truth it has increased my enjoyment of every day I spend outdoors. It's cool to hear a bird call out and know what species it is without ever seeing it. When I first started studying the birds I thought how sad it Valium 15mg is that I have seen these creatures all of my life and many of them do the same thing I do for a living in the same place day after day and I don't even know their names. As the years went on I made and turned in observations that have actually made scientists reconsider the distribution of certain species and of certain habits. Currently; due to these sightings and reports there is a lot of interest in the relationship between the Tarpon, the Black Tern and the shoals of Dusky Anchovies. I have been blessed to make some really rare sightings. There are only 2 accepted sighting of adult Sabine's Gull for Texas and I have one of them. [caption id="attachment_91" align="alignright" width="300"] A brown noddy observed by Capt Billy on PINS[/caption] There are only 6 accepted sightings of Brown Noddy for Texas and I have 3 of them on PINS. When I reported the Flamingo to Cooksey he said,"so that is where it went. It has been down in the Southern Laguna near Laguna Atascosa. IMHO the more you know about fishing the more you enjoy it and new doors are opened to you in the world of fishing. The same certainly holds true for other facets of the eco-system. Several years ago a movie was made about research bio-chemists doing field research in the Amazon. Medicine Man. The last line of that movie sticks in my head all the time and I have it written on a scrap of paper on my desk. I read it each morning and it makes me realize how lucky we are and it reminds me to enjoy and appreciate and be greatful for the lives we have been given and the place the Creator gave us to live them in. "LIFE IS STRANGE, BUT DOWN HERE IT IS VERY PRECIOUS." Capt Billy

At 3 p.m. yesterday, 14 Oct., 2012 we discovered this piece of gill net containing a shark and other species 2 miles north of the Port Mansfield jetties.  A panga gas tank was a mile north and another buoy was out in the surf coming in very slowly farther north.  My GUESS is it Ativan Online also contained webbing.  This was found while myself and others were doing a bird survey/riding fence for the 501(c)3 group; Friends of Padre. [caption id="attachment_12" align="alignnone" width="300"] The shark was found on Padre Island National Seashore trapped in a gill net. Most likely caused by illegal fishing boats from Mexico.[/caption] Capt. Billy L. Sandifer

Friends of Padre is re-vamping the old website.  Stay tuned while we archive all of the older information into the new site.