Three Sullivan's Inventories

Nests 2, 3 and 4 on Sullivan's Island produced hatchling three and four days ago. In spite of rainstorms threatening offshore this morning, we were able to get our nest data from those before the rain came in.

Nest 2 was laid on June 7 and found by Linda Rumph and Phyllis Nathanson near Station 14. There were 87 eggs that were in the flood zone, moved to Station 19 and incubated for 56 days before the hatchlings came out. The inventory showed us that 76 of the eggs hatched successfully but ten (plus our female genetics sample egg) failed to develop. There was one dead hatchling and two live ones left in the nest. We took a tissue sample for a paternity research study from the dead one and then Linda and Phyllis released the live one to crawl to the water. Hatch Success was 87.3%.

Nest 3 was laid at the north end near Station 30 on June 6 and discovered by Jessica Hatfield and Lisa Seglem. This one had 119 eggs that incubated for 55 days. We found 99 empty eggshells and 18 undeveloped eggs with no hatchlings still in the nest. Hatch Success was 83.1%.

Nest 4 was found on June 8 at Fort Moultrie near the Station 13 path by Jenn Gragg and Diane & Bill Brumley. It was a large clutch of 149 eggs that incubated for only 52 days. There were 120 empty eggshells and 25 undeveloped eggs with one live hatchling that Diane released to crawl to the ocean. Hatch Success was 80.5%.

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