I haven't been able to figure out how many Red-eared Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) I have in the 3 ponds. They move quite quickly from pond-to-pond. I've been painting the house and I go back periodically to check on the sprinklers and I see the turtles all over. When they see me they splash into the water and disappear.
Above: I've been feeding the turtles Cap'n Crunch cereal. Probably not their ideal food. . .but as you can see from this set of 3 images they like it a lot. The Red-eared Sliders are quite shy so I had to take these photos from inside the house (through two sets of screens). If they think I can see them . . . they dive. Above one of the very large turtles crawls out of the pond to snatch some cereal. The bowl holds a box of cereal for scale (a very large bowl).
Above: With cereal in his mouth he starts back into the water.
Above: And then he disappears and another turtle pops up.
Above: This large slider was in the center pond. I did not think they could climb in and out of this pond because of its vertical sides. . . but obviously they can. The reflection of the upper tier of the pond is on the water around the turtle. . . who thinks that I cannot see him.
Above and Below: This is the Yellow-bellied Slider turtle (Trachemys scripta scripta). This turtle is native to Florida and less timid than the non-native Red-eared Slider.
It makes me quite sad that all of these guys are orphaned in my ponds currently. It is a very long way to water now. . .much farther than they could presumably trek. The lake water is now at least 1 mile from the house (normally it would be 50 yards or so).
I have been keeping them all fed and watered. . . they especially love the sprinklers on hot days like today. The temperature did not dip below 95° F. (35° C.) until after 6:00 pm.
Above and Below: There are very few Gulf Fritillary butterflies this year. Presumably if it ever starts raining again they will return. Scientifically they are Agraulis vanillae. In a normal May they would be everywhere across the Florida peninsula. I see a few in the gardens where I have heavily irrigated the flowers. . . but nothing like the swarms of years past.
Above: While painting (see painting photos at Phillip's Natural World II) I've noticed a lot of birds that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. Today I was painting the east side of the house alongside the woods and I kept seeing a family of baby Red-headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) playing in the oak trees. They make quite a lot of noise. Eventually I decided to get off the ladder and get a camera . . . which involves removing my shoes, gloves, etc. unlocking the house. . . and washing my hands. . .
By the time I got back out with the camera the woodpeckers were gone but I did happen to see these juvenile Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus).
I don't know where they live but they -- like some of the turtles and snakes -- thought that I couldn't see them. With a long lens on the camera I can see a lot better than with the naked eye. Above and Below: This appears to be a juvenile. . . he's still quite fluffy.
Once the birds realized they had been spotted. . . they quickly flew away from their perches high (50') atop the trees.
Meanwhile all around are snakes. I see them coming and going. Mostly they run from me. . . being much more afraid of me than I am of them. Every once in a while one will startle me. . . when I don't see it and stumble upon it.
These 4 photos are all individual Florida Banded Water Snakes (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris). They are HARMLESS but their bodies resemble the very dangerous water moccasin. Their heads are more like a reptile and not angular in shape (indicating that they are not poisonous).
Above: From a distance it looks like maybe another turtle. . . or it could just be overlooked.
Below: In close-up it is obviously a water snake.
Below: Generally when they see me they dive or run. . . sometimes they think that I haven't seen them and they sit perfectly still long enough for a portrait.
No comments:
Post a Comment