Category: 2021 Season

2 Nests and a False Crawl today!

False Crawl  Crawl Width:  87cm/34″

Nest #30 Crawl Width: 89cm/35″
Nest #31 Crawl Width:  92cm/36″

• One False Crawl
• Crawl Width:  75cm/30.5″
• Location:  East of the Tom Hess Access

• Nest #29
• Crawl Width:  89cm/32.5″
• 2 crab holes were present upon arrival.  2 empty eggs shells were found.

Mama Turtles gave the Morning Patrol a break with only one nest today.  Of course, we don’t mind multiples!

Nest #28 Crawl width:  89cm/35″ Laid in a safe location

It’s Quintuplets! 5 new nests today and 1 false crawl!  27 Nests!!This time last year (2020) we only had 14 nests.  This time in 2019 we had 28 nests.

• Nest 23 Crawl Width:  89 cm/35″ Laid in safe location in line with vegetation.
• Nest 24 Crawl Width: 89cm/35″ 123 eggs relocated.
• Nest 25 Crawl Width:  85 cm/33.5″ Laid in safe location.
• Nest 26 Crawl Width:  85 cm/33.5″ Laid in safe location.
• Nest 27 Crawl Width:  89 cm/35″ Laid in safe location.

Nest #21 was laid in a sloughing dune.

• Crawl width:94cm/37.5″
• Relocated Eggs:  109

The Kemp’s Ridley Nesting Site was a nest! After viewing the videos on computer screens, we checked a different area of the grid this morning and Wanda was able to find the eggs!  Matthew Godfrey from the State gave us permission to relocate the eggs to a safer location.  There is a narrow ‘window of opportunity’ for moving eggs.  After a certain amount of time the embryo attaches to the inside of the egg shell.  Any jostling or turning upside down can cause the embryo to pull away and the development ceases.  

• Nest #22 ~ Kemp’s Ridley
• Crawl width:  55.8cm/22″
• Relocated Eggs: 91

Looks like we had a Kemp’s Ridley try to nest this afternoon on Caswell Beach at the Tom Hess Access (Ocean Green’s).  Tom and Barbara saw her as she was covering up her digging area.  Teresa got there to see her go back to the water. Then 6 of us tried and tried and dug and dug for 3 hours to find the eggs.  We came up empty!  Don’t know if she was practicing or got spooked, or if the eggs are hidden too well.  We would have relocated them if we could have found them as they were below one of the high tide lines.  We marked the area as a Nesting Site and will keep an eye on it over time.

Triple Crown We have 3 more nests today, all in safe locations!  Also, Teresa and Barb worked hard to fill in a very large hole east of the OKI pier.    Nest #18 Crawl width:  85cm/33″ Nest #19 Crawl width:  90cm/35″ Nest #20 Crawl width:  102cm/40″ We have some Mamas nesting in “Neighborhoods” near other nests!  It will be interesting to see what DNA shows! *Nest #17 had a crab hole with one egg damaged

Today’s Mama circled around one area and moved up a little bit to actually lay.  2 pretty circle tracks!  Our Pro’s Gary & Susan knew just where to look.  Theresa is getting a lot of great training on the job!  A spacer egg (smaller) was used for DNA.  2 eggs had odd nodules on them.  We will see what happens with those!

• Nest #17
  • Crawl width:  99 cm/39″
  • 82 Eggs were relocated above the high tide line

Nest #16 was laid in an area known for heavy flooding, so it was relocated.
Thanks to Joy for the great pictures!  Beautiful sunrise reflections!

• Nest 16
  • Crawl width:  93 cm/36.5″
  • eggs relocated: 109

We are now tied with Cape Hatteras for the most nests in NC (if their data is correct)!

1 False Crawl.  Craw Width:  84 cm/33″. Location:  West of Joe O’Brien Access, in front of 906 CB Rd.

Nest 15 Crawl WIdth:  89 cm/35″. Laid just at/above the King Tide line and covered with wire.