The Monday walkers found that Nest 17 (the one right next to the entrance) emerged overnight. There were lots and lots of hatchling tracks heading for the water. One little turtle made a wrong turn and ended up behind the dunes somehow. The walkers followed the tracks and found the turtle. This one didn't make it, but it sure looks like lots of others did.
Check back on Friday for the inventory results!
Barb
Waties Island, the northernmost barrier island in South Carolina is roughly 4.0 km in length. It is a private undeveloped barrier island at the border of North/South Carolina. All sea turtle monitoring by this group is authorized by the SCDNR Marine Turtle Conservation Program under Permit MTP500. We strive to help protect the sea turtle, and we are at it again this season! The site will be updated often during the nesting season - May 1st through October.
Waties Island Nest Count
var nestdb_state = 'South Carolina'; // state name, eg South Carolina
var nestdb_beach = 'Waties Island'; // beach name, eg Cape Island
var nestdb_height = 130;
var nestdb_width = 120;
var nestdb_state = 'South Carolina'; // state name, eg South Carolina
var nestdb_beach = ''; // beach name, eg Waties Island
var nestdb_height = 130;
var nestdb_width = 120;
var nestdb_state = 'South Carolina'; // state name, eg South Carolina
var nestdb_beach = ''; // beach name, eg Cape Island
var nestdb_height = 130;
var nestdb_width = 120;
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Digging Up The Nests
Sunday was cool and sunny on the beach and we set out to conduct two inventories, Nest 9 and the newest emergence, Nest 19. We had the exact location of the nest for #9 and it was our best outcome yet: 125 hatched egg shells and only 5 unhatched eggs. Including the shell taken initially for the DNA project makes a total of 131 eggs laid and a 95.4% hatch success ratio. Amanda's mom was on hand to help out along with Diane and Paulette.
In the meantime, Dave, Judy, Amanda, Valerie, Dave and Steve were looking for the egg chamber for Nest 19. This one was very tough to find - it was fairly close to the sign showing the general vicinity of where we thought the nest might be (more good luck than good management), but even so we dug for almost two hours without finding it.
Again, a very good outcome with 80 hatched shells, 6 unhatched, 1 live hatchling and two dead ones.
Janet, Paulette and Diane |
125 hatched and only 5 unhatched |
Judy, Dave and Amanda start the hunt |
Where is it?? |
So Monday morning, we asked Chris (she was on hand the morning the tracks were found) to help locate the nest. And a very good thing too; she was able to zero in on the location after only a little bit of digging. She dug in by hand and found a live hatchling right at the top of the nest. Guest walker Betty did the escort duties this morning.
Trying to keep it somewhat shaded |
Only two didn't make it - we used one for the DNA sample |
Paulette, Betty, Bob, Chris, Dave and Barb |
Persistence paid off in locating this nest - thanks to everyone who helped out!
Barb
Thursday, September 1, 2011
"Possible Nest" 1 Emergence!!!!!!!!
What a difference a couple of days make! It was a beautiful, crisp morning! |
Hole is about five feet to the right of the marker |
Many many tracks! Valerie you were right!!!! It's a nest! |
These tracks lead all the way down to the water. We must have just missed the boil! |
Surprise! Keela found this little one turned over on its back. She righted him and he took off! |
And away he goes! Well...it took a few more minutes :) Submitted by Chris |
Monday,August 29 First day back from storm
Erosion of the dunes about midway to jetty |
Kim showing the scale of erosion. If any one knows how to rotate pictures on this blog, please shoot me an email! |
Nest 12 Emergence Thursday,August 25
We counted 31 tracks |
dead center of the reed! |
Hurricane marker |
They went every which way! |
Sky the day before the storm |
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