We here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center spend a lot of time working with and talking about the most common sea turtle in Georgia; the loggerhead sea turtle.  However, at this months lecture series, we’d like to introduce you to a different kind of loggerhead.

The loggerhead shrike is a unique bird that can be found right here in the Golden Isles!  Listed as a species of special concern, this exciting and intense creature is on the decline.  Join us at the Brunswick/Glynn County Library this Thursday August 12th at 7:00 p.m.  The speaker will be local educator, researcher, and shrike enthusiast Jonathan Gray.  Jonathan received his masters in Natural Resources from the University of Georgia and has researched shrikes all across the state. Come learn all about this unique bird, why it’s on the decline, and why you should care.

What: August Lecture Series

When: Thursday August 12th, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Where:  Brunswick/Glynn County Library

It’s once again time for Nest Walks here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. These educational walks are a great way to learn about the nesting process as well as enjoy a beautiful morning on Jekyll Island’s beaches!

**Reservations are required.  Please call 912-635-4444 to reserve your spot!

What is a nest walk?

A nest walk begins with a 30 minute beach ecology walk.  Towards the end of the walk you will meet a patrol member at a nest that has already hatched.  There you will become sea turtle scientist for the day as you watch the excavation and fill out your own data sheet right along with our staff!  During this excavation the staff member will dig in the sand to find out how many eggs hatched, how many did not, and many other cool facts!

**The goal of a nest walk is not to see hatchlings.  Often, no live hatchlings are found during these excavations

When are nest walks?

While we try to have them every sunday, wednesday, and saturday during August and September, we cannot guarantee this will be the case.  For there to be a nest walk, we must have a nest to excavate.  This is all dependent on when the nests start to hatch.  They will usually start at 7:00 a.m. depending on the tides.  Location will also vary.  You will be called two days before your walk to confirm the time and location.

How much does it cost?

Nest walks are $12 for non-members and $6 for members.  This does not include admission to the Center.

For more information on nest walks including our cancellation policy, please go to http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/education-programs/summer-programs/nest-walks/

Hope to see you on the beach!!

As the day progressed the realization the that our grand adventure was coming to an end. The farewell luncheon with Alicia was filled with conversation of the week’s events. The final decision to name the new turtle Freedom, to represent the GSU teacher’s workshop, was made.
As we left Sea Jay’s, Alicia presented the class with a GSTC certificate and the “official” bracelet of turtle champions!

~ Cindy Dean

The oil spill in the Gulf has been on the minds of many lately.  There is of course great concern for how the oil may affect all kinds of wildlife including sea turtles.  Below is a link to an article and video from the New York Times.  The website takes a look at many factors that could be increasing sea turtle strandings in the gulf, some of which may come as a surprise.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/science/earth/15necropsy.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig

We at the GSTC have not yet been called upon to assist with sea turtles in the Gulf, but are ready if the need does arise.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

“The Return to the Sea”

After a very busy and rewarding week, we were given the opportunity to participate in the release of 8 sea turtles, 4 from the Georgia Aquarium and 4 from the Sea Turtle Center. We spent all morning helping the staff at the center to get ready for the release. We even delivered a patient update on 15 turtles for the public! The time came to finally pack up and head to the beach. Once we arrived at the beach, we were to go around and talk with the large crowd about the turtles and answer their questions. We were given signed farewell posters to display the four turtles from the GSTC. After having many pictures taken of our posters by newspapers and television news stations, it was time for the great send-off.

The first GSTC turtle to make their way to the sea was Carning. Carning is a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle. He was brought to the GSTC because he had air trapped in his body cavity, he was dehydrated, and he had epibiota (barnacles and algae) on his carapace. After approximately 3 months of treatment, he has fully recovered.

The second GSTC turtle to make their way to the sea was Caretta Hope. Caretta Hope is a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle. She was brought to the GSTC because she was found with debilitated turtle syndrome, and she was missing her rear two flippers. Debilitated Turtle Syndrome happens when the turtle has a large amount of epibiota on the carapace and/or skin. The flippers were thought to have been bitten off by a shark. During her year in the hospital, Caretta Hope has recovered and is adjusting to her life without rear flippers quite well.

The next GSTC turtle to make their way to the sea was Rostrum. Rostrum is a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle. He was brought to the GSTC because he was cold stunned and suffered from a nose injury. After approximately 5 months in the hospital, Rostrum was treated for his injuries and has now returned home.

The last GSTC turtle to make their way to the sea was Ed. Ed is a juvenile green sea turtle. Ed was brought to the GSTC because he was found floating, by the GA Department of Natural Resources. Initial examination of Ed showed that he suffered from swollen eyes and neck, and he had a hematoma on his lung. After 10 months in the hospital, Ed has fully recovered and was the first green sea turtle to ever be released from the GSTC.

As if the release of these turtles wasn’t exciting enough, nest #3 had a surprise waiting. During the Turtle Patrol and Turtle Walk, it was discovered that nest #3 had hatched, which would be the first hatchlings of the season!

- Ashley Crosby and Carol Kahrmann

“Record Setting Turtle Walk”

Our first full day working at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was set up for part of the group to be in Husbandry (helping feed and clean tanks) and the other part to be in Education (answering questions and providing educational presentations to the visitors). The husbandry group was busy preparing food, feeding the turtles, giving vitamins, cleaning tanks, assisting with patient rehabilitation and doing whatever the staff asked of them. Part of the education group was in the gallery, preparing a presentation that would be delivered at the turtle walk that night. The other part of the education group was walking around the gallery, answering questions and highlighting the displays.

After lunch, we met with Dr. Norton (Director of the Sea Turtle Center). He delivered a presentation on sea turtle rehabilitation. Dr. Norton is the man who turned a dream of a Sea Turtle Rehab Facility into reality. He described the different reasons turtles end up in the hospital, as well as their treatment and therapy options.

