Snapping Turtle, Willow Street, Dover, MA
I noticed the car up ahead of me swerve into the opposite lane. Interesting. Then I saw why. Here comes the snapping turtle slowly walking, elephant-like, across the road. And then it decides it will keep walking in my lane.
Here's the video.
Eventually it did cross over, enabling this lovely shot.
CRP News: Dragonflies, everywhere. Also, the Trustees came down with a mower yesterday and cut nice wide paths into the meadow.
3 comments:
Peter - your video of the ponderous turtle reminded me how fast they can go when they feel like it. Once we saw a big snapper walking like that about to enter the road from a ditch on 117 to Concord timed exactly to meet the wheel of the truck in our rear view mirror. So we pulled over abruptly and I ran out to chase the turtle back to the side with a big stick. As soon as I got near, she raised up her body on these suddenly long legs & ran headlong INTO traffic. I realized right then I was lucky she hadn't decided to go in the direction of my legs. Anyway, by the time she did get to the other side of the road, there was a long line of traffic. Mostly no one can stand the thought of hitting a turtle.
Then just the other morning, I saw two work vans stopped facing each other near trapelo road the other morning. Turns out it was for a rabbit who was frozen in the middle of the road. Even when the rabbit finally jumped to the side, the van driver stayed still until the rabbit finally decided on a direction. I don't know why I was so shocked at their patience.
Yes! Whenever I see snapping turtles on foot I can never get the camera out in time--lightning fast. In our town it's usually turkeys that bring things to a halt. Unlike rabbits, they attack cars.
Turtle power! <3
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