Nest #6!

 The nesting season on Waties Island has been a little slow this summer but it could be that things are changing: we found a nest this morning up at the jetty and the top of the island. The crawl started right next to the rocks and her first nest attempt was on top of rocks. That didn't work, so down the beach she went to try again.  Again no luck there so a little further down the beach and she finally found a spot she liked.

Not the best spot for a nest

 

But there was a better spot just down the beach

 

 

Looks like there is something on her plastron - see the drag mark?

 

The master prober and student

Nest 6 !!

WEDNESDAY 6/23/21 NEST #5

 Luckily we had a cool morning because we had a very busy morning.  Meg and Linnea took the short end, while Phyllis, Christine and I started up the beach. Past MM4 we spotted a crawl about 500 feet before Nest #3R.  We called Meg and Linnea  and asked them to meet us at the crawl and to pick up the DNR sign and poles and we would meet them at the sight after we finished our walk.

Nest #3R was buried in sand.  The screen was no where in site.  We could tell by the markings at the back of the DNR pole that the sand was 4 to 12 inches deep.  Phyllis, and later Meg and Linnea, dug out the screen while Christine and I continued our walk.  They pulled as much of the sand away as they could, but there was no way to flatten out the sand to keep it from blowing back in. 

Nest #5 was Christine and Meg's first nest.  The crawl was 32" with drag marks.

The nest site was text book.  She came in, nested at the base of the dune and went right back out.

The nest was very shallow, only about 4" down.

But I did break an egg that we used for the DNA sample.

While Phyllis was smoothing the thrown sand she found an egg.  We checked further to make sure there were no more eggs.  I opened the nest and inserted the egg and closed the nest back up.  Because the nest is so shallow, I am concerned about critters getting into it.

Picture showing the placement of the DNR sign, reed and secondary pols.

This was Christine and Meg's (on the right) first nest.

A Possible Nest??

The weather today was a little "iffy" - thunderstorms were predicted but fortunately did not happen. But the WIND was very evident! And some spotty rain too.

The Tuesday team walked with the wind at our backs on the way up the beach; we knew coming back into the wind was going to be a lot harder. All quiet until just a few yards past Marker 7.

A 32 inch wide loggerhead crawl and potentially our Nest 5: Unfortunately the wind had blown away any evidence of a nest site. The tracks were pretty clear in the damp sand but mostly gone above that. We did probe a little bit but didn't find anything. The site has been marked as PN #1 (possible nest). Maybe those ghost crabs will do our work for us and find the nest tonight.

The was our new volunteer Rachel's first crawl! See those smiles?

Luckily Steve was able to arrive on the scene and transport us back, saving us an arduous trek back.

Leslie and Rachel at PN #1

 

Barb and Steve

Monday, June 21st - Welcome first day of Summer

 The Monday Team left a little later in the morning to ensure the beach road was safe.  There was a lot of rain and wind last night from the passing of TS Claudette.  The beach was very wind blown, with some very interesting sand art work.   The rest of the Monday Volunteers walked today, all were very happy to be back on the beach.  However, we had no sea turtle action today.

A cage was placed over Nest #1 on day 45 (Sunday) this is used as a determent from Coyotes digging up our nest.

Happy, Happy Summer!

Return of the other Members 
of the Monday Team
From left to right - Sherry, Erin, Janice, and Sandy

Wind blown beach
Some very unique designs in the sand

Nest #4, has lost the reed
It was replaced, very windy
area on the beach

Nest #1 with the cage installed

Another example of the blowing sand
Lots of "black/dark" sand 

Using your imagination -
this could be a ship in a ghostly Pirate movie

Thursday, June 17 - Nest #4

 Today the Thursday Team welcomed our new volunteer, Carole.  The day started out beautifully, flat ocean, very gentle breeze great weather for a walk on the beach.  Barb Demusz also joined us on our walk.

Walking up the beach we spotted what we hoped was a crawl, and we got lucky, Nest #4.  She came in past Marker 6, but close to Marker 7.  A very text book crawl, body pit, and I had an easy time finding the nest chamber.  Her crawl was 31 inches, and the nest chamber was a good depth, not shallow.  There were two Ghost Crab holes in the loose sand.  Barb continued to walk the long end and Leslie and Carole worked the nest.

Carole helped the processing by documenting the nest information, and even got to do the egg for the DNA vial.  Carole was so lucky to get to see a nest on her very first walk on Waties.  The other nests are fine, and Nest #1 will soon be "caged" to deter Coyotes from getting into the nest.  We continue to see animal tracks, including raccoon tracks on the beach.

