Turtle Patrol Weekly Summary 8/28/16

During Friday’s inventory of Nest #46 the inventory crew found two unique golden-colored hatchlings.  One had already hatched and the other was just coming out of its shell.  Their golden color was very striking and beautiful.  We thought you’d like to see a few photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 22 – It was a beautiful morning on the beach with a gorgeous sunrise.

Zone 1: Indentation on Nest #45

Zone 2: Crab hole on Nest #49 with shells which were buried. (See picture)

Zone 3: Nothing new to report.

Zone 4: Indentation on Nest #48.

Tuesday, August 23 – What a morning! Both phones were ringing at the same time, 3 times. It was a zoo.Good and sad news.

The sad news is the dolphin dead in the surf on zone 3 at the end of the myrtles. The NOAA stranding line was called. They will come to get it.

Now for the good news and some not so great news.

Zone 1- #45 boiled 2 hatchlings up in the bushes which Patricia helped to the water and lots of tracks. # 47 had, she thinks, red ants on the nest.

Zone 2- #49 had 13 shells on the surface, with 6 dead hatchlings and 1 barely alive hatchling that was helped to the water. # 43 had a crab hole in the middle with hatchling and crab tracks leaving the nest.

Zone 3- #46 had tons of tracks and one hatchling leaving the nest.

Zone 4 had nothing to report.

Wednesday, August 24 – Zone 1- #44 one hatchling out of a crab hole that got into the water.  #45 one hatchling of top of the nest and 3 walking the beach.  They all made it to the water.  Lots of tracks out to the high tide line.

Zone 2- All nests are fine.  #43 had brown ants.

Zone 3- #42 which we inventoried in the rain and put 6 eggs back in the nest had a hole in it and 2 hatchings were seen on the beach in that area.  The new numbers are:  Shells 120 and unhatched eggs 11 Hatch success 90.9%  Emergence success 75%

Zone 4- #57 nothing,   #48 depression

The season is winding down and the hatchlings are heading to the sea. That is a good thing especially if we have any storms coming our way. The fewer nests we have on the beach the better I like it.

Lets enjoy the beautiful beaches we have.

Thursday, August 25 –  Zone 1: Lots of baby tracks out of #45 with dents in #44 and #47.

Zone 2: Nest #49 and nest #56 had indentations with what looked like crab hole on #56. Small dead shark also near a crab hole. Either crabs are REALLY strong or chose to dig near potential food supply.

Zone 3: The piebald buck was seen on the way to the beach. Nest maintenance completed but no other new activity.

Zone 4: One track out of #48 but unfortunately something 3 toed grabbed it quickly.

Friday, August 26 –  Zone 1: All quiet except an indentation on Nest #47 and a lot of nearby crab tracks.

Zone 2: Nest #49 had a few shells on the top plus 4 or 5 tracks out of the nest.

Zone 3: All quiet except a lonely sand turtle waiting for his friends from the inventories.

Zone 4: Nest #48 has boiled. (See photo). Plus Dolphins playing.

Saturday, August 27 – Zone 1 nothing to report.  Zone 2- #49 has a lot of tracks (See photos)

Zone 3- #59 has a large hole dug by a raccoon with a dozen shell on the surface. The hole was filled and the shells removed and buried.

Zone 4 no new tracks from #48, #57 is fine.

Sunday, August 28 – Zone 1 all quiet, a flotilla of jelly fish in the river.

Zone 2 nothing to report

Zone 3- #50 soft ok, #51 indentation with 4 tracks out of the nest and 1 hatchling, #52 soft, #54 soft and an indentation, #59 14 shells buried close to the water so the tide can take them out ,crab holes,

Zone 4- #57 removed more sand, #48 crab hole 1 shell out

Submitted by Gary Fansler, Beautsie Zahrn, Terry Fansler and Judy Morr