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Last Nest of the Season
October 5
Nest #56, the last nest of the 2024 season, was laid during the three days in August when we were required to suspend nest patrol for Tropical Storm Debby. That means that Karen Thompson, Penny H. Smith and Marilyn Markel who normally patrol on Wednesday were not able to discover it, but we put their names on it because they would have found it under normal circumstances. An IOP resident who lives at 509 Ocean and walks his dog every day called about this nest that was laid on top of the sand-scraped berm at the 3rd Avenue path. Matching tracks were also seen nearby for a false crawl that same night at 130 Ocean Blvd, probably where she tried the steep climb and gave up. We went out in our rain gear and were amazed that this turtle scaled the steep wall of sand placed at 3rd Ave to slow the erosion near Breach Inlet.
There were 115 eggs that were relocated to 27th Avenue and incubated for 56 days before turtles began to emerge during the night on October 2nd. Today on October 5th, we were honored to have Meredith Bean who oversees our nesting project for the SCDNR Marine Turtle Program attend the last inventory. She was getting ready to run in the IOP Connector race. We found 12 unhatched eggs and no hatchlings, live or dead in the nest three days after the first ones emerged. Hatch and Emergence Success were both 88.6% to end the season on a very good note!
Here's wishing everyone a great fall and winter season. We are so grateful to our faithful volunteers and looking forward to another good nesting season in 2025
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September 29
Nest #4 on Sullivan’s Island was found by Cyndy Ewing at Station 26 1/2 on July 29. The tracks matched those of a false crawl between Station 26 and 26 1/2 one day earlier. This turtle crawled well up into the dunes and laid her eggs. Since she did a good job of finding a proper spot, we left the clutch of eggs where they were laid and only took the top one for the genetics sample that day. That means we will count every empty eggshell at the inventory to determine the clutch size.
The recent king tide/full moon cycle came close to the nest and almost washed over it, but not quite. We believe the long incubation time of 59 days was likely due to the cooler weather and some heavy rains in August, including from Tropical Storm Debby.
The inventory was well-attended with lots of very young turtle enthusiasts. We counted 106 empty eggshells, 16 undeveloped eggs and found two live hatchlings, one with a deformed shell. They were released by Cyndy Ewing to crawl to the water. Hatch Success was 86.1% and Emergence Success was 84.5%
Great morning on the beach. Hatchlings to release, stickers for the kids and the Turtle Team was serenaded by dozens of frogs on the way out the boardwalk. Including this cute little green guy.
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September 18
Both a beautiful sunrise and the full moon greeted us on the beach this morning.
Nest #55 was found on July 25 at Ocean Club Villas by Bryan Stephens, Allen Owens, Laura Lovins and Holly Barron. This loggerhead laid her eggs very close to the foundation of this tall condominium building. It contained 136 eggs that produced hatchlings during the night on September 15 after incubating for 52 days. It appeared to be a healthy hatch with lots of tiny tracks left behind in the sand.
. The inventory revealed 123 empty eggshells, 12 undeveloped eggs, one dead hatchling and one live hatchling. Bryan and Allen released this little guy to crawl to the ocean. Hatch Success was 90.4% and Emergence Success was 88.9%.
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September 14
Nest #53 was discovered on July 17 by Linda Dunne along with Becky and Doug Dale with Becky’s sister Franny. The loggerhead was still on the beach at 21st Ave where she laid 64 eggs below the spring tide line in the path of the trucks that drive the beach for public safety and trash removal. We were able to measure her and scan for tags but we found no tags, internal or external. After incubating for 44 days some hatchlings emerged from the nest. At the inventory there were 60 undeveloped eggs, 13 empty eggshells and one live hatchling. Marion Rieger released it to crawl to the ocean. Hatch Success was an unfortunate 20.3% and Emergence Success was only 18.7%.
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September 9
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Nest #52 was found by Cindy Moore, Paige Hauff and Karen Ritter at Ocean Point in Wild Dunes on July 14. There were only 39 eggs in this nest , and they were relocated to 27th Avenue. They incubated for 54 days before emerging from the nest. The inventory of this very small nest revealed 32 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings left in the nest. Hatch and Emergence Successes were 82%.
