Nest #3 Inventory

 Steve H., Karen (a visitor) and I arrived at nest #3 to do the inventory.  The rest of our group, Nancy, Joe, Debbie and Dave, opted to walk and check on the other nests.  When we got there we found three egg shells and what appeared to be three Ghost Crab holes as you see above. 

Then we saw what looked like some very faint hatchling tracks which in the picture looks like it is coming from one of the holes to the side of the nest marker.

We opened the nest.  Steve was up to his shoulder before he found the first sign of a nest.  Not egg shells, but a live hatchling.  He put the hatchling on the sand outside the nest.  The shell was flat and there was no egg yoke. Next Steve found a group of hatchlings and covered the nest back up.  We put the egg shells we found on top of the nest back in as we covered the nest. 
After a minute, the little hatchling we had put on the sand next to the nest started straight for the ocean.  The first bit of water rolled him over, but after that he was off and swimming.