4-H Tidelands Nature Center
News & Events
Upcoming Events
For the latest Tidelands news, check us out on Facebook.
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---------------------DECEMBER 2010 NEWS----------------
4-H Tidelands Nature Center is open everyday this month, except Christmas Day.
You can take a break from the cold and stop by the center to see our newest interactive displays. The focus is "Coastal Waterbird Conservation" and they offer touch-able puzzles with information about many of our favorite bird species -- and what we all can do to protect them as we share Georgia's beautiful islands and beaches.
----------------OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2010 NEWS-----------
Goodbye to "Sea Oat", Hello "Turtle Amy"!
"Sea Oat" has been our "baby" loggerhead at Tidelands since last January, greeting all our visitors as they first come in the Nature Center. But "baby" is growing up, and we're happy to report Sea Oat is developing so well that he was moved from Tidelands this October to be returned to the wild. Orginally found as an injured hatchling, Sea Oat will have a greatly improved chance of survival after spending his vulnerable first year growing with us. Good luck Sea Oat!
^"Sea Oat" as he first came to us. - ^"Turtle Amy" swimming in her new tank.
November brought the arrival of our newest sea turtle at Tidelands: "Turtle Amy". Amy spent the last two years at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and is not currently releaseable due to weakness in her front flippers. Her condition is improving and her new larger home will give her to room to swim, dive and build up her strength. Chasing her fishy tankmates is also great exercise! You can see her in our main room's sea turtle exhibit.
-------------------JULY-AUGUST 2010 NEWS---------------
One of our busiest summers ever! And we couldn't have done it without our summer staff and volunteers. Pictured (from Left to Right) we have Amy Summerford, Alexandra Newton, Jonathan Gray, Jake Martin and Kristin Stolen (and Ben not pictured). We appreciate all their work feeding and caring for all our gators, crabs, terrapins and sea turtles (that's a lot of fish chopping!) and their work with kayakers and children. Here's wishing them all the best as they contiune their college careers and pursue other exciting opportunities in science education!
-------------------MAY-JUNE 2010 NEWS---------------
Summer is almost here! Announcing Tidelands Summer Programs for 2010
What: Coastal Explorers is our fantastic summer program for 4 to 10 year olds and their parents or caregivers. Children are introduced to basic coastal ecology concepts while exploring native animals and their environments. Each program will include time to make a related craft for the children to take home. Programs meet for 1 hour. Please call Tidelands @ 635-5032 for reservations. Click here for schedule.
Ages: 4-10 **Children must be accompanied by an adult**
When: Every Friday June 4th thru August 6th
Time: 10:45am-11:45am
Where: 4-H Tidelands Nature Center- Jekyll Island.
Cost: $5.00 per Child ($2.00 Center admission for adults)
Stars on the Water: Astronomy Nights at Tidelands Nature Center
What: Enjoy some of the darkest night skies in Georgia and see stars and planets through our 7-inch telescope. Each program begins at sunset with an audio-video presentation highlighting current and upcoming astronomical events -- learn what planets are where, when to look for meteors, and how to see the International Space Station. As our sky darkens we turn our telescopes skyward for a closer look at constellations and deep sky objects. Please call Tidelands @ 635-5032 for reservations.
Ages: All ages welcome!
Dates: Every other Wednesday (June 2nd, 16th, 30th, July 14th & 28th, August 11th)
Time: 9:00 pm-10:00 pm
Where: 4-H Tidelands Nature Center– Jekyll Island.
Cost: $5.00 per adult, $3.00 per school-age child, small children free.
Summer Seining at South Dunes
What: Learn how to use a seine net to catch fish, shrimp, crabs, and other creatures as you encounter the marine life of Georgia's coast in this very "hands-on" activity! Participants are encouraged to wear clothes and shoes suitable for wading, or just come ready to watch the fun. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate. Please call Tidelands @ 912-635-5032 for reservations.
Ages: All ages welcome!
