Herpetofauna - One Life's List
Southern Painted Turtle Mingo Swamp, Wayne Co., Missouri. October 28th,
2002 |
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"Turtle!" Rick Milas
exclaimed as we drove down the track next to Ditch 6. Sure enough,
there was a young adult dorsalis, sunning on a bit of log out in the
Ditch. No mistaking the species either - dorsalis has this nice
orange 'racing stripe' down the middle of its carapace. Atypically, this turtle did not slide into the water as we backed up the vehicle for a better look, nor did it when we got closer, nor did it move when we got out of the vehicle and crept up close for a picture. There you have it, a Southern Painted from about twelve feet away! I think I'm going to need a different telephoto lens for turtle-stalking, one that will bring them in closer. |
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