Monday, August 9th - Busy morning on Waties, Good News - Nest #11, Bad News Coyotes found it first

The day started with a beautiful sunrise over the marsh.  The Monday Team had two cages to put on our nests and we wanted to do this before the high tide came rolling in.  A cage was placed on Nest #5 and we wanted to check Nest #10 which had been laid on Saturday and the Sunday Team alerted me about Ghost Crabs.  Yes, those little buggers have already been in Nest #10, we lost an egg today.  A screen was placed over the nest to protect the nest from Ghost Crabs and we placed a metal cage over the nest to help protect it from the foot traffic on this portion of the island.

Beautiful morning

Ghost Crab holes
into Nest #10

We lost an egg today - Nest #10

Protection for this nest!

On our way back from our morning walk to the jetty, took some fun photos!

After Marker 8 - we got busy.  I spotted a hole in the side of a dune and went to investigate.  A coyote has dug up a "Wild Nest" or  an "undetected nest".  A Wild Nest is one that has ben laid, but volunteers did not see it to post our DNR sign and poles - it can happen due to rain storms and high winds that obliviate the tracks before volunteers hit the beach in the mornings.  There were hatched eggshells all around the hole.  Valerie checking the dune discovered lots of eggs in the dunes and in the sea oats.  She used her shirt to collect these eggs.  Leslie checked the sand around the nest and went into the nest chamber looking for eggs and possible survivors, there were none.  The hatchlings did not stand a chance, there were no signs of hatchlings tracks.  We sorted the eggshells and did an inventory of our findings.  There were 63 eggshells greater than 50% and lots of pieces.  We took GPS coordinates and eggshells for DNA.  I left the hole with a unique display of poles, so other volunteers who may find eggshells on the beach will know they may of come from this nest.

Coyote found a Wild Nest

Wild Nest location  on the dune,
eggshells scattered all around

Looking down, you can see the GC hole,
eggshells in the nest chamber

Valerie's collection of eggshells found
up in the dunes and sea oats

This picture will help with
the visual location of the nest

Eggshells in the sea oats

Inventory - 63 counted eggshells
The two circles (right side) are the pieces of eggs found
Top Circle was found by Leslie around the nest and
Bottom Circle are the pieces found by Valerie up in the dunes

Unique Marker for the Nest
Hoping it will help the other
volunteers who may find additional eggshells

Many thanks to Janice, Valerie and Leslie for provided pictures - good work by Monday Team.