This year December was a weird month weather-wise. The water level in the pond was lower every day, since we had no measurable snow this winter. Then on the December 25th it rained all day long. The next day, the water level had gone up and the log was again in the pond.
The painted turtle Chrysemys picta is a native in Minnesota and of North America.
Painted turtles are active only during the day; they are warmed by their surroundings on sunny days by basking for hours on logs or rocks. On cloudy days or at night the turtle drops to the bottom of the pond. Painted Turtles eat aquatic vegetation, algae, and small water creatures including insects and crustaceans. They primarily feed while in water and are able to locate and subdue prey even in heavily clouded conditions.
This plant Eutrochium maculatum, is also called Spotted Joe-pye Weed, Purple Boneset, Spotted Trumpetweed. It is related to the similar Boneset which blooms white instead of purple or pink.
Painted Turtles line up on the shore to soak up the sun.
Cornell University has a program called NestWatch https://nestwatch.org/ where citizen scientists report on birds' nests they see. I missed this one until now; it was hidden very well in the reeds near the pond.
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| Near the safety of water, circled around to run up the slope to find fresh food. |
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| At top of the slope, gathering a big mouthful of plant material. |
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| Running downhill to the safety of the pond to munch the fresh food, and try the gathering again. |
Northern Shovelers visited the pond today. They eat tiny crustaceans, other aquatic invertebrates, and seeds in and around the pond. To filter food out of the water, they have comb-like projections (called lamellae) along the edge of their bills. Lamellae are slightly pliable. They help many ducks, gooses, and other birds eat by filtering edible items from mud or water.
Adult painted turtles Chrysemys picta begin active foraging usually in March or early April. Since winter has held on strongly until now, we only saw the first turtle today when the sun was shining and temperature is in the 60's F.
Shortly after awaking from winter, courtship begins. If they laid clutches of eggs last fall, the little hatched turtles probably over-wintered in the nest. Now they emerge and instinctively seek the security of water in the pond.
Today, the Spring Peepers are singing too!
'Ice Stars' adorned the melting ice on the pond last week, since winter was long and more snowy than usual.
Warmer this week, and ice was all melted by today.
This year, I noticed an area of collapsed dirt over their burrow. Recently, it seemed they were active on the north shore of the pond, digging a new burrow where they may spend the winter.
Some muskrats build domed houses of mud and vegetation visible above ground, but just as often they dig burrows with an underwater entrance.
70+ degrees F. !! Wonderful autumn weather.
Turtle still sunning on rocks in the pond.
Frog jumping when I venture into the wetland.
Mallard pair still paddling around, feeding.
New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae blooming.
