Turtles

This time of year it isn't unusual to see adult Eastern Painter Turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) walking through our yard looking for a place to lay their eggs, but I almost mistook this baby turtle for a stone while mowing my lawn.



Even climbing over mushrooms was a challenge.



This little guy is an exact scaled down version of an adult.



Blades of grass seemed like trees to this little guy.



After a few photos I gave this little guy a ride to our cabin and released him in a pond full of turtles.

Snapping Turtles

While working outside of our barn, preparing for a concrete project, I noticed some movement in the leaves next to a barn wall. The movement was caused by a baby snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).



Unlike the adult Eastern Painter Turtles (Chrysemys picta picta), which are easily handled, snapping turtles are noted for their nasty disposition when out of the water. The snapping turtle's highly mobile head and neck with powerful beak-like jaws have bitten many unlucky handlers.

Even baby snapping turtles are easily identified by their long tails and the rows of raised ridges on the top of their shell. Snapping turtles can live for over 30 years and weigh over 35 pounds.

Turtles

The turtles are on the move! For a least three times this week I've had to help Eastern Painter Turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) across Joyce Road. Being hit by vehicles while crossing roads is a significant source of mortality to this species.



The female turtles will leave the safety of ponds and streams this time of year to lay their eggs. Painted turtles are thought to live between 20 to 40 years and reach sexual maturity at approximately 10 years of age.



While the female turtles are dodging the traffic on Joyce Road, the male turtles are back at the pond sunning themselves on a rock.

Signs of Spring

After one of the warmest Winters on record and several warm days in the last week, I was still surprised to find this Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) sunning itself along the pipeline route near our woods.



At our pond there were a dozen or more painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) looking for a warm spot along the bank.


Back at our house the crocus were in bloom.

Out and About in the Neighborhood

It was a busy photo day in the neighborhood. Early in the morning I checked the Killdeer nest at the cabin and found a new, fourth egg in the nest. The little nest is looking crowded.



We worked on the gardens most of the day and around 6:00PM headed to the cabin to sit by the pond and relax. Within 20 feet of the park bench at the pond, a turtle was laying eggs in the rock hard dirt.



The many frogs at the pond are always fun to watch and listen to and a couple of the frogs were kind enough to pose for a picture.





After listening to the frogs and watching a few deer we headed to the barn to pickup some supplies for the gardens at the house. As we drove by Steve and Jan's driveway we could see a doe and a small fawn in the hay field. The doe ran across the field and headed for our field on the other side of Joyce Road. The fawn also ran but was unable to keep sight of the doe in the high grass. The fawn ran back to Steve's driveway and walked to Joyce Road where it stood near Steve's mailbox and looked for mom.


After a couple of minutes the fawn headed north on Joyce Road toward Brian's garage and into the field.



We continued on to the driveway for the barn where the lupins were in full bloom.



At the barn we loaded our supplies and watched a double rainbow.