A1 - Found May 28
Woohoooo!!! Today, Meagan drove with Ann and Chuck and they found our first nest of the season. The crawl width was 32" and she barely came out of the water, but she left us with 95 beautiful eggs (which Chuck is proud to say that he found). The nest was moved due north because it was too close to the wrack line. When Chuck called me this morning, I could almost see them dancing through the phone. Way to go team, and y'all keep on turtle dancing!!!

A2 - Found May 31
WooooHooooo!!!! We have nest # 2 May 31st. Hope everyone had a great Holiday, I know I did!

No oil and we found a nest today. No matter how many nests I find, I always get so excited. Today, that ever so brave Claudia drove Carol P and I. We weren't very far in to the ride and up ahead we could see the tracks. My heart started to pound and in my mind I'm saying, "please be a nest", "please be a nest".

And there it was! It was almost a heart-shaped crawl, one side of the heart made on the way in and one side on the way out. Way too cool! We dug only a short time before finding the eggs! I am proud to say that I found them!

The crawl width was 36". The nest was 25' from the water edge so we did not move it. By the time we got them marked off and covered up, the rain hit and we were soaked - but the dolphins and the beautiful sky afterward made up the rest of the ride.

View the Photo Album

A3 - Found June 1st - Kemp's Ridley
Double WOOOHOOOO!!!!! Fort Morgan now has nest # A-3 and guess what? It is a Kemps Ridley! Some visitors found her this morning between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. Her nest was not moved, because she came way out of the water. Y'all are doing some awesome turtle dancing, so keep up the good work!!

A4 - Found June 6th
We have another turtle nest! Seems it was a very busy morning for the Fort Morgan team. Megan, Nicole and Becky found not one but two false crawls and a verified nest. Way to go, ladies! Track width for F-2 and F-3 was 39", and both of the crawls indicated that the turtle went all the way up to the dunes before zig-zagging back to the water. There were coyote tracks in the vicinity, which may suggest that the presence of the coyote interfered with the nesting process.

For the nest, the crawl width was 42", and it was relocated. 115 eggs were moved, but the original total of eggs in the clutch was 132: 17 eggs appeared to have been eaten by a coyote. Thanks again to the team who worked so hard processing the crawls and nest this morning.

We are just getting rolling, the turtles are out there, and our season is off to a great start! Keep up the good work, and keep those good vibes coming. The turtles and I thank you.

A5 - Found June 11
Excellent news: Nest A-5 was found on the Fort Morgan peninsula today! Turns out yesterday's false crawl was, in fact, a nest. The patrol group who initially found the tracks yesterday was unable to locate the eggs (despite all best efforts), thus it was initially thought to be a false crawl. This morning the patrol volunteers decided to check again and, lo and behold, finally found eggs. Because of the difficulty in locating the eggs and verifying this as a nest, it was not moved from its current location approximately 20 feet from the wrack line. Many thanks and congratulations to Meredith, Tom, Priscilla, Megan, Abby and Karen for their help with this nest yesterday and today.

Keep up the good work, one and all, and thank you to each and every one of you for the contributions you make of your time, talents, and energy.

A6 - Found June 21st

Last night on night patrol we were discussing the turtle dance and Ronnie did a fantastic Job of doing the turtle dance because We have another nest! A-6 was found this morning! She crawled up between two Dozier and nested. Get this, the crawl width was 66", yes 66''. Do you realize I'm 62", so add 4 more inches. She laid 151 eggs. The nest was moved close to the dunes, because of the equipment. I'm so excited.
Ya'll get out there and Turtle Dance, Ronnie did and it worked!

View the Photo Album

A7 - Found June 23

Steph and Rachael (hope I spelled it right) found nest A7 today. Momma Turtle did a great job of hiding the eggs because it took the girls around 45 minutes to find the eggs. Thanks ya'll for not giving up! Steph found the eggs. Momma laid the nest to close to the water so the girls decided to move it. 90 beautiful eggs were careful moved to the north. What wonderful job!

A8 - Found June 24

Hey Everybody,
I asked Ronnie if he did the turtle dance last night and he said yes. Well, he's got it going on because we had a false crawl and a nest. Today, Tonya, Ellen, and our trusty little driver Megan had a busy day!

The false crawl had a crawl width of 36" and Momma turtle dug two body pits trying to lay her eggs. I understand from the tourist that called the hotline she had some problems with a doggie. The tourists were very helpful helping us to mark off the area with lawn chairs and caution tape until patrol could get out there this morning. Thanks to them for the call. Maybe she'll try again tonight and everyone and everything will let her nest in peace.

The patrol the went on to find our nest. The crawl width was 39" and she crawled along the beach for a ways before making it to the wrackline to nest. The girls had to move the nest and they found 127 wonderful eggs. Congratulations Girls!! what a great job you did!!

Once again! Y'all keep on turtle dancing because the turtles are out there and they need our help to protect their precious babies!

A9 - Found June 25

Hey Everybody,
It's me again! Once again Ronnie did his famous turtle dance and guess what? He's out of control. We have A-9. Tom and Priscilla and our faithful driver Meredith found this one at the tip of fort Morgan. Her track width was 40" and she barely came out of the water, laid her eggs and went right back in, so the nest was moved. 94 eggs were moved to the north.

Congratulations guys, another great job was done by all.
They also found a false crawl - she body pitted a couple of times, then her tracks disappeared into the tire tracks. Her tracks were hard to see, and no eggs were found.

A10 - Found June 27
Hey Everybody,
The turtle dancing has once again paid off! (Ronnie, you got it going on son!) We have nest #10 Momma Turtle once again came right out of the water laid her eggs and went right back in. Don found the nest(awesome!) and the patrol helped to move the nest. Her crawl width was 34" and she laid 114 eggs . Megan found the eggs (way to go girl). Tiffany and Aren helped relocate the nest to higher ground. What a way for a team to come together! Great job y'all and let's keep on turtle dancing!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2456630&id=7005331

I hope thie link above works. I was wandering through the Ft. Morgan area a few days ago and saw quite a few prints leading to the edge of the oil. This stretch of beachs looks like it has never been touched by cleaners! Is there anything that can be done for the animals there?

Hello!
Thanks for your concern & photos! I know - it's heartbreaking. The tracks in the photos are from ghost crabs.

We are doing everything that we can - to date, Alabama beach fatalities have not been any higher than usual.

A-11 & A-12 - Found July 4
Hey Everybody
Double WoooHooo!!! Today our patrol found 2 nests. Meredith was our gallant driver and Aren and Ellen were the co-pilots. The first nest (A-11) had a track width of 36" and Aren found the eggs. Momma turtle came out far enough that the nest was not moved.

The patrol then found a false crawl. The track width was 36" also, so maybe the same turtle but there was no nesting attempt.

Then the patrol went on to find nest #A-12. Once Again Aren found the eggs! Way to go Guy! The Track width was 34" and this nest was moved so they found us 87 eggs! What an awesome July 4th!

Keep up the great work and keep on turtle dancing!!!!

A-13 - Found July 5
Steph and Kate rode with Megan and they found us a nest (A-13). The track width was 36" and when they moved the nest they found 128 eggs. Way to go team!!

A-14 - Found July 6
Jim and Sharon rode with Racheal and they found us another nest (A-14). The track width was 37". They moved 127 eggs. I'm so proud of everyone that has helped this year. What a great team we have!!!

A-15 - Found July 8
Hey Everybody,
Today our gallant interns walked patrol due to the high water. They still managed to find us a nest!

It was way high by the dune lines so the nest was not moved. Way to go team! Thanks to Meredith who found the nest and to Megan, Dawn, Mike and Eva for helping out. Eva found the eggs, so congratulations girl! The crawl width was 38" wide. The turtles are out there so ya'll keep on turtle dancing!

A-16 - Found July 15
Hey Everybody
The track width was 38" - patrol found 58 eggs but 17 were depredated by coyotes. Good work y'all and let's keep on turtle dancing!!

A17 - Found July 17 & A3 - Relocated

Hey Everyone,
Woohooo!!! We have had a lot of action in the last two nights. Friday night we had two false crawls with one that was suspicious looking. But no eggs were found so we will monitor this one.

Last night, we had a nest A-17 (Yea!!) and a false crawl. Today, I drove with Cortney and Roxie. Frank and Evan from the refuge met us at the nest. Cortney (my little egg finder) found the eggs. The nest was too close to the water so we moved it closer to the dunes. We found 115 eggs. Thanks, Boys, for doing most of the hard work and handling the spectators. You guys did an awesome job.

We then went on and found the false crawl where Mom Turtle came out of the water and spun around at the blade of a Dozier and wandered down the beach a ways before finally going back to the water. She had a heck of a belly drag and I know she was tired before it was all over. Thanks to Megan for meeting us at the dozier and for all your help afterward. I needed it. We looked for eggs just in case but no luck. Maybe tonight!

Wednesday evening we will move A-3 to Gulf Island National Seashore where they will be put on that special fedex truck and sent to Cape Canaveral. As soon as we hear from A-1 on the hatchlings, we will let you know.

A1 - Hatches July 21
From Jane (she runs the hatching facility set up at Kennedy Space Center):

1 hatchling from AL2 (A1) was released late last night- July 20. It appeared very strong and made good deliberate water entries on a low tide.

A18 - Found July 29
Hey Everybody
WoooHooo!
Meredith and Tim rode patrol on thursday and they found a nest. They also found a false crawl where Momma turtle made 5 different body pitts. Her crawl width was 34". Lucky Meredith found the eggs and again the crawl width was 34", so more than likely the same turtle. The nest was not moved.

Yesterday, we sent another nest by fed-ex to Florida. So far everything is going smoothly for our babies and they are hatching and being release. As I get more detailed information I will pass it on.

Y'all keep on turtle dancing!!!

A19 - Found August 18 & A8 - Hatches

Hey Everybody, Finally a WoooHoooo!!!
After several weeks we finally had a Turtle nest. Everett, who is a West Beach Turtle volunteer that is helping on Ft Morgan with the night ops. came across Momma Turtle coming at him. This guy was so excited he practically carried me behind the UTV to observe her coming our way.

We watched her for an hour wander around in the dunes until she finally found her way to the water. As it turns out she had nested before we found her so we marked off the area and let patrol do the dirty work this morning.

Megan and Chan rode, and I know a few others showed up, but that ever so lucky Megan found the eggs. 115 beautiful eggs were moved higher to the dune line, as she had nested pretty close to the water.

What an exciting time! It is so awesome to watch her lift her hugh head, take that deep breath, and head for the gulf. What a sight to see.

Tonight we will excavate A-8. As you may remember we sent 88 live hatchling to the Cape on Sunday night and 15 more on Tuesday morning.

We have 23 more down there so hopefully we'll get the rest hatched and shipped off tonight.

Thanks Guys and Ronnie was turtle dancing last night so y'all get out there and help!

P.S. Everett's favorite song: I saw a momma turtle, I saw a Momma turtle