Nest #54 was laid at 2902 Palm Blvd but had to be moved above the spring tide line, so they were relocated to 27th Avenue. Linda Dunne along with Becky and Doug Dale discovered this nest of 114 eggs that incubated for 51 days. There were 107 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs and 5 live hatchlings left in the nest. These were released by Jo Durham and Shawn Drackwicz. Some of these hatchlings had been found entangled in roots in the nest. They might not have been able to get out if the inventory had not been performed. Hatch Success was 93.8% and Emergence Success was 89.4%.
Trying to rescue a hatchling can be tough and wet...a little help was needed to get back to solid footing
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September 5
Nest #51 was found at 310 Ocean Blvd on July 14 by Elizabeth Rast and Susan Lipsey in the highly eroded renourishment area near Breach Inlet. There were 115 eggs that were relocated and incubated for 50 days before hatchlings came out on September 2nd.
At the inventory there were 109 empty eggshells, 5 unhatched eggs and 12 live hatchlings left in the nest. They were released by Sallie Campbell and Julia Vanderpool. Two curious gulls were lurking around and had to be chased away before they could grab any turtles. Hatch Success was 94.7% and Emergence Succes was 84.3%.
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September 2
Nest #49 was found on July 9 at Ocean Point in Wild Dunes by Cindy Bergstrom, Patti Horton, and Tristi Lowther. It was an odd one because it only contained 36 eggs. We searched the egg chamber for more, but that was all. Folks at SCDNR told us that this has happened on other beaches this season. Over 100 eggs is normal and less than about 60 is rare. Incubation time was 52 days. The inventory revealed 28 empty eggshells, 7 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings left in the nest today. Hatch and Emergence Success were 77.7%.
Nest #50 was laid near 41st Avenue on July 13 and discovered by Carol Gaston and Aelecia Rideout. This turtle wandered extensively before finally laying an average sized clutch of 129 eggs well below the spring tide line where the trucks drive every day and night. It incubated for only 48 days. Today there were 124 empty eggshells, 4 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings. Hatch and Emergence Success were 96.1%.
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September 1
Nest #48 was found on July 7 by Cindy Moore, Paige Hauff and Karen Ritter at Ocean Club Villas in Wild Dunes. The turtle laid 128 eggs that incubated for 53 days before coming out of the nest in the wee hours of the morning on August 29. The inventory showed that 111 eggs hatched successfully and 16 failed to develop. There were no hatchlings left in the nest. Hatch and Emergence Success were both 86.7%.
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August 30
Nest #47 was found at 712 Ocean Blvd on July 7 by Susan Lipsey and Elizabeth Rast. It was moved from this area because of the renourishment project that has now been postponed. There were 131 eggs that incubated for 51 days before the turtles came out on August 26. Today we found 124 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs and 15 hatchlings dead in the nest. We took DNA samples from three of these hatchlings for the new paternity research project at the University of Georgia. We have been taking maternity samples from nests for 13 years, but this is the first season that the fathers of these young loggerheads might be identified. Hatch Success was 94.6% and Emergence Success was 83.2%.
A couple of weeks ago we had to deal with flooded access paths.... now we've got loads of tiny frogs!!!
Another neast has emerged
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August 29
Nest #2 was laid on July 2nd on the flat beach close to this path by Paula Brady and Neil Hunt and had to be relocated higher in the dunes for safe incubation. Paula and Neil were lucky enough to see this loggerhead still on the beach on her return to the ocean that morning. She laid 115 eggs that incubated for 55 days.
Today there were 106 empty eggshells in the nest and 8 undeveloped eggs. There was also one lone hatchling who had not made it out of with his siblings three days ago. Paula Brady released him (or her) to crawl to the water. Hatch Success was 92.1% and Emergence Success was 91.3%
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August 27
Nest #45 was found on July 3 at 2108 Palm Blvd by Linda Dunne, Doug & Becky Dale and Linda Wales when the turtle was still on the beach finishing up her nest at dawn. We were able to measure her and check her for internal and external tags which were not found. She laid 111 eggs that incubated for 51 days after being relocated off the flat beach where trucks drive and King Tides would have flooded it. Today’s inventory revealed 102 empty eggshells, 8 unhatched eggs and 5 dead hatchlings. Hatch Success was 91.8% and Emergence Success was 87.3%.
