Our Caswell Beach Turtle Watch teams are amazed almost daily at the amount of turtle activity we are seeing! Even more amazing is the inventory results of the nests that have been overwashed at some point this season on Caswell Beach! Every nest has survived, and NONE were destroyed. It truly shows the resilience of Nature!
The damage that can happen to a nest from tidal overwash depends heavily on the day of incubation/stage of embryo development for the nests and how long the water remains in the nest cavity. Fortunately, sand filters water quickly most of the time. Some areas on our beach experience ground water inundation even when a nest has not been overwashed. Small amounts of this can actually be healthy for a nest. Water inundation can also happen with heavy/flash flooding rains. Large amounts can cause loss of oxygen and will lower the nest temperature. Additionally, nests that are too moist can increase fungal development on the eggshells causing damage to development. There are so many nuances to managing our sea turtle nests and the variance of their environments!
Nest #48 was inventoried this morning amidst all the biting flies. This nest had good results despite having a few overwashes!! The hatchlings trickled out over a few days, with 4 more waiting this morning to make their way to the sea. 71 out of 85 eggs hatched!
**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 24ST03).
Want to help? Please consider donating to our efforts to protect sea turtles at Caswell Beach Turtle Watch Donations.
See our Latest Nest Inventory Results.
Please be advised that all Caswell Beach Volunteers carry and wear a NCWRC permit badge. Official volunteers also have Caswell Beach Parking Permits to display at all times when they park to perform sea turtle duties. Don’t hesitate to ask to see a badge if you are uncertain who you are speaking with!
Nest #48
