Monday, August 30th - Inventory of Nest #7 - Hosted the CCU Sea Turtle Club

The day started out with a beautiful sunrise and two trucks full of excited students on their first visit to Waties Island.  The Waties Island Sea Turtle Monitoring Program hosted members of the CCU Sea Turtle Club for the inventory of Nest #7.  Nest #7 was the 4th of July nest! It emerged on August 27th - Day 54.  This lady laid her nest high on the dune.  It was a shallow nest only 6 inches deep.  The nest did have a metal cage around it to deter the coyotes and a plastic net over the egg chamber to deter those pesky Ghost Crabs.  This nest lost three eggs to Ghost Crabs.  

Beautiful morning

 

 

Everyone is here, ready for the hike up the beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After assigning roles to groups, a veteran volunteer with each group of students, we began the inventory.  Many got to assist with the digging, helping, sorting, and watching over the 3 hatchlings found in the nest.

 

 

The inventory results were 96 hatched eggs, 24 unhatched, no dead hatchlings, and 3 live hatchlings - giving this nest a 77.4% Hatch Success, and 75% Emergence Success.  The nest chamber was 22 inches deep after the contents of the nest were removed.

The thrill of the day was releasing the 3 live hatchlings.  There was one who struggled walking to the water, but after placing it in the water, the little one swam strongly away.

 

 

 

Three little ones

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off to a new beginning

 

 

 

Job Well Done

Many thanks to Valerie, Erin, Janice, and Sandy for assisting with the students.  It was a pleasure to work with these students, and gives us a chance to share our knowledge and experience.  Special thanks to Valerie for helping getting the students out to the island and taking the pictures.