Loggerhead and Kemp's Hatchlings!!!

I'm so tired that I barely have words, but I had to post these... I haven't edited them at all yet, so they're a little rough. I'll work on them after I've had a little sleep.



A few of these little loggerheads (Caretta caretta) were waiting for me when I arrived at Perdido Key late yesterday evening.



Unfortunately, the tracks make it look as if some might have crawled the wrong way before I arrived. I tried to follow the tracks a bit, but had to screen all three nests (two Kemp's and a loggerhead) before the light completely faded.



I'm glad I did -- 34 little loggerhead later emerged, and I did find two loggerheads and two Kemp's (Lepidochelys kempi) wandering in the dunes as I was first placing the restraining screens over the three nests expected to hatch last night.



You can see by the light in the Kemp's photo that it was getting a little late to take pictures without a flash, but it's a necessity with any sea turtles -- no flash photography allowed, even for a turtle girl.



It's so rewarding to see them hit the water! It makes all the long hours, mosquitoes and hot weather worth it!



Just look at him/her reach for the sea!



And that tiny crawl... How cute is that? As adults, that crawl may be over three feet wide. Now, it's about an inch... OK, I admit it, I'm a turtle geek, but you already knew that, didn't you?