Nests 26 and 27 for Isle of Palms July 13

Two loggerheads nested during the night five blocks from each other last night.

Kathy Kowalchick, Blair Amon, Michelle Ziegler and Kevin Farley were all on patrol from 9th to 30th Avenues at dawn. Kathy reported Nest #26 laid in coyote territory near 23rd Avenue. Fortunately, and unlike some other islands nearby, our coyotes do not seem to be patrolling the beach all night waiting for turtle eggs to be laid. This nest contained 124 eggs with one found broken down in the clutch which was used for the genetics research project. Since it was laid well below the spring tide line, it was relocated to a dune near 28th Avenue away from the coyote den.

Nest #27 was laid low on the beach at 28th Avenue. Blair was the first to spot this nest. It appeared that this loggerhead mom did not dig her hole deep enough for the 114 eggs she laid. The eggs overflowed, and then when she covered them up with her huge flippers, she broke seven of them. We found three broken ones on top of the sand and four more broken just under the surface and not buried deeply as they usually are. The ghost crabs definitely had eggs for breakfast, and they had dug holes right where the turtle nested to get some of them. Other than the crabs eating the broken eggs, there was no sign of digging or predation. The unbroken eggs were moved higher on the beach nearby for safe incubation. Both nests were screened against predators digging.