Wednesday, August 10

TUESDAY NIGHT:

  • Nest #27 Inventory
    • Live- 3
    • Dead- 0
    • Pipped- 0
    • Unhatched- 55
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 86
    • A few pieces
    • One sweet hatchling had a deformed right rear flipper.  He/she had a lot of spunk and made it to the water without any problems!  Future Multi-Pit??
  • Nest #34 Inventory
    • Live- 1
    • Dead- 0
    • Pipped- 0
    • Unhatched- 3
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 117
    • Nest #32 had 90 hatchlings last night!
    • Nest #31 had 1 more hatchling while it was light enough to see!

WEDNESDAY MORNING:

  • High winds, but no crawls
  • Nest #36 hatched overnight with lots of tracks.
  • Nests #31 & #35 had large crab holes.
  • Green has been delivered through Nest #49.  Probably a good idea to green earlier, Day 50, to be safe.

**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03).

The first picture here is the crawl from the deformed flipper hatchling.  The second is from another hatchling.

  • Nest #31 Inventory
    • Live- 0
    • Dead- 1
    • Pipped- 0
    • Unhatched- 7
    • Hatched Egg Shells-110

Tuesday, August 9

No new nests or crawls.

I neglected to report that Nest #30 had 6 emerge Sunday night and there were more tracks in the runway Monday morning.

Monday Night/Tuesday Morning

Nest #33 had a nice indention and many hatchling tracks in the runway.

Nest #34 had 1 more hatchling track in the runway.

Nests #27, #30, #31, #32, #35 all had crab holes.

Unfortunately, the remnants of Nests #22 & #24 were dug up by a 4 pawed animal.  

There have been many, many dog prints on and around our nests this summer.  I have shared my concerns with our new Town Manager and he will be addressing the issue.

Things are really hoping now! 

Thank you for your long hours and dedication!

**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03).

  • Nest #29 Inventory
    • Live- 2
    • Dead- 0
    • Unhatched – 39
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 90

Monday, August 8

Unfortunately, today was a day (or last night was a night) for crab activity.

No new nests or false crawls.

SUNDAY NIGHT:

  • Nest #25 Inventory
    • Live- 0
    • Dead- 2
    • Pipped- 1
    • Unhatched- 6
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 109
    • Pieces- Handful
  • Nest #26 Inventory
    • Live- 4
    • Dead- 1
    • Pipped- 7
    • Unhatched- 1
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 103
    • Pieces- Handful

MONDAY MORNING:

  • Nest #28 had 1 more hatchling track 
  • Nest #29 had a small crab hole
  • Nest #30 had a large crab hole
  • Nest #31 had a large crab hole and 2 dead hatchlings
  • Nest #32 had a large crab hole and 1 hatchling track
  • Nest #34 had more hatchling tracks
  • Nest #35 had a large crab hole and 1 dead hatchling
  • Nest #39 had a small crab hole
  • Nest #75 had human footprints around and ON TOP of the nest

**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03).

Sunday, August 7

No new crawls this morning.

Saturday  Night

  • Nests #28 and #35 all had first emergences.
  • Nest #27 had 2 more emerge.

Sunday Morning

  • Nest # 27 had several more hatchling tracks.
  • Nest #31 had a first emergence with several hatchling tracks.
  • Nest #35 had two more hatchlings in the runway when Morning Patrol arrived.  Kathleen fought off a crab who was going after 1 hatchling!
  • Nests #29, #31 had large crab holes.

**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03)

Saturday, August 6

Happy Saturday!  Lots to report today!!  

No new crawls, but we found a “Wild Nest” thanks for Susan’s Eagle Eyes at the Public Parking area.  It was originally marked as a false crawl on June 5th.  A dead hatchling was reported near there yesterday (150 yards west), but no other hatchling tracks were found there.  We checked the false crawl records and went back to dig this morning.  BINGO, Nest #94 and 1 live hatchling was found.  He was extremely grateful to be released as he was trapped under 119 egg shells and 7 unhatched eggs!

