Last weekend we were walking through Flag Ponds Nature Park near our home in Maryland. We walked out on a small pier to a brackish water pond and saw a big turtle right next to the pier. I didn't expect to see any turtle, let alone a big one, since it is still February and the water is still cold. But, it has been a very mild winter, so I guess spring was getting a head start for this guy. It was close enough to get a great picture, except for the fact that I didn't have my camera along. I watched it for a while and hit the online turtle ID sites when I got home.
What I saw was a Northern Red Bellied Cooter.
Cool turtle, and the name just cracks me up! Juvenile - yes. Immature - guilty as charged.
5 comments:
Hey Joe. I like turtles. Had many growing up. This particular species was a Jeopardy question just last week.
Mark
Mark! Get a life! Jeopardy? Really?
Very cool, I love turtles but I don't watch Jeopardy.
Joe, that is an awesome looking big turtle. My wife loves turtles, we have a few stationed around our home strategically. Their Ceramic!
Hope all is going well out there Joe. Job has been busy and time for fishing has been very very limited. I will be back at it again because life is too short and to me fishing is life!
Are you sure it's not a painted turtle? 60 miles north of you, all that's out are mud, musk, and painteds.
The red bellies are about the last to come out (along with the snappers) - a southern species.
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