Friday, March 19, 2010

The Midland Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta marginata, March 19th, Columbus Ohio

This is the creature of my childhood.  It is perhaps the species that sparked my obsession with nature and natural history.  I have my grandfather to thank for this affliction- he took me to the Seiberling Naturerealm, a Summit County Metropark in northeast Ohio, when I was pretty young, and I just didn't want to stop watching the painted turtles swim around the small pond.  Ever since, I have been absolutely fascinated by turtles.  At my office complex, we are fortunate to have a small wetland education area.  This wetland area is brimming with painted turtles, and today, I counted no less than eleven creatures sunning themselves on the dead cattail stems.

Tom

9 comments:

  1. Beautiful turtles! Who doesn't love 'em? I think our local turtles here in northern NY are still sleeping in the mud. But any day now . . . .

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  2. Thanks Jackie. Hopefully the waters will be warming this weekend and you'll see basking turtles in New York.

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  3. I also grew up going to Seiberling with my grandparents. I can even remember the construction of the current "underground" nature center. The copperhead and the inside of the bee hive were always my favorites. I meant to say hi at the Reptile Conference last weekend, but never got a chance.

    Take care,

    Jason

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  4. Hey Jason- Sorry we missed each other. It was quite a nice conference, wasn't it? My memories pre-date the underground nature center. Back then, there was just a teeny tiny building not too far from the pond. I heard that the center was recently remodled again because the exhibits were too "old". I wonder if that copperhead exhibit is still around? I definitely remember it. I need to get back there again.

    Tom

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  5. Love the painted turtle shots—especially the header. Guess we nature photogs weren't the only ones enjoying the recent spell of nice weather…

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  6. Seconding Grizzled comment--header shot is a-MA-zing. Such great lighting, so clear, fantastic composition. And I'm semi-obsessed with water-reflected images. Thanks so much for sharing. =)

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  7. This turtle is gorgeous. It really does look like someone painted his shell and body.

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  8. Great Shot, Tom! I posted turtles today, too :-) Always a sure sign of spring when the logs fill up with turtles!

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