It was a happening evening last night and a happening morning today on PRG and DEB!
PRG: Buffie, on her usual early evening beach walk last night, came upon a loggerhead that had emerged from the ocean and was almost at the toe of the dune in Arcadia just north of SS#3. She called Mark who came equipped with supplies to measure the turtle and rinse off her carapace on her retreat back to the ocean. She appeared to be nesting: digging, then remaining very still and finally going through her elaborate dance of throwing sand to disguise her nest before making a beeline back to the ocean. This mama wasted no time completing the entire process before sunset and in just a little over an hour’s time.
This morning Pat O. saw no activity other than the witnessed crawl from the prior evening. In short order she located the chamber. As the nest was just at or slightly above the wrack line, the nest was left natural. Pat saw no evidence of hatching at PRG01 and PRG02. She smoothed out the sand in front of each (as did Beth the day before) to make it easier to see hatchling tracks.
PRG07 Natural 20 yds. north of SS#3
DEB: Susan, subbing for Donna S., had a false crawl north WW#11 that crawled up on the dune and did a turnaround. Further north, she had a potential nest north WW#9 laid below the STL. Susan probed, located and relocated the nest. Michael arrived just in time to help out with relocation, supplies, etc. and as a photographer. Good teamwork!
DEBFC24 70 yds. north WW#11
DEB63 Relocated 58 yds. north WW#9 moved directly back – 112 eggs relocated
HATCHING: Susan had the honors of finding our first hatched nest!
DEB51 Natural (5/20) just north WW#9 30+ tracks to ocean – We will inventory this nest Saturday at 6:00 p.m.!
PRG 7 DEB 13 HOB 19 SCUTE 120 SC 5390
