3 Natural nests!

Middle: Donna S. and Trisha teamed up and found 2 crawls. One was an older crawl between 2 sand fences just south WW#3 with no crawl remaining on the beach. The other was also between 2 sand fences with an area of dark excavated sand. Trisha located the egg chamber, protected the natural nest and the team moved on north. 

Pat O. and Chelsey had no North activity so they headed south to the other Middle crawl. Chelsey and Trisha both probed and honed in on the soft area in a long area of possibility. Chelsey dug down and found eggs which had a dime-size halo. This tells us the nest was laid 2-3 nights ago. Both Trisha and Chelsey did a great job today…YAY!

DEB16 Natural   north WW#6   

DEB17 Natural   south WW#3   

Hobcaw: Duane and Jim surveyed the south end and found a crawl just south #9mm in the only elevated area in a flat expanse also near a supply station! The turtle crawled up to the top into the vegetation. Duane probed and found a soft area which Jim also felt. Jim dug in and brought out the DNA egg…way to go!

HOB07 Natural south #9mm   

DEB 17 HOB 7 SCUTE 59 SC 2853

6-8-22 The dark sand tells volunteers that a turtle has dug here and likely laid eggs!
6-8-22 Trisha, with instructor Donna, confirmed this was a nest…DEB16 south WW#6!
6-8-22 This crawl south WW#3 was an older crawl with no evidence of tracks out on the beach.
6-8-22 Chelsey tries to determine where to begin probing in the long plowed up area.
6-8-22 With eggs found and nest protected the DEB17 team, Chelsey and Trisha, pose to document the event!
6-8-22 The egg taken for DNA shows a dime size halo indicating the nest was about 3 days old.
6-8-22 Duane and Jim discovered this crawl and body pit just south #9mm on Hobcaw. The turtle climbed high to lay her nest out of harm’s way.
6-8-22 Jim holds the egg that will be used for studying this turtle’s DNA.