We headed to the lower end of the island and ran into a kayaking tour from the Glass Bottom Kayak Tours Company.  Neil, their guide was happy to see us, since the tour was a Sea Turtle Nesting Tour.  We answered some questions about what we do, and how long we have been doing this type of volunteering.  They took our pictures, and we took theirs.

Carole, Thursday's new volunteer

Here comes the sun

Her crawl, she came in, laid her nest, and left

Nice body pit

She has a barnacle or some
type of growth on the underside
of her shell, you can see the drag marks

Leslie shows the egg to Carole

Carole's first nesting experience

The Eastern Mole tunnel
is still on the upper end

The Glass Bottom Sea Turtle Nesting Tour, 

Guide Neil is in the back row, with the red shirt.

Welcome Back Waties Island Sea Turtle Patrol Volunteers

 I wanted one place to post pictures of our returning volunteers.  Our first group of volunteers were the Sunday Team, June 13th.  No Sea Turtle News, but the joy of having them back, is just about as exciting.

The Tuesday Team, got a true welcome with rain showers, so we will wait on a sunny day for displaying their picture, stay posted.

The Wednesday Team was welcomed with a cool morning to start, and met with mosquitoes at the parking area.  They had a hot walk back!  Way to hanging in there ladies.

The Thursday Team has one new member, Carole.  She was so lucky, on her first walk on the island she was blessed with a new nest - #4 and helping out with processing, including doing the egg for the DNA vial.

As the other teams walk - I will replace with their pictures - stay posted.

We had managed to get over one hurtle and having permission from CCU to have a small number of volunteers on the island.  Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to have family or friends out.  

We are hoping as more of the COVID-19 guidelines are lifted, everyone will be welcomed back to the island to walk, learn and experience what our volunteers do in our efforts to support the sea turtles that nest on our beach.

Leslie P

Sunday Volunteers - Karen, Kim, and Lorna (left to right)
These ladies all have walked on Waties for several years.
Kim who walked on Monday, joined the Sunday Team

Monday had half of its members -
the other members return next week. 
We have Janice, a long time  walker (left)
and our new Monday Volunteer,
Ayana (right), she is a keeper!

The Wednesday Team, have both long
time walkers and a new member.
From left to right -
Christine (new), Linnea, Meg, and Phyllis 

Thursday has a new volunteer, Carole
 She was blessed with a beautiful
sunrise and an exciting day.

.

Friday Team Arlene, Lorraine and Linda.
Lorraine has only been around 6 years.
The other two have been members for

at least 10-11 years. 

The Saturday Team - Jackie another
long term walker. 
Jackie has a team mate, but
Cherie had to work today.

The rest of the Monday Team,
from left to right - Sherry, Erin, Janice and Sandy

The Tuesday Team
Leslie and new volunteer, Rachel

Happy Sunday, 6/13

 

After a  long wait very happy Sunday volunteers returning to Waties!!

It was a cool and breezy start, but it only spitted rain a few times.  Island sand nice and smooth.

Unfortunately no turtle tracks were found.   At  lower end Lorna and Karen spotted a dolphin in the  inlet, nice surprise for them.

All three nests are just fine.

Some of us will go to any length to pickup trash.  Here is Kim  going all in to get a blue balloon.

Sunday team

WEDNESDAY 6/10/21 NEST # R3

 It was raining lightly when we arrived at the shed, but by the time we hit the beach, the rain had stopped.  Today we split the walk, I took the short end and Leslie took the long end.  Leslie called to tell me she found a nice crawl after marker 4 and before the "totem" pole and before marker 5.  Leslie continued up the beach to the jetty while I made my way to the crawl.  Nest #1 was good. No sign of the Ghost Crabs we have been seeing the past couple of days.  Nest #2 had a small Ghost Crab hole within the screen which Leslie filled in.

Leslie and I had both worked Nest #2 just 15 days ago and from the looks of this site, in our humble opinion, we believe it is the same turtle who laid nest #2.  The crawl is the same at 32", and you can see the same drag marks in the crawl. 

 Again a shallow nest and even the body pit had a number of similarities, our turtle entering in and curving to the right before making the turn to lay her eggs.  

There were three Ghost Crab holes in the nest site.  We found the eggs just to the left.

The nest was located in the rack area from the last King Tide, so we discussed and moved the nest to a higher area along the dune.  It is close to the original nest, but to the left due to the build up of sand below the dune that was directly behind the original nest.

 

We decided to use the white marker in the dune to help line up the new nest site just in case we had to remove the poles sometime in the future due to a hurricane.

Line-up of white marker in the V of the dune, reed and DNR sign.

Secondary poles, white marker, and DNR sign.

131 eggs laid, 1 taken for DNA study, 130 relocated.

Leslie and Valerie