When: Tuesdays June 8th thru August 3rd
Time: 10:45 am- 11:45 am
Where: South Dunes Picnic Area- Jekyll Island
Cost: $5.00 per person
-----------------MARCH-APRIL 2010 NEWS--------------
Jobs Corps Students Service Day at Tidelands!
Students and faculty from the Brunswick Job Corps Center helped with landscaping and painting projects around Tidelands in April 2010, in participation with Global Youth Service Day. Their excellent work stands out all around the center -- come by and check it out!
--------------JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2010 NEWS----------
Tidelands' 8th Annual 'Art Inspired by Nature Sale' - Feb. 14th, 2010
Mark you calendars for the 8th Annual Tidelands ‘Art Inspired by Nature Sale.’ The Tidelands Art Sale will be held on Sunday, Feb. 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in the Hartley (Left Side) Lobby of the Jekyll Island Convention Center.
The winter tradition continues with an eclectic array of local artists, displaying and selling their coastal inspired art. Look for your favorite artists from Jekyll, St. Simon’s, Brunswick, Camden, and McIntosh including: Tyler Dominey, Laurel Johns, Debbie Mumford, Buddy Hale, Kristen Pickett, the Jekyll Potters, Lydia Thompson and more.
Items for sale will include pottery, metalwork, watercolors, photography, jewelry, and stained-glass pieces so come early for the best selections and help support local artists and Tidelands Nature Center 4-H!
***Attention Artists*** If you are an artist who would like to exhibit at Tidelands' Annual Art Sale please contact Dawn Zenkert at 912-635-5032 for information.
-------------------DECEMBER 2009 NEWS---------------
You've Got the Right Whale Baby!
A life-size model of a newborn Right Whale has joined the exhibits at Tidelands Nature Center.
North Atlantic Right Whales are critically endangered marine mammals -- only a few hundred remain alive today. The warm waters of the Georgia Bight are the only known breeding ground for these whales -- females migrate south from New England every winter to give birth here.
Georgia recognized this special relationship with these creatures by naming the whale the Official Marine Mammal of the State of Georgia in 1985.
This sculpture was made possible through a grant from the Georgia DNR and the generosity of the artist, Thomas Prochnow.
--------------------OCTOBER-NOVEMBER NEWS--------------
New Shark & Ray Exhibit Open!
The exibit includes displays of shark anatomy, shark fossils, and identification of local sharks.
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Behold, the Oyster Gate!
Created by Daniel Harris and Buddy Hale, this outdoor sculpture dramatically illustrates the many forms of life found in the salt marsh and highlights the role of oysters as the "keystone" species in that community.
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Welcome, Cabretto!
Cabretto is a five year-old loggerhead sea turtle found as a straggler on Sapelo Island. Since then, Cabretto has stayed at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Jekyll Island 4-H Center, and now is coming to Tidelands. You can see Cabretto in Joey's former tank in our main exhibit area.
--------------------AUGUST-SEPTEMBER NEWS--------------
Tideland’s Sea Turtle “Joey”
RELEASED
September 25th, 2009
on
Jekyll Beach
Good luck Joey!
Enjoy the Ocean!
For video of Joey’s release check out
Tidelands Nature Center 4-H
on 
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New Shark Exhibit Under Construction!
Tidelands hasn't been the same since our nurse shark was released last spring, but the wait is almost over! Our NEW shark tank has arrived, and a BIGGER, BETTER, SHARKIER Shark Exhibit is scheduled to open this October!
Here's a peek at the new (much larger) tank being installed:
...new shark pictures coming soon!
---------------JULY NEWS----------------
Nesting Season for Painted Buntings
Every year the Painted Buntings -- called North America's most beautiful bird by Audubon -- return from their South American wintering grounds to breed along the southeastern coast. They are primarily seed-eaters, and a pair has been frequenting our feeders here at Tidelands Nature Center.
If you come early, about 9:00AM, you may get a chance to see these wild feathered wonders in person (male pictured above).
