Inventory Results from Nest 5

This morning, Dave, Valerie, Seth and Amanda joined Steve and me to conduct an inventory on Nest 5 (incorrectly listed as Nest 6 initially).  The nest had been overwashed at least six times during high tides in June and July and never really exhibited the mass emergence that most nests do.  The ghost crabs were also particularly troublesome at this nest.

Sunday morning several hatchling tracks were noted, so after waiting the required three days, we dug up the nest.

Seth and Amanda starting to dig

Barb recording the outcome

32 hatched eggs; 36 unhatched

The nest had 32 hatched eggs and 36 unhatched.  No hatchlings, live or dead, were found in the nest.  One egg was taken initially for the DNA research project and a second egg was taken by a ghost crab in early July.  This gives us a total of 70 total eggs, somewhat smaller than an average clutch of 100 to 120.  

Thank you, Valerie, for taking these pictures.  More inventories coming up soon!

Barb