Nest #46 was laid on July 5 at 2904 Palm Blvd and discovered by Tay Thompson, Marion Rieger, Susan Chagrin and Jennifer Martin. It was moved higher in the 2900 block off the flat beach for the same reasons as Nest #45 onto a dune there. It contained 127 eggs that incubated for 50 days. There were 113 empty eggshells, 12 undeveloped eggs and 7 live hatchlings left in the nest. Those turtles were released by Susan, Tay, Marion and Jennifer to crawl to the ocean. Hatch Success for this nest was 89.7% and Emergence Success was 84.2%.
We were surprised to discover alligator tracks that were visible for several blocks parallel to the dunes in this area. Some of the people at the inventory reported that a small alligator was seen in the surf and on the beach yesterday. Alligators are not a danger to turtle nests or hatchlings, but coyotes, foxes, ghost crabs, wild hogs, raccoons and armadillos are known to prey on them.
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August 25
Nest #3 was found on July 2 at 3019 Marshall Blvd which is outside our patrol area where Tita Massie walked that day. Aussie Geer was also involved in the finding of this nest, so we put their names on the nest list. It was moved to Station 16 since that was where the other nest of that day was laid. It contained 113 eggs that incubated for 51 days. At the inventory we were blessed with a beautiful dawn rainbow over the ocean as the sun came out from behind the clouds. There was even a trace of another rainbow, making it a double one. There were 100 empty eggshells and 12 undeveloped eggs in the nest. But there were no hatchlings, dead or alive, left in the nest. Some of the eggs had roots growing on them from the native Seaside Panicum dune plants growing near the nest. Hatch Success and Emergence Success were both 88.4%.
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August 24
Nest #43 was found on June 30 right at the junction where our two patrol sections meet. Kathy Kowalchick first reported it and then Susan Lipsey, Michelle Ziegler, Kevin Farley and Elizabeth Rast were there too. This turtle dug a hole and laid her 99 eggs right up against the yellow trash barrels on that busy path. After being relocated to 28th, they incubated for 50 days. The inventory showed 60 empty eggshells, 38 undeveloped eggs and 31 dead hatchlings. Hatch Success was 60.6% and Emergence Success was 29.2%. There was no known reason for the lack of hatching and the dead turtles. The nest was not flooded with water and predation was not evident. Some nests do well, and others do not.
Nest #44 was found by Gillian and Richard Ellis also on June 30 at 15 Beachwood East in Wild Dunes. There were 134 eggs that incubated for 52 days before the turtles came out. Today we found125 empty eggshells, 8 undeveloped eggs and one dead hatchling. Hatch Success was 93.2% and Emergence Success was 92.5%
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August 19
NEST #40 was found on June 25 at Port O Call in Wild Dunes by Cindy Bergstrom, Tristi Lowther, Patti Horton and Paige Owens. There were 106 eggs that incubated for 51 days before hatching. We found 102 empty eggshells, 3 undeveloped eggs and one live hatchling still in the nest. It was released by three young sea turtle enthusiasts, Alia Rodehorst, Sophie Kate Slotchiver and Caroline Miars, in front of an appreciative crowd of onlookers. Hatch Success was 96.2% and Emergence Success was 95.2
NEST #41 at the 8A Access path was reported by Karen Thompson, Penny H. Smith. This one was very large with 162 eggs and incubated for 49 days. We would have left it at 8A if we had not been told that it needed to be relocated because of the renourishment project. This nest contained 126 empty eggshells, 35 undeveloped eggs and 5 dead hatchlings. Hatch Success was 77.7% and Emergence Success was 74.6%.
NEST #42 was found at 53rd Avenue by Aelecia Rideout and Cindy Keane and contained 139 eggs. It incubated for 51 days before producing hatchlings. Today’s inventory revealed 132 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs and 1 dead hatchling. Hatch Success was 94.9% and Emergence Success was 94.2%.
