Saga of N159; Going Going, ...

You may recall our excitement that N159 was laid on July 6th just after we left for a holiday in North Carolina and Virginia. So upon our return we found two nests out front of our condo - what a delight and so much excitement for mini me!

A combination of Spring Tides, made even higher by unusually big storms, destroyed one nest and created a wash over for the other - ut oh we thought, but still full of hope we began the countdown to hatching.

The CMA came to install the restraining cage over the nest at day 45. The cage prevents the hatchlings from walking into the artificial lights of our condo and street which would mean certain death.

So we watched and waited checking diligently each evening beginning from day 50 through the 'typical hatch window' to day 60. NOTHING!!

Tough job hey?!?

Some days the CMA sent nest sitters to watch over the nest from sunset to 1:00 am.  Other days we were alone in the vigil.

CMA still dropped by each day to close the restraining cage at sunset and open it at sunrise. Nothing.

At least in recent weeks the heron, and some American oyster catchers (shore bird) have graced our beach along with . . .

This heron has his eye on the fisherman's catch

Dolphins cruising for a snack just off-shore of our condo

Yes, the sun is that bright,
can you see the pelicans ?

pods of dolphins and pods of pelicans returning in abundance after a scarcity this summer. Maybe the recent drop in humidity has something to do with the wildlife returning? They provide much entertainment to divert our gaze from the static turtle nest.

About day 77 or 78, a ghost crab hole appeared near the nest under the restraining cage.  Had the crab eaten the eggs, made his home alongside the eggs or was he just a neighbour? Hard to tell, but one good sign:  no cracked-open eggs appeared - that would have been a sure sign he had a feast.

At long last day 80 (24 September) arrived and according to the FWC guidelines it was time to inventory the nest. Sure enough the eggs were found - and no the ghost crab had not invaded - he only took up neighborly residence. 124 eggs had been laid, but the high tides had drown them out early on and only a couple had even begun to develop -- so N159 was a total loss.

Swimmy (mini me's side-kick) took it especially hard.  Sad, but such are the ways of nature.

Swimmy I know they were your cousins,
but don't put your head in the sand!

Many nests were hit, but fortunately some survived and a few were laid after the  storms - so onward for the sea turtles who out-survived the dinosaurs!

All that's left are our footprints . . .

volunteer party cake

Here most likely endeth the turtle saga for the 2015 season.

End of season turtle party for volunteers is Saturday the 26th September.


There was a spot of blue crab fishing alongside our party (stick a piece of raw chicken on a string and throw into the lake and out comes a blue crab!).  They have green bodies and yup - BLUE legs.

Am off now for Aqua Zumba in a chilled swimming pool, yes you read that right - a chilled pool - best to stay in the cooler waters of the pool during the shark season of August and September.

A mystery that appeared one morning

Tonight mini me is off to a movie in the park shown on a blow-up movie screen; Sunshine State (2002, Angela Bassett) is the movie title.

There is always more on the beach - what do you think made this pile of sand .  . .?

Hatchlings

our activities often draw the curious

Three days after the nest boils (ie hatches), the permit holder does an inventory, digging into the nest to count the eggs. This is the official count sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) usually done at dusk. Once counted, the eggs are reburied into the sand for beach nourishment.

low tech notes but it works!

We have 5 categories of eggs: hatched, unhatched, live [still in nest], pipped live, pipped dead. Unhatched eggs may not have been fertilized or didn't develop after being laid - it happens.

They're energetic; not good for pics!

Sometimes we find a live one still in the nest left behind by his brothers and sisters (Ahh). This one was released that same evening into the Gulf of Mexico.

And just the other day we found some pipped live - that is only partially emerged from the shell. These had to fully emerge, and then 'un-kink' themselves before release. (note these pictures are from different nests!).

pipped live; released once out of their shells
as seen in many cartoon drawings ;-)

Surfing Gull at top of picture

Back at our condo, we see a cormorant has taken up local residence and comes for a daily bath in the surf, whilst a gull surfs the waves; he stayed out using his wings for balance for a good 5 minutes.

CMA staff closing the cage

What about our nest?  CMA continues to patrol daily and closes the restraining cage door each evening at sunset on the nest just out front of our condo.

