Summary of our Nesting Season

 December 1, 2020

Hi All - hoping you all are well and had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and now on to the Christmas holiday.

This year was a frustrating and challenging year for us.  Our challenges started when we were told only leads could walk, we dealt with not having our volunteers and students walk with us, King Tides, Hurricane Isasias which decimated the island, a new swash created at the upper end, and then the coyotes digging up our nests and taking advantage of an easy meal. 

Here's a summary of our Nesting Season 

- Our first nest was laid on 5/19/2020, the same as 2019

- 20 Nests Total -  17 In Situ, we had 2 PNs (Potential Nests) and 1 False Crawl which became nests - wonderful news

- 3 Relocated Nests

- Last Nest laid was on 8/5/2020 - the day after the passing of Hurricane Isasias 

- 11 False Crawls, last False Crawl was on 8/21/2020

Outcome of our Nests

- Inventoried - 6

- Lost to Hurricane Isasias - 7

- Unknown - 2 (these had evidence of hatching before the Hurricane hit, but we were unable to find the nests to do an inventory)

- Lost to Coyote Depredation - 5

We also dealt with issues from the Ghost Crabs - 52 eggs lost, but the Coyotes destroyed the entire nests they dug up  

We all are hoping for a better year in the coming 2021.