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August 16
When we arrived to do the following four inventories, we were pleased to see a beautiful sunrise and the beach covered with tiny tracks leading down to the water from Nest #42 that boiled over with hatchlings sometime during the night. They left behind a beautiful “post emergence crater.” They come right up though the protective screening that keeps predators such as coyotes from digging into the nest.August.
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NEST #35 was laid at 600 Ocean Blvd on June 21 and was discovered on the day when Helen Sullivan, Joanne Robinson, Jeannie Yzquierdo, Eileen Dulany and Sallie Campbell were on patrol. It contained 96 eggs and incubated for 52 days before producing hatchlings on August 12. This nest contained 93 empty eggshells, two undeveloped eggs, one dead hatchling and one live hatchling that was released by Sallie Campbell and Joanne Robinson. Hatch Success was 96.8 and Emergence Success was 94.7%.
NEST #36 was laid at 712 Ocean Blvd on June 22 and found by Julia Vanderpool and Nancy Willms. There were 125 eggs that incubated for 51 days and they emerged from the nest the same night at Nest #35. Inventory revealed 103 empty eggshells, 21 undeveloped eggs and one live hatchling that was also released by Sallie and Joanne. Hatch Success was 82.4% and Emergence Success was 81.6%.
NEST #38 was laid near Breach Inlet at 108 Ocean Blvd and found by Jenn Connell and Susan Lipsey on June 23. It had 122 eggs and incubated for 52 days. We found 107 empty eggshells, 14 undeveloped eggs and 3 live hatchlings still in the nest that were released by Sallie and Joanne. Hatch Success was 87.7% and Emergence Success was 85.2%.
NEST #39 was found at Ocean Club Villas by Kristen Ayers and Carolyn Eshelman on June 24. There were 139 eggs that incubated for 50 days. Today there were 132 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs and 2 live hatchlings in the nest. Kristen Ayers released those two. Hatch Success was 94.9% and Emergence Success was 93.5%.
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August 14
What is the Turtle Team doing before sunrise? Getting ready to battle the flooded beach path
Nest #29 was found on June 15 at 43rd Avenue by Bev Miller, Carol Gaston and Cindy Judy. It was a small clutch of 86 eggs that incubated for 57 days. Today we found 84 empty eggshells, one undeveloped egg and one live hatchling. The hatchling was released by Holly Barron in honor of her birthday which she celebrated yesterday. Hatch Success was 97.6% and Emergence Success was 96.5%.
Nest #33 was discovered by Ed Peyser at the 4th Avenue Access Path on June 20. There were 127 eggs and they incubated for 52 days. The inventory revealed 115 empty eggshells, 11 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings. Hatch and Emergence were both 90.5%.
Nest #34 was laid the same night as #33, also in the section Ed patrolled on June 20, and there were 103 eggs that incubated also for 52 days. Today we found 97 empty shells, 5 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings. Hatch and Emergence were both 94.1%.
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August 11
Sullivan’s Island Nest #1 was found on June 16 by Haley Bailey near the Station 17 path, but it was low on the flat beach and had to be moved a little higher into the dunes for safety from flooding. There were 114 eggs that incubated for 53 days before producing hatchlings. The inventory revealed 100 empty eggshells, 14 undeveloped eggs and no hatchlings, dead or alive. Hatch Success and Emergence Success were 86.8% when the genetics egg was factored in.
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August 10
NEST #28 was laid on June 15 at 708 Ocean Blvd and found by Julia Vanderpool, Angela Koffler and Nancy Willms. There were 132 eggs that incubated for 50 days and hatched on August 4. We found 128 empty eggshells, 3 undeveloped eggs, 2 dead hatchlings and 1 live hatchling that was released by Julia to crawl to the water. Hatch Success was 96.9% and Emergence Success was 94.6%.
NEST #30 was also laid on June 15 and was found at 4 Dunecrest Lane by Liz Firestone and Linda Tucker. It contained 111 eggs and incubated for 51 days with hatchlings coming out on August 5. This nest had 100 empty eggshells, 9 undeveloped eggs and one live hatchling that was released by Liz and her daughters Avery and Merritt. Hatch Success was 90% and Emergence Success was 89.1%.
