Inventory-NMB Nest #1, 10th Ave North

NMB Nest #1 was located by Corinna around 10th Ave N on Sunday, June 2nd. 115 eggs if which 4 were broken (Ghost Crab?)  Located in the middle of this wide beach, 111 eggs were moved back to the dunes.

This nest took a long time to incubate.  Heavy rains in June and July may have slowed down incubation.  Finally on Day 67, around 10PM, a depression forms.  The beach is quiet, a few NMB STP Volunteers mixed in with a few curious and anxious spectators.  The beach is dark, changing tide from High to Low but water line is still a good ways up the beach.  Hatchlings emerge around 11PM and all race to the ocean.

Monday, August 12th, 6PM, the first inventory is started.  Hatchlings are found close to the surface in the egg chamber, before any eggs or egg shells so per SC DNR Guidelines, the hatchling are left in the nest, egg chamber is recovered and inventory is halted.  

Tuesday morning, 3 sets of tracks are discovered coming out of nest.

NMB Sanitation worker also finds a hatchling on the beach in front of the nest.  Hatchling is watched by several early morning walkers until it disappears in the ocean.

Second Inventory is conducted on Thursday, August 15th at 7PM.  Corinna and Connie dig into the egg cavity. This time, no live hatchlings are found so Inventory is completed.

One pipped egg is found, hatchling has poked it's head out of the egg shell but died before coming all the way out.



Inventory Results:

Nest was laid on June 2nd.  115 eggs, 4 broken eggs of which one was used for the DNA Study, 111 eggs moved back to the dunes

Hatchlings emerged around 11PM on August 8th, day 67 of incubation

First Inventory started and halted on Monday, August 12th

Second Inventory completed on Thursday, August 15th

87 hatched eggs

24 unhatched or whole eggs of which 21 died in early development, 2 died in late development and 1 egg was pipped.

No live or dead hatchlings found in the nest.

78% Hatchling Success Rate

Thank you Donna and Corrina for watching this nest closely from Day 50, 17 days...

Thank you Donna and Corrina for starting the first Inventory..Disappointing as it was to stop

Thank You Corrina and Connie for helping with the 2nd Inventory

And a big thanks to all the NMB STP Volunteers who watched over this nest for a record 67 days

Thank you Julie, Stan and Mary for the pictures