After a history tour of the island, it was time to show off what we have learned about sea turtles to the public. We met at the Sea Turtle Center and delivered a presentation to a record pushing group. The presenters tried their very best to instill “turtlely thoughts” within the group. Various age groups actively participated throughout the entire presentation. As the presenters were covering natural threats of sea turtles, a raccoon appeared at the rear glass door. How ironic??

It was finally time to head to the beach and search for emerging sea turtles or their tracks on the Turtle Walk. As the group was herded onto the beach and a ghost crab was sighted immediately, the phrase “TP1 to TP2, we have an emergence” came across the radio. As the presenters danced in celebration, the group awaited the location of the emergence. We went north to find the nesting sea turtle. We kept the group away from her while she built her body pit and egg chamber. Once she started to lay eggs, small groups of 3 or 4 were taken near her to see the process. Once she was done laying her eggs, she covered the egg chamber using her back flippers, disguised the nest, and made her way back into the ocean.

Thank you “July 12, 2010 turtle” for helping to add another record for “quickest emergence on a turtle walk” to our record breaking week.

- Ashley Crosby and Carol Kahrmann

Beach Patrol   Monday, July 12, 2010

It is now 3:23 am and we just got back from beach patrol, walking up and down the beach looking for nesting turtles and measuring them.  We saw not one, not two, but THREE! I guess our luck came from thinking all those “turtle-y” thoughts!  As part of the Turtle Patrol Team, we were allowed to measure them, as well as look down in the hole and actually see the eggs drop. Many organisms make their homes on the back of Loggerheads so the carapace or shell, felt fuzzy.  When you ran your finger across her back a trail of “glitter” followed……magical….. The glowing sparkles are caused by bioluminescence, a “living light” given off my tiny single celled organisms.

Turtle #1 showed up just in time for the Beach Walk tour group to join us. The 2nd turtle crawled around on the dune but did not make a nest so we had to try and keep her from going back into the ocean while trying to read her tag numbers and take her measurements.  That was amazing!  She was huge and strong, weighing about 300lbs.  We would try and keep her from moving, two of us holding her from the front as she just pushed us down the beach!  Turtle #3 was found laying her eggs on the side of a sand dune, good for her and the babies, awkward for measuring.  We found the markings of another nest but did not see the turtle herself.

What an experience!  It was truly a magical night.

~Betsy Frye, Richard Middle School

Day Two:  Sunday, July 11, 2010

A tour of the Tidelands museum and canoe trip began our Sunday morning here at Jekyll.  The looming heat (heat index over 100) had our team concerned about our afternoon plans of exploring the beaches
with local naturalist Georgia Graves. Being purpose focused, we coated ourselves with sunscreen and bug spray and headed out.  Heat did not turn out to be our biggest problem, the summer thundershowers moved in setting a record high for the amount of rain within an hour here at the island.  All the sunscreen rinsed off, we were completely soaked, but were no longer threatened by the scorching sun.  We must have been a sight looking like drowned rats seining off the southern end of the island.

We made stops at a couple different beaches, exploring and learning a wealth of information from our knowledgeable guide.  We were fortunate to have a live, in the wild, sea turtle sighting.  Swimming down the channel at the northern end of the beach, we saw a dinner platter sized juvenile green sea turtle.  Apparently, this is a rare experience.  I found the bone-yard beach the most interesting, having never seen a beach littered with giant driftwood pieces.

The evening beach walk, although informative, was turtle-less and therefore disappointing.  We will continue thinking “turtle-y thoughts” in hopes of seeing some nesters tomorrow.

~Betsy Frye, Richard Middle School

On Wednesday, July 14th, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Georgia Aquarium jointly released sea turtles on Jekyll Island.

Credit: Shot and edited by Jessica Malnik (Jekyll Island website)

Check out this story from WTOC in Savannah about the sea turtles that were released on Jekyll Island Wednesday afternoon.

July 10^th, 2010

Thinking Turtley Thoughts…

Today six teachers entered the Georgia Sea Turtle Center with a youthful joy and excitement. As we were greeted by Archelon the giant prehistoric turtle and the friendly staff at the center, we were eager to do or see anything they were willing to give us! Although it seemed overwhelming at times, the amount of knowledge that the staff at the center has is amazing and as teachers we are willing to learn! As we toured the center, met the patients, and learned about this amazing animal, we couldn’t help but think about the night cap…would we see a turtle….but all we could do is think positive turtley thoughts that we would be blessed with the sighting of a healthy female playing her part in the creation of life.

As the night fell, in came the thunder and lightning. We couldn’t help but be gloomy about the possibility that tonight our turtle walk would be canceled. But through the sprinkles and gorgeous flashes of lightening over the ocean, we continued our walk! Our wonderful guide (Alicia Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator) led us down the beach to discover ghost crabs, knobbed whelk egg casings, and even a dead horseshoe crab! Believe me these things were great to see but lets be honest, you could feel the groups burning desire to see a turtle. As our guide said goodbye, we heard the words that would change our course of the evening… “TP1 TO TP2, we have emergence…” And we all knew what that meant….a turtle!

We rushed into our cars and drove down to another part of the beach to see a female nesting in the dunes. What an exciting event! Nothing can prepare you for the beauty and grace of the dance of a female nesting turtle. And after midnight, as we laid our heads on our pillows, turtley thoughts filled our heads and you couldn’t help but smile and be thankful that we are able to be a part of their story, a story more than thousands of years old! Thank you turtles and thank you staff at GSTC!

~ Breanna Young, Oglethorpe Point Elementary School

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Stayed tuned to read more first hand accounts from our other 5 Teacher Workshop Participants!

~Alicia B. Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator