No sea turtle activity was noted today
There was a rescue however
We had found a Royal Tern yesterday looking like a drowned rat. Bedraggled and had obviously been fighting out in the water to survive. He had made it to the shore but was still where the incoming waves could hit him
He was weak and emaciated looking
and didn’t have the strength to stand on his own legs
I picked him up and he didn’t even fight me
One of the park staff brought out a box and gave him some water
This morning he had made it out of the box on his own and two rangers moved him to the dune in front of parking lot D at north beach and that is where we found him again this morning
He was able to stand on his own but was a little awkward although he had made it to about mid beach on his own
One of the fisherman on the beach this morning gave me some of his bait fish and I tossed them to him. He ate two and then waddled down to the tide pool and drank
Jeremy, Buddy, and myself spent some time guarding him from people and off leash dogs until those two had to leave to work and do various other things and then I guarded him by myself for the rest of the day
We rounded him up and moved him to the northern end of the island to be safer
As he dried out more and more and also probably from the food and drink, he started trying to fly in little spurts going further and further each time
but always seemed to circle back around at the end of each flight
In my little reality, he was saying thank you and I’m okay. Our perception is after all pretty much our reality right? 😉😋
Those of you who don’t know me well enough to know that any bird with a sassy looking mohawk would be one of my favorites, I’m letting you know right now that they are and this ending made my heart very happy 🤓
Good luck and Godspeed my new little friend 🙏🏻🤞🏻
A big thank you to the boys for always patiently assisting me in all my rescue missions 🤗🤓
A beautiful sunrise pic from this morning
taken by Mike Caudill a Monday turtler