Turtle Nest News

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you may have rightfully gotten the idea that I am thrilled with the sea turtles that come ashore each spring and summer, lay their eggs then head back to sea. 

That leaves our all-volunteer turtle patrol to tend the nests, watch out for the tiny hatchlings, then when the little ones have left the nest and headed to their life in the ocean, turtle patrol cleans the nest, counts the egg shells and if there are any unhatched eggs they go back into the nest with hopes those remaining eggs will be viable.

Above: About one foot down, the first of the hatched eggs are found then set aside for a nest count. The eggs are about the size of a ping pong ball.

Notice how deep the nest is (estimating about 2 feet) and in this particular nest there were 70 successful hatchings with 26 unhatched eggs found at the bottom of the nest. 

Back into the empty nest they go and are covered with warm sand with hopes they will emerge when they are ready.

 

Oh yes, the turtle patrol is an important part of our beach scene and I was delighted to happen upon them this morning for a nest cleaning. Happy to have a camera at the ready, too.