Inventory NMB Nest #1

NMB Nest #1 was found by NMB STP Volunteer, Donna on June 12th.  The mother was still on the beach, sand was being thrown when Donna started her walk just before sunrise at the swash separating NMB from Briarcliffe.  Donna watched quietly as the turtle finished and slowly crawled back into the water.  Because the nest was laid on a very active beach and below the spring HTL, the nest was relocated to 50th Ave N, a darker quieter spot.  109 eggs were originally laid, 108 eggs were relocated, 1 egg was taken for the DNA sample.

62 days later, August 13th, hatchling emerge around 10PM, high tide, full moon has not appeared yet, sand falls, large hole forms and hatchlings immediately boil out.  All run straight to the ocean.

2 stragglers emerged around mid-night and crawled straight to the ocean, guided by the light of the moon.  A third hatchling emerged late the next afternoon and crawled across the hot, dry sand.  She was found in a tide pool, hot, exhausted and dehydrated.  She was keep on moist sand for a few hours and released near the water line at sunset. She immediately started her journey, swimming quickly away.

Inventory is conducted on Sunday, August 17th.  Crowd starts to gather, all wondering what is really under that sand.

NMB STP volunteers Jeannie and Stephanie along with Rob, dig into the hole, looking for eggs.  Soon one whole, unhatched egg is found, then handfuls of hatched eggs are pulled out of the hole. 

Younger NMB STP Volunteers trying to take a spin around the beach

2014 NMB Sea Turtle Patrol Volunteers

NMB Nest #1

Laid on June 12th, early morning, mother still on beach around 5:30AM

Nest laid South of 48th Ave S, below the spring HTL

Nest is relocated from a very busy, lighted section of the beach to a darker quieter section 

at 50th Ave N

109 Eggs in Nest

108 eggs relocated

1 egg taken for DNA Study

Hatchlings boiled out of nest on Wed. August 13th around 10PM, Day 62

Inventory on Sunday, August 17th

102 Hatch eggs

6 unhatched or whole eggs, all died in early development

0 dead hatchlings, 0 live hatchlings

94% Hatchling Success Rate

A Thank you to Donna to finding this nest

A Thank you to Sherry, Arlene and Connie for watching over this nest from day 50 until the hatchlings emerged on Day 62 of incubation

A huge thanks to Julie for her great pictures