Mama Loggerhead Nesting - 05/24/2023
For the past week, I have begun my morning walk extra early around 5am in hopes of witnessing one of these amazing creatures in her natural habitat. With me, I carried my night vision goggles, because I hoped to be able to capture the beauty of the event while keeping a safe distance away.
As I headed South from my condo in Cocoa Beach, I only made a few dozen steps before I encountered the first set of turtle tracks leading deep into the dunes. A few feet further, the return trail shined in the moonlight as the waves crashed on the shore. “Yes!”, I thought to myself, “Way to go, Mama!”. A successful nest, laid high in the dunes so that it has a chance for the hatchlings surviving.
I continued my journey south, passing two more condo buildings and the entrance to 16th Street, when I saw a single turtle track in the sand in front of my feet. “No way!”, I thought. I kept walking south about 50 feet before stopping and turning on my night vision goggles to scan the beach.
Sure enough, there she was throwing sand on top of her precious eggs that she just deposited in her nest. I quickly zoomed the binoculars in as far as they would go, set up my tripod to capture the scene, and hit record.
If you have ever witnessed one of these magnificent creatures in person, you know the feeling is one you cannot put into words. Your pulse races, but you stop breathing for a moment. You almost cannot believe your eyes. If you’re like me, you may even tear up and get emotional over the beauty of it all.
One thing is for certain…the moment will live in your heart and soul forever.
**Footage captured with the Carlton 3D Night Vision Telescope Binoculars while 50 feet away from the nesting turtle. No wildlife was approached, molested, or harmed in any way while recording.
Link to Night Vision Binoculars - https://amzn.to/3WxAnID
