Or
Going…
…going…
…gone.
Ravenswood Pond, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023
Yellow-bellied Slider, Sliding In
Tag Archives: Yellow-bellied Slider
Yellow-bellied Sliders, January
I was a bit surprised to see these Yellow-bellied Sliders out of the water. It was warm compared to the near freezing temps we had been having, but they were not in the sun.
Another pair was on a nearby clump of…something. I didn’t see the one in the water until looking at the images on the computer.
Ravenswood Pond, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023
Pile O’Reptiles: Turtles and Alligators
This spot is a favorite for alligators and turtles, and at certain times of the year the light is perfect for reflections. I see parts of four Alligators and two Turtles, one facing the camera and one away, tucked under the left most Alligator.
I was focusing on the draped Alligator arm and didn’t see the turtle peeking up over the top until I was processing my photos.
The last photo was taken about 90 minutes later, the sun had just gone down so not much light. There hadn’t been much movement in the pile.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 12, 2022
Wordless Wednesday: Turtles and an Alligator
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
October 24, 2022
Yellow-bellied Slider
A sunny December day brought out a turtle.
A long-ago started post that I neglected to finish. Notice how very blue the sky was in December, not this humid distorted blah we are having now.
Turtle in the Grass
I usually see Yellow-bellied Sliders either in a pond or basking on a bank. This may be the first time I’d seen one walk across a field.
I did some identification research and was surprised to discover nearly 30 species of turtles can be found in South Carolina.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Cuddo Unit
Ready for Liftoff
Imagine the Anhinga piloting a flying ship full of Yellow-bellied Sliders….
Belly Up the Bar, Boys
In the old westerns when you heard that you knew there was trouble lurking.
These Yellow-bellied sliders have little to fear, at least from this Alligator.
Camoflaged Turtles
Yellow-bellied Sliders were taking advantage of the sun on a recent walk around a pond, positioning themselves on anything sticking out of the water. They had traveled through duck weed and other pond vegetation to get to the coveted spots.
I don’t think the vegetation does a thing to protect the turtles. Alligators, the apex predator in this pond, follows his prey by motion and is himself camouflaged by the same pond covering.
The smallest turtle I saw added a leg extension to his pose, probably needing a little balance to stay on the pointed rock.