FRIDAY NIGHT:

  • Nest #20 Inventory
    • Live- 2 (1 had difficulty swimming, he just wanted to float)
    • Dead- 0
    • Unhatched- 90
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 75
    • Interesting outcome for 165 eggs!!!  Large nests tend not to do so well %-wise.
  • Nest #22 Inventory
    • Live- 2
    • Dead- 8 (Crab activity)
    • Pipped- 3
    • Unhatched- 2
    • Hatched Egg Shells- 102
    • This nest trickled before it boiled.
  • Nest #23 Inventory
    • Live- 0
    • Dead- 0
    • Unhatched-6
    • Hatched Egg Shells-92
    • Pieces-handful
    • 98 hatchlings were seen from this nest, so some of those pieces add up to 6 shells.
  • More on Friday Night Happenings
    • Nest #27 boiled with 43 hatchlings
    • Nest #34 boiled with 100 hatchlings
    • Nest #29 had 2 hatchlings emerge. 
    • Team 9 would like to thank Team 4 for stepping in and taking charge of Nest #29 as Team 9’s other nest, #27, was boiling!  THANKS TEAM 4!!!!!  You  guys are awesome!

SATURDAY MORNING:

  • Nest #34 had a few more hatchlings emerge overnight
  • Nest #75 had a crab hole with 1 eggshell removed + a hump that looked like a mole tunnel.
  • Nest #94 Emergency Inventory (Wild Nest)
    • Live- 1
    • Dead- 0
    • Unhatched- 7
    • Hatched Egg Shells-119
    • Woo Hoo!!

*This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03)

#20 Inventory
#20 Inventory

Friday, August 5

Again, no new nests or false crawls this morning.  Is this the end of laying?  We shall  see!

  • Nest #29 Hatched with 85 late last night.  Our loyal supporters, the Kos Family, went back out after midnight and were able to save 1 more hatchling from a crab attack!  
  • Nests #22 and #26 had more hatchings emerge overnight.
  • Nests #34 had a deep hole with lots of roots exposed.
  • Nest #35 has an indention that is getting deeper.
  • Nests #22, #25, #27 and #34 had crab activity.

Last Night’s Inventories:

  • Nest #21 Inventory
    • Live-2
    • Dead-3 (possible crab attack)
    • Unhatched Eggs-11
    • Hatched Egg Shells-117
    • They had a very nice crowd of observers
  • Nest #89 Inventory (relocated eggs from wild nest in Southport)
    • Live-0
    • Dead-1 (possible crab attack)
    • Unhatched Eggs-7
    • Hatched Egg Shells-7 (6 additional made it to the water that might not have!!)

Thanks for all the hard work you’ve done this last week!  Unfortunately, we are just getting rolling!  26 nests have hatched out of 93.  Please communicate with your Team Leaders and let them know when you are not available.

*This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03)

Thursday, August 4

No new nests or false crawls. 

Nest #22 had several more hatchlings last night.

Nest #25 hatched with a perfect boil of a 100-102 hatchlings!

OKI excavated their Leatherback nest this morning.  They had a crowd of over 200.

Sadly, none of the eggs hatched.  Laid to early in season?  Not fertilized?  Young mama,?  We will wait to hear what the state has to say.  Unfortunately, the same could happen to ours.

Susan got some pictures!

Just got word that Nest #26 also hatched last night!

**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03).

Wednesday, August 3

We had 1 false crawl today.  They almost missed it because she came in and out right over a mid-beach escarpment!  No new nests.

Nests #12 and #22 had a couple more hatchlings emerge.

Nest #16 Inventory

  • Live- 0
  • Dead- 0
  • Pipped- 0
  • Unhatched Eggs- 14
  • Hatched Egg Shells- 94

Nest #19 Inventory

  • Live- 1
  • Dead- 0
  • Pipped- 0
  • Unhatched Eggs- 92
  • Hatched Egg Shells- 12
  • This nest was overwashed early in incubation by the first King TIde.  The Team knew of 6 that emerged. They are thrilled there were an additional 6 more!

