First June Nest is Number 8 June 1

Nesting season is picking up now that June is here with 5 nests in the last 4 days. Under a red hazy sunrise caused by wildfires in Canada, Susan Lipsey found the first nest in the US Army Corps of Engineers sand pumping project in seven blocks south of the Isle of Palms pier. Unfortunately a canine had dug into it obscuring the field signs we needed to spot where the eggs were buried a foot under the surface. With soft sand it could not be determined if it was a dog or a coyote. Ellen was able to find the top egg, but it was more difficult that it should have been.

There were 123 eggs that were laid by a loggerhead who apparently had the single claw missing on her left rear flipper. So we will watch for her return in about 2 weeks. Because it was in the active sand project area, the eggs were relocated to a spot south of the 30A Access Path and screened for coyote predation.

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