CRAZY, just plain crazy nest 12 aka NEST LOCO 12 SNH (South Nags Head).
As many of you know nest 12 in South Nags Head was found by the actions of loggers all over the beach which included little loggers under visitor’s houses and tracks all over the beach near the nest. Charlotte from the N.E.S.T. hotline called Karen J. and Betsy around 11 p.m. on Tues., Sept 10 after getting a call from visitors that turtles were under their beach house and the two did their best to find as many little loggers as possible that night and they released about 15 into the ocean. Next a.m. Karen J. and Betsy were joined by N.E.S.T. crack team Two Nest Al, Kathy, Steph and Louise and an additional approx 17 little loggers were found with 4 of them dead. There were numerous tracks on the beach which ended when little logger tracks were met with sea gull tracks and ghost crab tracks.
ANOTHER LOGGER OUT TO THE OCEAN
NEST LOCO # 12 SEARCH TEAM
Steph found the location of the nest and it was roped off and appropriately named Surprise nest 12 … hold on it gets nuttier … Two Nest Al and SNH nest 3 parentless person came up with a plan to set the nest that night (Wed 11 Sept 2013). Upon arrival at Surprise nest 12 a runway was made through the escarpment. the sand smoothed at the nest and a hunt for the burial sand for a turtle for DNA. No luck on finding the burial site and the two sat down for relating past nest sitting experiences each trying their best to top the last story. Memaw (Susan W) on her way to nest 4 stopped in for a visit and the three (aka the three amigos) all commented on how wild the 2013 nesting season has been (we all blamed it on you KC …Karen Clark… welllllllll one of the three did anyway). Chatter abounded and at around 9:15 a red light check was made of the nest and THEN everyone commented that we all did not remember a small pile of raised sand being in the approx center of the newly a.m. roped off nest area. All got up and the movement of the sand was noted and then, and then, and then … a turtle appeared and then another and then another. With mouths open wide the now named fearsome three went into action … rubber gloves and quick talk of who was going to do what (well sorta because things were happening sooooooooooooooooo fast)
OFF the little loggers to the ocean, wait a second .. then a 180 degree turn and they all headed towards the houses and the light from a couple of those houses. Say what???????????????????? Every method possible was made to get them going in the right direction and finally all were heading (sorta) to the ocean. 15, count em 15 little loggers on their journey at 9:50 and high fives abounded. Things settled down and we all stood around congratulating ourselves. At 10:00 p.m. a single turtle head appeared from another spot in the nest. Say WHAT????????????????? … In less than 5 minutes out they came … well these little loggers pulled the same stunt as the others, but with more vigor … off the little loggers went to the lighted houses, but now being wise to their antics off all three nesters went to get them headed in the right direction (that being the ocean so we thought, but they didn’t) WOW it was like the keystone cops and all were running around like (insert word here) and FINALLY 8 more little loggers were off on their life’s journey. Thank goodness there were only two visitors in attendance because the only crowd control possible was for the little logger crowd.
Upon Karen J and Betsy’s arrival they were bombarded with stories of the actions of the 23 little loggers (aka the wild bunch). At 11 the nest and runway was smoothed and all headed to their vehicles with smiles and more smiles. Let’s see what craziness happens tonite on Surprise nest 12 and nest 4.
BRIEF UPDATE on Nest Loco #12 SNH (Thurs 12 Sept 2013)
Arrived at the nest with the sand in the nest area as it was left from the night before …. as smooth as a baby’s behind. With Kathy and Ila in attendance ole Two Nest Al knew his stories had to have some truth to them and as the conversations began (with at least a little truth to them) all settled in for the evening. After a bit it was noted that there was a relatively small depression from the same area that the sink hole was the night before … wellllllllll it must be from sand settling from the night before … yeah that makes sense doesn’t it? Conversation continued with an occasional red light check on the nest. The question was asked is that depression getting bigger with a response that if the red light is shown at different angles the size of the dimple changes. Makes sense rite?
The topic of the wire cage came into play that Peggy Cathy had fabricated for the nest in Duck that the fox had ransacked. Trying to imagine just what the dimensions of the protection cage would be the ole red light was used to light up the nest area. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, can’t be… yes it is!… at 8:10 p.m. a little logger emerged from the dimple …. déjà vu … the fab four sprung into action and sure enuf more loco loggers were coming out of the nest and were up to the same tricks from their bros and sis from the night before … out they came to the watchful eyes of the fab four. The loco nest #12 was for a first for many reasons and one was that it was observed two ghost crabs going after a little logger. HEY! no little logger for you and the two freeloaders were driven off in another direction.
OK OK, so I fibbed about the brief update part … drum roll … by 9:15 there were 14 little loggers in the water headed for their journey. Yuppers, you know there were smiles from all when the nest was smoothed again around 11 and we all headed for home.