Wednesday, September 21 - Inventory of Nest #18

 Another beautiful morning on Waties Island - the view that never gets old.  We headed out right before sunrise.  Along with our volunteers, we had a small group of Coastal Carolina University Sea Turtle Club members.  We walked about a half mile up to Nest #18, located between Markers 3 and 4.  This nest was laid on July 19 - one of two nests laid that day.  This nest was troublesome in finding the nest cavity.  When probing you could hear the crunch of roots.  In the end, with some expert help, the nest cavity was found.  This nest emerged on September 18th, Day 61.

 

Students started the digging with help moving the sand, from other students.  Soon after the digging started an unhatched egg was found.

The students assisting in the sorting with help from our LOAs  and veteran Volunteers.  The outcome of Nest #18 - 40 Hatched, 59 Unhatched - 40% Hatched and Emergence percent for both.  The students also opened a few eggs, in one we found a pipped hatchling, others were very yolky, and smelly.

Here's a picture of Nest #23 - it seems it has a slight depression, but this nest has been washed over a number of times, but miracles do happen.

The other interesting item of interest we saw today were these tiny tracks.  Possibly a baby Raccoon?  We know we have adult Raccoons on the beach, so possibly a young one??