So I come home today (weather was funky).
I pull in the yard and in the garden off the driveway I see one good sized turtle amidst new young zucchi plants. Hmmm? Now, this season has, as some herpers have shown, been a bit more active. I've got toads a batch. Small box turtles hanging out and Friday, a pine snake in the Herb garden (not cool). I have over the past years even had stray snappers, but this is a landmark first...
O.K.,
Please don't laugh.. Red Belly right? I have spent years watching these things eyeball me and ploop into the Mullica or Batsto but never in my field.
I am somewhat near two ponds but have only ever seen snappers in the ponds. I thought these things were river denizens. It is very sizeable.
If I have picked up anything in reading here I suppose by size and color pattern it is up in years.
It was not terribly put out by the kids and I looking at it but it did seem to be digging in the dirt while we looked at it instinctively.
I made sure the kids didn't fuss with it although my dad stopped over and gave it a poke. Jeez dad. The kids loved it though and of course wanted to keep it.
I really figured it was out of place bigtime and my dad suggested I move it. Since the ponds didn't seem right I decided to bring it to the Clark Branch.
A nice junket just before dinner. So I coaxed it into a 5 gallon bucket.
To give you a size clue, it did not fit well, quite awkward.
My logic here is, I am not squeemish and figured I would be cool but thought the ride might be a little traumatic for the turtle and me with it on my lap.
If not bitten, I would rather not be pissed on.
I didn't think the bucket was super but the ride on the quad would be short and I went nice and easy so as to not freak it out too much.
And then, a nice release to a quietly moving stream.
It, with a little nudge or two, got into the groove.
It did of course plunge right into the area of the stream that crosses the road where those reckless quad riders with no regard for nature blast through not caring what the waters hold hoping to kill everything in our path so I had to persuade it to cross the way and find a safe nitch.
done.
I was pleased to put it in some flowing cedar water because it seemed to be huffing a little although for all I know what I took to be a dried out turlte could have been fine and just breathing heavy. I ain't no herper. I hope I did right. The Clark Branch seems a better fit than my dusty field.
If anyone knows, why would this be here? I am not bigtime far from streams but the kind of real river water or bogs I see these things in is farther off.
I know they can travel but I have never ever seen one out here. Odd, at least to me?
g.
I pull in the yard and in the garden off the driveway I see one good sized turtle amidst new young zucchi plants. Hmmm? Now, this season has, as some herpers have shown, been a bit more active. I've got toads a batch. Small box turtles hanging out and Friday, a pine snake in the Herb garden (not cool). I have over the past years even had stray snappers, but this is a landmark first...
O.K.,
Please don't laugh.. Red Belly right? I have spent years watching these things eyeball me and ploop into the Mullica or Batsto but never in my field.
I am somewhat near two ponds but have only ever seen snappers in the ponds. I thought these things were river denizens. It is very sizeable.
If I have picked up anything in reading here I suppose by size and color pattern it is up in years.
It was not terribly put out by the kids and I looking at it but it did seem to be digging in the dirt while we looked at it instinctively.
I made sure the kids didn't fuss with it although my dad stopped over and gave it a poke. Jeez dad. The kids loved it though and of course wanted to keep it.
I really figured it was out of place bigtime and my dad suggested I move it. Since the ponds didn't seem right I decided to bring it to the Clark Branch.
A nice junket just before dinner. So I coaxed it into a 5 gallon bucket.
To give you a size clue, it did not fit well, quite awkward.
My logic here is, I am not squeemish and figured I would be cool but thought the ride might be a little traumatic for the turtle and me with it on my lap.
If not bitten, I would rather not be pissed on.
I didn't think the bucket was super but the ride on the quad would be short and I went nice and easy so as to not freak it out too much.
And then, a nice release to a quietly moving stream.
It, with a little nudge or two, got into the groove.
It did of course plunge right into the area of the stream that crosses the road where those reckless quad riders with no regard for nature blast through not caring what the waters hold hoping to kill everything in our path so I had to persuade it to cross the way and find a safe nitch.
done.
I was pleased to put it in some flowing cedar water because it seemed to be huffing a little although for all I know what I took to be a dried out turlte could have been fine and just breathing heavy. I ain't no herper. I hope I did right. The Clark Branch seems a better fit than my dusty field.
If anyone knows, why would this be here? I am not bigtime far from streams but the kind of real river water or bogs I see these things in is farther off.
I know they can travel but I have never ever seen one out here. Odd, at least to me?
g.
