just wanted to share a few cool pix

[smylemaker]

feel so Blessed that every year we have turtles that lay eggs and hatch right in my back yard... we observe the momma laying eggs and then mark calendars for hatch... also have a few other turtles that visit often one is a snapper type turtle ( not sure what kind but it is huge) and the other we were told is a Blandings turtle.. observing these turtle in the wild is what made me fall in love with them...

 

[wellington]

Wow, that would be so fun to look forward to every year. The snapper? Very long neck. The babies are so cute. Lucky you.

 

[diamondbp]

Common snapper. Very cool! You are blessed

 

[Diamondbacks4Life]

About how far away are the turtles traveling from their water to nest at your house? Always interesting to see how far they travel and how far the hatchlings must travel.

 

[Jacqui]

Awesome shots! I especially love the one showing the hatchlings emerging.

 

[smylemaker]

About how far away are the turtles traveling from their water to nest at your house? Always interesting to see how far they travel and how far the hatchlings must travel.

Id say they they travel @ 50 feet(give or take) the pond we have has a very large , rocky bank and just the trouble they go to to get to our lawn where they usually lay is amazing task in it self... this was the first year we also had snappers lay eggs and when I was out with dogs I saw the mulch moving and thought it was perhaps a mouse digging, closer look and I had 28 little snappers coming out of ground... I have pictures of baby sunturtles(?) walking towards pond let me see if I can attach them too

 

[Saleama]

Amazing! What a fun place to live! Love the little painted one and the others look like little Luche Libre wrestlers with thei mud masks!

 

[Anthony P]

I hope you realize how lucky you are to have that blandingii nesting in your backyard!! What an amazing gift of nature! You are very lucky.

They are an endangered species and one heck of an example of the amazing capabilities of turtles. They freeze solid in the winter, and they are one of the most cold tolerant and longest lived freshwater turtles in the world.

The Massachusetts population is especially fragmented and endangered. I'm so happy you shared the photos. That lady turtle is lucky she decided to lay eggs in a friendly yard

 

[waitmanff]

This is just amazing!!! I am so jealous!!! Love seeing all these pictures!