But we are now on day 68 and I fear the baby turtles have drown. Soon CMA will dig up the nest, they may find rotten eggs or ... then we shall know for sure.  I am surprised not to see any ghost crab holes into the nest as turtle eggs are a tasty treat for them and they have no hesitation to burrow down and bring them up for a feast.

The crowd awaits Ozzy

On a brighter note, we had some local excitement as a juvenile loggerhead named Ozzy was rehabilitated (from fishing line and a crab trap) and released with a tracker on its back on Wednesday of this week.  

The scrum

It is good publicity for the CMA, so there was a bit of a frenzy on the day.  

Here's what mini me could see . . .

There's a turtle in there somewhere

Ozzy:  CMA photo

and here's the official photo and a great video of the same event.  

You should know loggerheads can bite . . .

[look closely to see life sized me in the video]

We had the privilege of being up early to go to Shell Key the other day - lovely sunrise . . . and storms bring beautiful sunsets!  Good Night.

Mother Nature Speaks

The sky is talking to us, thunder rumbles a bit like a hungry tummy and lightning flashes like an electric dancer sneaking between the rain clouds. Summer weather for Florida - about 1/2 the time we don't get rain and the other half a downpour and the sea turns from blue to a yellow/green - but the rain passes quickly. For example, on 1 September downgraded tropical storm Erika blew by us in the Gulf without any rain at all!

Occasionally we see a [inebriated] party animal just lying flat out on the beach with his feet in the water - he looks dead and mini me is in a panic till the storm gets strong enough that he finally gets up and moves off the beach.

On the 15th August as we were watching N23 hatch, Boy George & Culture Club were getting soaked here in little 'ol Mad Beach; rumor has it the promoter thought he would be playing in Tampa proper, but Boy George actually came to our hamlet of 5,000 people (swelled by another 5,000 concert goers)!

Back to the Turtle Saga

Cage goes on nest outside our condo

Rain generally cools the air (although sometimes leaves it very humid) which is a good signal to the turtle hatchlings to come up out of the sand!!!

The early August wash over

On the 20th August, the nest outside our condo reached 45 days; the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) arrived to put a cage over it as there is light from all the condos here. Bright lights disorient the hatchlings who will head for the road instead of the sea; hence the restraining cage to 'hold' them until the CMA staff can release the turtles near the surf line and ensure they get into the water. Now we sit and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait -- hoping that the hatchlings in this nest that was washed over early August by the high tides didn't drown. Only time will tell.

Crochet belts mentioned
in my previous post

bread basket lining

In the meantime, after having to buy yet another foot for my new sewing machine, I have made and free motion quilted a bread 'blanket' to fit inside my bread basket.

I also took a piece of fabric originally intended to be a kurta and made it into a tablecloth trying out my decorative machine stitches.

Now just to work up the courage to start quilting the dahlia - which I hope to hang above my sofa.

And we wait . . .  from Tuesday night CMA volunteers babysit the nest and we can see the red glow of their torch (AE=flashlight) as they check the nest periodically until about 1:00 am and then call it quits for the night.  Each morning CMA staff open the cage and each evening at sunset someone comes by to close it.

This is what she looked like
from seapics.com blog

In the meantime, on Tuesday morning (26th), we do get some visual treats including a baby dolphin leaping repeatedly - the leaps are twice as high as s/he is long and executed right in front of our balcony - what a splash (too quick for the point and shoot)! And another late season nest is found on Shell Key, the barrier island preserve we patrol.

A dis-organised TS Erika dissipated Friday night (28th) after sweeping over Hispaniola (Dominica) and we were relieved for our nest. Erica then became an 'Open Wave' remnant forecast to travel up the Eastern Gulf of Mexico bringing 'rounds of heavy thunderstorms' to our area. Flooding a real possibility around Tampa Monday & Tuesday as we have had extraordinary heavy rains this summer, but as noted above, we didn't get anything, except . . .

Unrelated high Spring Tides came right up to the nest last night (1st September), and today we are on Day 58 for the hatchling countdown.  Am wondering if it will hatch or if the mini me sized babies have drown?!??!!!  And so we wait . . . turtles require patience . . . 

closing the cage for the evening
it is opened each morning & closed each eve

Other recent happenings in the local headlines

Orlando College Students Prepare Party for Tropical Storm Erika
Sandbags Available Saturday (29th) for Pinellas Residents

Human West Nile Virus Case Confirmed
Tampa City Hall Turns 100 Years Old (Awesome say the locals)