Unfortunantly, Painted Buntings numbers are falling throughout our region. Their population has dropped by over 50% in the last thirty years, and continues to fall. Destruction of coastal habitats is believed to be a major cause.
Jekyll Island remains 65% undeveloped by Georgia state law, and we hope to continue to see our colorful summer visitors for many years to come.
--------------JUNE NEWS---------------
1000-Year Old Artifacts Found During Kayak Tour
You never know what you'll see on a Tidelands kayak tour -- dolphins, manatees or ... ancient artifacts? Kayakers on a Tidelands trip in June, 2009 observed broken pottery and whelk shells on a creekbank at low tide. The pottery was shown to staff from the Jekyll Island Museum who identified them as Native American designs similar to those made by the Mississippian Period Cultures which lived in the area around 1000AD. These artifacts have been added to the museum's collections for further study.
The whelk shells below are also artifacts -- these large snails were gathered and used as food by Native American peoples, and their shells were carefully broken to form many tools such as ax-heads, awls, and shell-trumpets.
So keep your eyes open around Jekyll -- you never know what you might see!
*NOTE: Jekyll Island is a State-owned park, and visitors are reminded that any historical artifacts found here belong to all Georgians and cannot be kept in personal collections.*
Tidelands at Nest Fest 2009
The annual NestFest at Jekyll Island was a big hit this year -- several turtles were released by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and many activities were available for all ages.
Tidelands Nature Center was represented by several of our faithful volunteers displaying shark jaws, seashells and our ever-popular portable touch tank!
Dylan's release
Dylan the loggerhead sea turtle was released June 30, 2008 on Jekyll Island.
Dylan hatched from a nest on Jekyll in August of 1998. She and her nest mate Bob were stragglers who were rescued by the Georgia DNR. As young sea turtles they lived at the facility that now houses our Tidelands Nature Center. Dylan moved briefly to live at a facility on St. Simon's, while Bob remained with us here at Tidelands and our Jekyll Island 4-H Center. (Bob remained with us until his release on Jekyll, into the ocean in October of 2004). Dylan returned to Jekyll in 2002 and lived with us here at Tidelands and the Jekyll 4-H Center until her big move in November of 2005 to the Georgia Aquarium, just in time for their grand opening. Dylan lived at the Georgia Aquarium until June 2007, when she moved back to Jekyll, in time for the grand opening of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The Sea Turtle Center prepared Dylan for her eventual release into the ocean. The photo below shows Dylan on her last day at Tidelands in 2005.
While at Tidelands and the Jekyll 4-H Center, Dylan provided a wonderful educational opportunity for students, campers, and visitors to our Georgia 4-H Environmental education program.
For ten years, Dylan continued to provide the same educational opportunity for visitors throughout her stay in various locations. We wish Dylan well as she finds her own way in the ocean!
Dylan was fitted with a satellite transmitter, in order to track her progress. If you are interested in tracking Dylan as she charts her own path in the sea, please log onto: seaturtle.org
Stop by Tidelands and visit some of our new exhibits for the upcoming 2008-2009 season!
New Exhibits include:
Manatee Mural and Educational Display
Be sure to check out our new manatee mural and educational display, which also serves as the backdrop to our main exhibit entrance. The mural painted by local artist, Buddy Hale includes a beautiful depiction of manatees in the salt marsh environment. The exhibit includes an educational display panel on the life history and characteristics of the West Indian Manatee and information for visitors on how to report sightings and what they can do to help protect manatees.
Maritime Forest Mural (In progress)
Check out the new maritime forest mural in progress at Tidelands which includes an illustrative depiction of the local flora and faura found in our barrier island forest. Painted and donated by local artist, Buddy Hale.
Other exibits include:
- Shark Exhibit Area -- UNDER CONSTRUCTION
- Birding Corner- with interactive kiosk
- Georgia Shrimp Trawler- mural, model, and interactive kiosk
