The Sea Turtle Nest

If you look closely, you can see a sea turtle nest discretely tucked away in the dunes and the tracks of a UTV going past it. Each morning the patroler on duty will stop at every nest in their area to check for signs of predation. It's fairly common to find ghost crab holes around or near nests and a patroler will quickly fill them in. Ghost crabs are one of the worst predators of our sea turtle nests.

After 50 days or so gestation, patrolers will begin listening to a nest for sounds of scratching by placing their ear to the sand near the egg chamber.  Don't worry, we put a towel or sheet down first!  It can be a bit funny when tourists happen by and are concerned we've passed out or gone to sleep on the job.  Believe me, nearly every patroler has such a story.

It's hard to miss the sound of hatchlings digging their way to the surface!   And, as the sound gets louder, we know the hatchlings are close to emerging.  Once they become active, the nest starts being screened and supervised during the night. 

Several hours before hatchlings emerge we will see evidence of a 'cone' - a small depression in the sand immediately above the egg chamber.  When we see coning, we go on high alert.   Bio-techs and volunteers are almost always present to help the hatchlings make their way into the Gulf of Mexico and protect them from disorientation (heading away from the water and toward areas of light pollution) and predators.

This is turning out to be a record breaking year for sea turtles nests in our area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. After years during which the numbers of nests have steadily dwindled, and especially coming on the heels of the oil spill which was devastating to us last year, this has generated so much excitement for the Park and for all those who have a passion for these endangered marine creatures.

Sea turtle nest

I don't think I shared photos of the sea turtle nest I discovered on the 1st of August after it had been properly GPS'd, staked and flagged. You can see what a lovely location it is in at Ft. Pickens near the old observation tower.


If you look closely or enlarge the photo you can see the way we identify nests.

The first three numbers are the date - it was found on 8/01

Next is a number which shows if this was the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., nest found that day. For example, if I had found more than one nest on August 1, the first would have been numbered 8011, a second nest would be numbered 8012, and a third nest would be 8013.

Last are the initials of the person who discovered the nest. Since this is a nest I discovered, you can see my first and last initials: DZ.

The park will add one more piece of identification (to their records and when they refer to it for nestsitting or relocation purposes) and that is a designator for the section of the island where the nest was found: FP - Fort Pickens; PB - Pensacola Beach; and SR - for Santa Rosa, which is the section of Gulf Islands National Seashore between Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach.

Hopefully we will see many more sea turtle nests next summer and you may spot one during a walk. If so, you will know just a little more about the date the nest was laid, approximately when it will hatch (55-60 days, generally speaking), and maybe even discover it was one I found!

Birth Announcement!

(file photo)

It is with great pleasure I announce the arrival of 82 Loggerhead hatchlings on July 30, 2008 between 10:50 - 11:05 p.m. at Nest 527-1 - SS on the Calle Hermosa neighborhood section of Pensacola Beach, Florida.

The first hatchling to emerge was given the fitting and proper name of 'Scout' Loggerhead. Scout weighed approximately one ounce and was two inches in length. He/she presented as a lovely dark gray specimen with an adorable light-colored tummy. Quickly following Scout were 81 equally adorable hatchlings.

In attendance were 15 - 20 fabulous people who were instructed throughout the event by Ms. Kirsten Dahlen of the National Parks Service, Gulf Islands National Seashore. Immediately after the emergence, Ms. Dahlen directed the group as they carefully supervised the hatchlings march into the Gulf of Mexico.

Sadly, the evening was not without incident as more than half of the hatchlings attempted to head east toward the lights of occupied units at Portofino, but the efforts of the attendants prevailed and all 82 hatchlings eventually found their way into the Gulf of Mexico.

In lieu of gifts, please contribute by shutting off or shielding all lights (including balcony lights) that are visible from the beach and close your drapes or blinds after dark!

These majestic creatures are being moved from the threatened to the endangered list due to a significant drop in the number of nests in recent years. Over ninety percent of all Loggerheads in the United States nest in Florida, and Florida beaches account for one-third of the Loggerhead population world-wide. Their fate is in our hands.

Research and learn more about Loggerhead turtles in the Panhandle, visit Traveling Turtle Girl's blog, pick up trash on the beach, or become a volunteer. You can even do something simple and easy, but extremely important by extinguishing as many lights as you can to make our beach turtle-friendly as we head into the height of our nesting season on Pensacola Beach.

Are they here yet?

Kirsten Dahlen, our Traveling Turtle Girl, attends a nest on Pensacola Beach.


Kirsten listens for sounds of the tiny hatchlings working their way to the surface.

Although I've witnessed two other hatchlings in as many years, this is the first year I've stayed so long at the nest and listened as they work their way up. It's a startling experience the first time you hear hatchlings scratching beneath the surface.


It turned out to be another beautiful night on Pensacola Beach, though when I left shortly before midnight, no hatchlings had emerged. Tomorrow night for sure! Or maybe they will be gone by tomorrow morning! It's SO exciting!