Wednesday, May 29th Two nests today - Nest #2 and #3R

The day started out with a nice sunrise, and great  morning temps and low humidity.  Leslie walked the lower end and the rest of the volunteers and a guest walked the long end.  Not long after they left, a phone call was received, we have a crawl, and shortly after the first call, another call was received, we have two crawls and we think two nests.

Both of these ladies knew what they were doing - classic crawls in and out, no crawling around for a scenic view of the island, and very distinct body pits.

Nest #2, this Lady came in and her body pit was up close to the base of the dune.  There seemed to be two body pits, one close to the base of the dune, but after looking closely, this is here she turned around.  She laid her eggs right below this turn-around.  Her nest chamber was about 8 to 10 inches deep.  She did have a squiggly line in her crawl, possibly dragging something on her plastron.  She was 34 inches wide.

Nest #2 - crawl and body pit close to the base of dune

Wednesday Volunteers - Nest #2

Nest #2

Nest #3R was relocated since she laid the original nest close to the high tide line.  We relocated it very close to the original, just higher up on the dune. This lady was a big girl, 38 inches wide.  Her nest was deep, we dug about a foot down before we uncovered any eggs.  She laid 135 eggs.  Again, she did not fool around, she came in and left crawling over a portion of her incoming crawl.

Nice classic body pit

Predator tracks in body pit

Predator Patrolling the dunes

 

The volunteers worked together to move this nest a little higher up on the dune - safe from future King Tides and possible storms.  They had to dig about a foot before we found the eggs.  After the eggs were removed, the nest cavity was 23 inches deep.

New home

Wednesday Volunteers & Guest - Nest 3R

 

Text and photos by Leslie P - job well done by all!

Waties Island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance under SCDNR Permit Number MTP500 

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Nest #1R

 We hit the beach this morning full of optimism that, after 5 false crawls and one possible nest, our mommas were finally ready to finish the job and get that first nest laid. 

It was another beautiful morning to be on the island.

The short end was covered, then we walked and we walked and we walked. Our enthusiasm waned somewhat as we approached the far end of the island with nothing but a spiny sea urchin to show for our efforts. (Which is cool and a major food source for the Loggerhead turtle, but not all we wanted to see.)

But wait! As we were running out of beach, a crawl! Unlike our previous visiting mommas-to-be early this season, this lady came ashore, no exploring or messing around. She left what appeared to be a perfect body pit. Thrown sand, torn up vegetation, textbook crescent. Then she turned and headed directly back to the sea even retracing her “steps” overlapping her incoming crawl. She was the model of efficiency!

We were certain this time we had an actual nest. We probed and we probed and we dug and we probed, 5 determined turtle ladies willing it to be there.

                           A team effort- probing, digging and pointing out areas to try next- or again

 Momma did her work of disguising the nest chamber so well, we, reluctantly, were about to designate it as yet another possible nest. But we couldn’t drag Keela away. She gave it one last push on the probe, and there it was. 120 beautiful eggs! 

Because of the high water table and short beach that far up the island, we elected to move the eggs down island to protect it from repeated high/king tide wash overs. 

New walker Summer and 2nd season walker Jan help turtle patrol veterans Keela and Melissa carefully remove eggs from the chamber and into a bucket for transport to their new home. First nest for both Summer and Jan!

                      

Eggs on the move…

New egg chamber dug - Melissa is becoming a master turtle nest digger!

                                                                        New home

Happy campers…..

Nest #1R in the books!

Text and photos by Melissa and Kim

Waties Island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance under SCDNR Permit Number MTP500 

Wednesday, May 15th - False Crawl #5

 Our morning started with a sunrise, but as soon as we arrived at the beach and ready to walk, a storm rolled in with heavy rain and lightning.  We waited in the truck for about 25 minutes to let the storm pass.

Storm Clouds moving in

After the storm

 

Wednesday Volunteers walking the long end quickly came across a crawl.

When Leslie and Leslie arrived we found a nice wide crawl, she was 35 inches.  She crawled to the base/side of the dune.  It did not look like she attempted to nest, no thrown sand, and when we probed we were hitting hard sand, and grass roots.  She crawled a little to the side, turned around and headed back over her incoming crawl to return to the ocean.

Incoming crawl - to the left

Outgoing crawl, to the right
crosses
over her incoming

Looks like she just rested

Hoping our next group of Volunteers get a nest!

Monday, May 13, 2024. Three false crawls

 It was a beautiful breezy morning, cool, and jackets were needed. Donna covered the short end and quickly called to advise there was a FC near the beach entrance. She could definitely tell it was a false crawl because there was no stopping - the very faint crawl made a half circle and an immediate return to the ocean. Similar to yesterday’s false crawl, it was 30 “ wide with a drag mark in the middle of the crawl. 

On our way up the long end, Jewel and Claudia located another false crawl about half way up the beach. She came in, zigzagged up the dune, then just turned around and came back down. The base of the dune was probed, but the sand was very hard and there was no disturbance.

This track was also 30” and had a drag mark up the center of the crawl.

After I got up to the PN from yesterday, I believe this could be the lady from yesterday who may have returned again later in the day. The crawl had missing areas in the crawl on each side indicating the tide had come up at some point and disturbed it. 

Soon afterward, I got a call from Jewel that she had found a beautiful deep crawl up near the jetty. She said the crawl went up into the dune. As we walked up the beach to join them, they tried to determine where she had gone. She appeared to crawl over the dune, went a little to the right and rested for a while. There was no body pit, no disturbance. We did probe a little, but, again, nothing but hard sand. She then started back out of the dunes and stopped again. This area had no body pit or disturbance either, although we did probe and explore it, finding nothing. From there, she returned to the water. 

Text by Sharon. Pictures by Donna, Jewel, and Sharon.

Waties Island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance under SCDNR Permit Number MTP500.