Inventory--Briarcliffe Nest #7

Briarcliffe Nest #7 took all by surprise, emerging late on Wednesday, August 26th or early on Thursday morning, August 27th, Day 49 of incubation.  A natural or in situ nests, 2 broken eggs were taken for the DNA study when the nest was first found, egg cavity was quickly re-covered and left to incubate.

Ghost crabs quickly jumped into the depression made by the hatchlings

 Faint tracks are seen looking down toward to ocean

Empty egg shells are dragged out of the egg chamber and scattered n the dunes

Look closely, somme shells are a good distance from the nest......

Inventory is preformed 4 day later, Sunday, August 30th, a rainy evening, beach is empty except for 

four STP Volunteers.....

Empty shells found on the dunes have been placed back in original hole 

as they were collected over the last couple of days

One live hatchling is found, very active and ready to go

 Only a blur as it runs around the pail

A dead hatchling is also found

Inventory is quickly completed, empty shells are returned to the hole

Inventory results

Natural nests laid on July 9th, 2 broken eggs taken for DNA Study

Nest emerged on August 26th,  Day 49 of incubation

Inventory on August 30th, Rainy day and evening

114 hatched eggs

20 unhatched of which 4 appeared not to be fertilized,  16 collapsed, died in early development

1 live hatchling released on the beach, 1 dead hatchling

85.07 hatching success rate

THANK YOU Larry, Cindy, Claire and Bob