Call #1 5:45 AM – There’s a crawl in Corolla in Whalehead. Ray’s not certain there’s a nest site so KC tells him to mark it off and keep going.
Call #2 6:10 AM – Ray calls back with another crawl in Buck Island. Still not sure this one has a nest site… because quite frankly, Ray only finds false crawls.
Call #3 6:30 AM – Again, it’s Ray… “I have another crawl, this one looks like there may be some disturbed sand.” This one is in Ocean Sands.
So the nesting response team headed out and dispersed themselves along the beach. KC arrives at Ocean Sands. Nope, looks like a false crawl.
Ocean Sands False Crawl - The turtle crawled up the dune on the left side, looped around on the side of the dune, and eventually double-backed on her incoming crawl.
Jessica the intern gets to Buck Island. She calls in, “Pretty sure it’s a false crawl.” Ray joins her on the way back from his run. Photos and measurements are taken but it appears that she did not lay eggs.
Buck Island False Crawl - This turtle took the same path as the Ocean Sands turtle but there appeared to be a little more disturbed sand area. Probably artifact of sand falling as she climbed on the side of the dune.
Nanci and Bob are in Whalehead. This must be it, this must the one! Sadly it seems that she didn’t want to nest there either.
Whalehead false crawl. Incoming and outgoing path overlap each other.
Whalehead False crawl loop. No thrown sand indicates no nest site.
Nesting Responders’ crawl measurements indicate that we likely had at least two different moms trying to nest. So maybe tonight we will see one or two return!