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.
