Roxanne and Melanie Have Nests!!!

It was a wonderful day in the National Park! Monica and I answered our first turtle call at 0545 (yes, that's right 0545). Roxanne had found her first nest of the season - a loggerhead (Caretta caretta) at Fort Pickens.



We diligently found the eggs and marked the nest, just for Mark to tell us we should have moved it... Oh well. It's moved now, safe and sound in a dune 100 feet north of the original nest.



Melanie had two nests today! One was outside the park, in Navarre Beach. We left her to deal with that one and helped her with the nest at Opal Beach, in the Santa Rosa area of the park.



This crazy loggerhead had crawled all over the beach, apparently confused. She had four body pits, strewn along 200 yards of beach.



Melanie is a dedicated, talented volunteer though and was able to locate which pit held the eggs, making the work flow easily for Monica and I. Thanks Melanie!



What a great year it's been so far for the turtles... Let's hope it keeps up. Maybe we can have the best year yet! I know, I'm the pollyanna, but someone has to be positive...