When the fellow who cuts our lawn arrived today, he let us know there was a turtle in our laneway. Then another friend showed up and told us the same thing. So I went down to see what was up...
...and found a Painted turtle. We are supposed to have Midland Painted turtles around here, but I thought the under-side looked more like that of an Eastern Painted turtle:
I submitted the sighting to the Toronto Zoo Adopt-a-pond Turtle Tally, along with a photo, so with any luck they'll figure it out. (Thanks, Sarah, for pointing out that program to me!)
My herpetologist friend Roger Repp thinks this would be a girl, since they are the ones roaming about at this time of year (mating season.) But there's something special about this one. Can you tell what it is?
She only has one eye! I don't know what happened, but at some point she sustained some injury to her left eye, which has healed over. She seems to be doing just fine without it.
Because she was in danger of being mowed by the lawn guy, run over in our laneway, or squashed by a tractor, I moved her down near the creek that runs through out property.
Gordon snapped some pics while I was doing that.
Incognito turtle!
Must be tough with only one eye. I hope things go okay for her in life.
That is so cool! You have such a wild and wooly lifestyle, up there in the wilderness of Canada!
ReplyDeleteThe fun never ends. The odd black bear shows up around here, but I haven't seen one yet. I always wonder if I'm going to run into one in the woodlot!
DeleteI have a special place in my heart for turtles, so it was exciting to see all these pictures.
ReplyDeleteWe have a neighbor who has a small turtle pond in her backyard. One day one turtle was gone, and she couldn't find it even though she posted signs in the neighborhood.
Funnily enough, the turtle showed up about a year later about a half mile away. I really do wonder what kinds of adventures the turtle had at that time. Needless to say, she is more careful about keeping her turtles at home.
Mil, it's AMAZING the turtle turned up a year later! Wow!! I really like turtles too.
DeleteShe's a cutie. When we were kids, my dad found a painted turtle on the road and brought it in the house for us - we named him Timothy and he lived for a few years in a large aquarium
ReplyDeleteTimothy is a great turtle name!
DeleteTurtles are a pretty tough bunch so she should survive. Good on you for looking after this critter.
ReplyDeleteI just rescued another one, a snapper, yesterday. I'm on a roll this year. That's three!
DeleteAlways happy to hear of a turtle in the "neighbourhood". She should do well by your creek.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that's she's getting along okay with one eye!
DeleteI hope she stays on your property and lives out her life. I love turtles and had them as a kid. Mine loved cat food.
ReplyDeleteI hope she does okay too. It would be funny if I saw her again!
DeleteHappy pretty lady was given a helping hand, there are so many turtles on our road this time of year....we really have to keep an eye out when driving (no pun intended!).
ReplyDeleteJane x
You may not have intended it, but it was hilarious! :))
DeleteAfter I found a baby snapping turtle in our garden our neighbour picked one grown up at highway 7 in Perth. We set them free at our lake here. They need all the protection they can get.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad other people rescue turtles!
DeleteThat looks like the turtles found all over Minnesota. My kids used to bring home baby turtles they found by lakes and ponds.
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute when they're tiny!
DeleteShe sounds like a survivor! Even without her one eye, she's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIsn't she? I love painted turtles!
DeleteWhy did the one-eyed Turtle cross the road?
ReplyDeleteBecause she wanted to get to the creek faster :)
LOL! Sounds about right!
DeleteSo Pretty! Aren't turtles cool...
ReplyDeleteI really like them!
DeleteGood for you! I've rescued turtles like that from busy roads here in Texas---usually after we've had a big rain. She's purty!
ReplyDeleteBut the snappers are so UGLEEEE! I rescue them anyway.
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