Inventory Briarcliffe Nest #4

Baircliffe  Nest #4 was laid on July 21st. A very windy time on the beach, very little of the crawl or body pit was visible when Larry and Cindy walked the following morning.  But, Larry was able to find the egg chamber, 125 eggs, 124 were moved further up the dunes, beyond the high tide line.  1 egg was taken for DNA Study.

Fast forward 56 days, Sunday evening, September 15th, around 8:30 PM, While checking the nest, Larry noticed some movement in the sand. Soon the sand fell and a depression formed.   Larry, Cindy and Laura watched as heads appeared and sat close to the surface. Then, just after 10PM. the hatchlings boiled out of the sand, running straight for the ocean, despite the low tide, long trek and shallow tide pools.

Thursday, September 19th.....Full Harvest moon,  High tides,  Jenna from SC DNR drove up from Charleston to observe the evacuation and inventory of this nest.  As the moon was rising over the ocean to the north east and the sun was setting over the dunes to west,  Larry dug as Claire counted the empty shells.

Only a slight depression remains 4 days later after the hatchlings emerged



Counting the contents of the egg chamber

Hatched eggs

Dead Hatchlings

7 whole eggs

3 Live Hatchlings

Sun is setting behind the dunes

Harvest moon is rising

as the Hatchlings are released on the beach and headed home to the ocean

Bob, Larry, Cherie and Claire watch

One passer-by stops as the hatchlings enter the water

Jenna from SC DNR keeps and eye on the hatchlings

THANK YOU Larry, Cindy, Laura, Bob, Claire, and Cherie

INVENTORY RESULTS

Nest Laid on July 21st

Hatchlings emerged on September 15tth, Day 56

125 eggs in original nest

1 egg taken for DNA

117 eggs hatched, 7 whole eggs. 2 appeared infertile, 4 died in early development, 1 died in late development, turtle formed

4 dead hatchlings

3 live hatchlings, released on the beach

94.35% hatching success rate