Who has the longest commute in the sea?

An animal lives to eat and breed. In order to do this, some animals that call the ocean habitat ‘home’ have to travel great distances to find food or reach a particular breeding ground. Here is a breakdown of some of the most impressive migrations in and around the sea.

Perhaps the longest migration of any mammal on Earth, the gray whales travel 12,000 miles round trip. They spend the summer months in the Bering Sea area between Alaska and Russia. Eventually they make their way to the west coast of Canada and the United States and finally end up in the quiet lagoons of Baja California during the winter months. In the spring they make their way back to the Bering Sea. Also, notable is the migration of the humpback whales. They can travel up to 5,000 miles.

Arctic terns fly over 25,000 miles to the Southern Ocean. Sooty shearwaters travel 64,000 miles over the Pacific Ocean in figure eight patterns.

Leatherback sea turtles travel over 3,000 miles to get to their nesting beaches.

Here is a video from PBS’ Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventure that gives a nice overview of the migration of the gray whale.

Image (c) mistertoast.blogspot.com

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How to win a game of Survivor if stranded on a beach

DewberriesWhile I am not here to tell you how to form alliances, I can mention some edible seaside plants found along the Atlantic coast. These include: Sea rocket, sea lettuce, prickly pear, bull thistle, dewberry and winged sumac. You can eat the blackberries of the dewberry with milk and honey. For a refreshingly cool drink soak winged sumac in cool water for 15 minutes. Devour the sweet pulp of the prickly pear after you peel away the skin. Add the leaves of sea rocket and sea lettuce to a fresh seaside salad. Lastly, gorge on the stems of the bull thistle (of course, only after you’ve removed the thorns!).

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May is National Wetlands Month

US-EPA-Seal-EO11628

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In 1991 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared May to be National Wetlands Month. They set aside the day to celebrate the economic and ecological value of wetlands and educate America of the natural resource. Throughout the country events take place to encourage you to learn more about wetlands and take action to restore them. Whether your neighborhood wetland is a swamp, bog or tidal marsh these areas are vital filtration and storage areas, as well as, nursery grounds to continue biological productivity in our local watersheds and beyond. Unfortunately these areas are threatened and their biggest enemy is mankind. According to the EPA, “Urban and rural development is now the leading cause of wetland loss, accounting for nearly 60% of freshwater wetland loss nationally.” Good news though is that on April 27, 2011 Lisa Jackson (Administrator of the EPA) work with others to get the Obama administration recommitted to recognizing the importance of clean water and healthy watersheds.

Surf Your Watershed is a great place to find out if there is a local organization dedicated to protecting your local wetland.

84th Street Beach

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), taken at ...

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Gloria admitted to not liking Manny’s poetry on this week’s episode of Modern Family. Let’s see what my mother has to say about mine on this fine Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, step-mothers, mother-in-laws, dog moms and everyone that is maternally nurturing to anyone or anything!

The vast emerald sheet glistens,
Sending the summer daystar onward.
Gulls gawk at the disappearance of
Usual shoobie game to seize.

They begin to beeline west towards
evening barbeques –
Invading those who intrude
My seashore paradise of home.

Petite sandpipers scurry,
Enjoying the outstretched beaches
And the near solitude
As their own.

Waves wash over my feet –
Tingling the toes,
Cleansing away the remains
Attached during the journey
Across the sandy desert.

Ocean breezes produce
Whistling dune grass,
A soft symphony cherished in my ears.

On the horizon
A majestic great blue heron
Stands four feet sturdy,
A token of liberty
For the unilluminated prairies below.

2001

Angela loves sea turtles as well as cats!

Angela Martin

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Anglea Kinsey does a wonderful job of being compassionate to the feline population as she plays the role of Angela Martin on the show ‘The Office’. But did you know she also demonstrates equal sympathy for the plight of sea turtles as a spokesperson for Oceana?

Back in December, Angela Kinsey and Racheal Harris (The Hangover) joined up with Oceana for a campaign to get “Sea Turtles Off the Hook!” It is a focused on asking folks to reassess commonly used fishing gear because they may be harmful to sea turtles. She gently reminds us all to “Cut down on your use of plastic shopping bags because many end up in the ocean. If you’re at a beach where there are sea turtles, just let them be. And don’t throw trash out on the street near coastlines. Pick it up!”

Beyond Angry Birds

Cover of "The Lorax (Classic Seuss)"

Not too long ago I heard a story on the radio raving about how well folks are transitioning children books to iPad apps. Basically what it is expanding upon is the idea that if your kiddo is going to be entertained with an iPad why not have them explore something that is enriching? A little edu-tainment never hurt anyone.

Take a look! I recommend Oceanhouse Media which has apps from the Smithsonian as well as rights to the entire Dr. Suess collection (including my favorite, The Lorax). Also Scholastic features many classics including the Magic School Bus: Oceans.

Did you know that some lobsters are blue?

That’s right! American lobsters can be blue (rather than the brownish/green color they typically are prior to cooking) due to either a genetic modification or an abnormal diet. Both colored lobsters taste the same. One in every two million lobsters can be blue. Enjoy this funny video from the folks at CapeCast.

Jellywatch

It is gearing up for summertime so if you see a jellyfish on the beach, report it here. They actually want to hear about all your fun and exciting ocean finds. And best of all there is no registration – so get to it!

It’s a Great White Expedition!

This is some footage from the series Shark Men from the National Geographic Channel. These scientists are under the gun to get a great white shark back in the water alive while still gathering all the pertinent data. AMAZING!

More than One Week

Tomorrow is the final day for National Environmental Education Week! It is a special week in schools because all of those children with an aptitude for understanding concepts with examples about nature have finally been able to comprehend all those complex topics they might otherwise have found overwhelming simply because the examples used in class do not inspire them to learn.

The concept of infusing environmental education in all parts of the classrooms is a concept that is few and far between. And, at this point is set aside for this very special week. It is not even part of the requirements for a school to be listed as LEED certified. That is simply based on how the school is constructed. And, one could hope that the students are going to absorb the fact that their classroom lightbulbs are better for the environment than the other school down the block but I doubt it.

I rarely get on a soapbox on this blog but I want to take the time to ask you what does it mean for a school to be green? To me, it should mean integrating environmental themes throughout the year. In recent years an eighth learning style has been identified. This new learning style is the ‘naturalistic’ and many students would benefit greatly from year round green in the classroom. If you would like to learn more on how to integrate environmental themes in the classroom check out these websites: