Since our last post, we've had 6 more girls join the nesting cohort, 2 more preseason nests hatch, loads of rain for this time of year, and a turtle in the pool (again!).
Last night we came across a seemingly normal track leading up the beach from the water. We follow it up and over a ledge that borders a property and keep following it until it disappears against a raised tile patio. Oh no...
She's in the pool, Dom tells me.
Crap.
We have to finish the beach and check on the other girl, Dom.
Well she's not going anywhere in there. Let's leave her for a bit.
OK, she is peaceful, comfortable and in her element. And we did get another girl out of the same pool last year (I bet it was her sister). And there's one more of us this time to hoist her out.
So Dom and Rob slide in the pool and slowly corral her to the steps so as not to scare her. When she comes up for some air close to the edge, they gently but firmly hoist her up and over the edge. She scrambles across the tiles into the grass and stops abruptly to breath. Without warning she crawls again quickly for a few meters and stops again. Tired and a little scared, she makes her way back to the water. Relieved, we say goodbye, certain that we will not see her again for at least another night.
To our surprise, we find her 20 meters down the beach digging a nest chamber only an hour later. She successfully nested, laying 124 eggs.
Tonight we finally had a neophyte (first time nester) after a 3 week dry spell. That brings the new girl total to 7, while maidens (2nd time nester) are at 11 and old girls are at 10. These 28 girls have laid 51 nests so far - we're off to a good start. Each female will come up and lay about 5 nests in one season. Last year we had 77 girls and 324 nests!
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