An Old Friend
Posted: March 20, 2023 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: backkyard critters, Box Turtles 19 Comments—————————-
It has been hard to find something to post on my blog as my plants are just beginning to come back after being frozen for the second year in a row.
This week I had my first turtle visit for this year.
I thought it was a new turtle I have never seen before, but when I enlarged the photos, the turtle was my old friend “Turtle with a Hole in its Shell”.
It is good to know my old turtle friend is doing fine and still hanging out here.
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The turtle is very colorful. It must like your yard.
What a handsome one — and what fun that you could recognize him. I’ve seen a few at the edge of the pond at Lafitte’s Cove, and I saw one crossing a local road (safely, thank goodness) but it seems like their reemergence is just beginning. Now that you have turtles, can flowers be far behind?
I try to take pictures of the turtles’ shells to identify them. I have a few salvia blooming, but other plants have a ways to go. The weeds are doing quite well.
Aww, so glad to know your friend found its way back to say hello!
What a handsome friend you’ve got there. The shell is a wonderful shade of polished Narawood, which is a mahogany from the Philippines.
Its shell was very clean and shiny that day.
Great image of him humming a tune off-key while he polishes his shell with a fairy toothbrush.
Sweet, I didn’t realize they were so small!
I think that one might be a “teenage” turtle, as others are larger.
Pretty shell. Do you know where they go in winter? I have one around with two spots on the shell, haven’t seen him this year.
No I don’t know what happends to them. I would guess they dig a hole and sleep in there. Most winters are warmer than the last two have been. I have found toads under rocks in the winter. My yard is wooded, so plenty of places to hide. I need to do some research.
I have not seen them here in a while either..turtle burrows somewhere?!
Maybe
Looked it up. It seems like they go by temperature. They may dig a hole or hide under leaves in the cold, but on warm days they can come out and eat. They brumate (which is similar hibernation) to and slow their metabolism.
Glad your buddy is back. I think we gardeners have a tendency to become rather fond of our wild visitors.
It is true. I’ve also had rabbit and bird friends that visited over the years.
How fun! I do love turtles!
How fun! I think his shell is beautiful!
The turtle looked especially clean and shiny that day. I thought it was an entirely different turtle until I enlarged the photo.