NEST #31 was found by Leslee Gordon and Penny Lanigan on June 18 near 42nd Avenue and contained 140 eggs. Today there were 133 empty eggshells, 6 undeveloped eggs, 6 dead hatchlings and 3 live hatchlings that were also released by Liz and her daughters. Hatch Success was 95% and Emergence Success was 88.5%.
NEST #32 was found by Karen Novak on June 18 at 19 Beachwood East. It contained 148 eggs that incubated for 49 days and hatched on August 6. Today there were 138 empty eggshells, 9 undeveloped eggs, 1 dead hatchling and 2 live hatchlings in the nest to be released. Hatch Success was 93.2% and Emergence Success was 91.8%.
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August 10
Today we were finally able to get back out on the beach and do three nest inventories. Right now it is a challenge to get through the flooded beach access paths to the beach where these nests were relocated. But we are so glad that the heavy rain and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby apparently did not harm them. Since we had chosen suitable dunes, the nests were all safe from the storm and the hatchlings who came out during the bad weather survived.
NEST #22 was laid on June 11 and produced hatchlings on August 2. It was found at Ocean Club Villas by Paige Owens, Cindy Bergstrom, Tristi Lowther and Patti Horton. There were 138 eggs that incubated for 52 days. This is the only one of the three that we have genetics results for, and they showed that she is loggerhead #5520 who started nesting in 2012. We know of 17 nests she has laid, always in Wild Dunes. The only exception was once when she went to Folly Beach in 2016. She also laid Nest #8 at Port O'Call here in Wild Dunes this season. At the inventory today we found 131 empty eggshells, 6 unhatched eggs and 3 live hatchlings that were released by Paige and Tristi. Hatch Success was 94.9% and Emergence Success was 92.7%.
NEST #25 was laid on June 12 also at Ocean Club in Wild Dunes and found by Gina and Doug McQuilken. This very large clutch of 158 eggs incubated for 53 days and hatchlings came out on August 4. Today we found 152 empty eggshells, 5 undeveloped eggs, 1 dead hatchling and 9 live hatchlings that were released by Bill and Stephanie Evans. Hatch Success was 96.2%
NEST #27 was found on June 14 two houses north of 44th Avenue by Sue Hogan and Bill and Stephanie Evans. There were 133 eggs that incubated for 51 days and also produced hatchlings on August 4, the same day as Nest #25. We found 131 empty eggshells, only 1 undeveloped egg, 6 dead hatchlings and no live ones. Hatch Success was 98.4% and Emergence Success was 93.9%.
What Makes the Turtle Team Jump and Shout... A Ghost Crab in the Nest!
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August 7
Just when we thought our loggerheads had finished nesting, another one came up twice at the south end this morning. Because of Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Debby, we had been told by SCDNR to suspend our morning beach patrol for a few days. So Karen Thompson, Penny Huebsch Smith and Marilyn Markel were not able to walk on this dreary rainy morning and find these tracks. But Jack Owens who lives at 509 Ocean Blvd and walks his dog every morning, reported tracks at 130 Ocean Blvd and at the 3rd Avenue path. It appeared that the same loggerhead, whose tracks measured 22 inches, crawled up onto the newly scraped dune that was made to prevent further erosion while we await the Army Corps of Engineers upcoming renourishment project. The turtle kept bumping into a line of sweetgrass plants at the top of the new dune. This was planted by the Solomon family at the advice of OCRM in an attempt to hold the sand there until she finally gave up and returned to the ocean
Then she climbed the very steep bulldozed berm at the 3rd Avenue Access Path and laid 115 eggs successfully. This is Nest #56 for the Isle of Palms, and it was relocated to a good safe spot near 27th Avenue. We were fortunate that there was a break in the rain bands coming off Tropical Storm Debby, which is right off the coast at Charleston now, when we did this. However, the standing rain water at the beach access paths on Palm Blvd tested our balance and wading skills as we carried the eggs and our nest marking equipment out to the beach.
August 4
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August 2
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July 30
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July 29
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July 25
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July 23
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July 22
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July 19
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July 17
August 4
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August 2
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July 30
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July 29
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July 25
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July 23
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July 22
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July 19
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July 17