*This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03)

Tuesday, August 2

LOTS of action to report today!!!

Nest #15 Inventory

  • Live- 0
  • Dead- 0
  • Unhatched- 22
  • Hatched Egg Shells- 92
  • Shredded Pieces- LOTS
  • This was a relocated nest of 152 Eggs, so those shreds were from about 38 eggs.

While this was happening, Nest #89 (the 16 relocated possibly viable eggs from the Wild nest at Southport) started activity.  We had placed it right next to #15 for easy monitoring.  5 hatchlings emerged a bit later!!!

At the SAME time as above, Nest #20 started hatching!  Many beach visitors and families were treated to a dusk boil.  Tim Harrison got some great video!

Just a bit later we got a call about Nest #22 hatching.  Turtle Ambassadors from Greensboro helped get out more green and watched hatchlings for safety!  We were able to help about 46 hatchlings get to the water.  4 more came out a little later and there were more tracks in the runway this morning as well as 3 more hatchlings!

THEN, Nest #23 hatched with 98 hatchlings!  They had several disoriented, but all made it to the water. There was 1 more track in the runway this morning.

WHEW!

This morning was a little quieter.  No new nests and no false crawls.

Nest #12  had 1 hatchling track!!! This is the nest that had an animal dig out 33 eggs and had been overwashed at least once.  

Nest #21 had 1 hatchling on his back in the runway.  Poor guy!  He was released!

Get ready, our evenings are getting busier!!!

Thanks for all you are doing to help our Turtles!

Jamie

Tim’s Videos:

Pictures of Nest #20 attached

Nest #15 Inventory 

Forgot to mention, Team 8 thought they found a wild nest as they were setting up distance poles!  They did a great job digging it up and sorting the eggs.  Turns out it was an old nest from last year, but it was still exciting!  Thanks for your diligence, Team 8!

Some hatchlings from Nest #87.

This is truly amazing!

Nest #18 Inventory

  • Live- 3
  • Dead- 0
  • Unhatched- 11
  • Hatched Egg Shells- 97

*This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22ST03)

Nesting Guidelines for Visitors

We have added the following to our Forms and Documents page:

Recent events have prompted us to make the following statements. If you see a perimeter (stakes/rope) set up by CBTW volunteers on the beach, that perimeter must be respected during all nest activities, hatchings, or excavations. There should not be any persons or dogs inside perimeters except CBTW volunteers. Please stay outside the perimeter and do not walk in the runways. If you are walking on the beach at night, please do not shine your flashlights towards turtle nests, runways or in the faces of our volunteers. Keep the lights pointed towards the wet sand. We do not want to stop your family fun of ghost crab hunting, but we do need to keep our turtle areas safe from distraction.
If you see activity at a nest, PLEASE CALL US! Again, turn off all lights (white or red) and do not use flash photography! We will advise you on what needs to be done until a permitted volunteer arrives. IT IS NEVER OK FOR ANYONE TO DIG INTO A NEST!
If you see a hatchling on the beach (washed back from the ocean or wandering in the wrong direction), PLEASE CALL US! Again, turn off all lights (white or red) and do not use flash photography! We will advise you on what needs to be done until a permitted volunteer arrives.
If you see a Mama Turtle on the beach at night, PLEASE CALL US, turn off all lights (white or red) and do not use flash photography! Your lights will cause her to be disoriented or scared so she may not nest. Stay at least 25 feet behind her at all times. Do not walk around her while she is digging! You may watch, but be quiet and respectful of her space. Once she is finished, please stay off the nesting site area. Our Patrol will need to examine the area to be able to locate the nest chamber.
Per State Guidelines associated with our Permit, nest excavations/hatchling releases will not be shared on social media. If you happen to see any of our CBTW Turtle Teams on the beach, feel free to stop by and join us for the experience!