We’ve been checking every day to see if the Box Turtle eggs in our yard had hatched yet. Yesterday was Day 76 with the average being 70 days. (Click on blog link to see whole story with photos.)
A couple of weeks ago we called the local “turtle expert” Bill Allan who came over and put a little cage on the area where the female had laid her eggs in June. He even loosened the soil a bit to help them along. While doing this we saw 2 eggs buried about 3-4″ in the sand. Wow! They were really in there!
Yesterday morning I went out early to check them as the forecast was for torrential rain. No one was stirring then. But when we went out later in the afternoon, after the rains had stopped, there were 2 little Box Turtles that had hatched and needed to get out of the cage into the nearby woods.
The chronology of photos is: 1) First turtle that we picked up to place in the woods. 2) The cage that Bill Allan put in our yard over the nest. 3) When I first noticed that the turtles had hatched. I could see 2 little holes in the sand. You can see the turtles inside the cage. 4) Removal of the cage. 5) 2nd turtle getting a helping hand to the woods. 6) First turtle under some ground cover. 7) 2nd turtle under ground cover.
Just went out to check again. They made it out into the woods! Wow! What an incredible experience! So cool!!
Each year there seems to be a “seal island” on one of the sandbars by Coast Guard Beach or Nauset Beach. The seals pack themselves together and enjoy that little bit of time until the tide comes in again. (Click blog link to see other photo.)
The 2nd photo is of “seal island” not zoomed in. It is pretty far away from shore.
Our motion detector kept going off the other night and we could see a deer out in the yard. It wasn’t until the morning when it got light outside that we could see him in my garden… ready and waiting!
Oh No! He ate the tops off of all of my Roses and Zinnias! Guess he had a good meal… and I have a lot less flowers!
There is never a dull moment in our yard on Cape Cod! We awoke early the other morning and saw a little commotion out by our bird bath. Quietly we looked out the window and there were 3 baby raccoons in the bird bath with mom and dad standing nearby. (Click on blog link to see other photo.)
There is never a dull moment in our yard here on Cape Cod! When we saw the Box Turtle lay her eggs the other day, we thought that was really cool. Then yesterday we had a Diamondback Turtle just walk through our yard. It was so awesome!
“The Diamondback Terrapin is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the eastern and southern United States. The common name refers to the diamond pattern on top of its shell. Adult Diamondback Terrapins mate in the early spring, and clutches of 4-22 eggs are laid in the sand dunes in the early summer. They hatch in the late summer or early fall.” We wondered if this one had come by to find a place to lay her eggs. We did not see that happen.
Diamondback Terrapin are classified as Near Threatened, so care is taken to make sure they can make it. If you see one on the side of the road, you are supposed to pick it up and help it get to the other side. If it is near the salt marsh and there is a wire fence by the road, put it over the fence closer to the marsh. This will ensure that they won’t get run over by other cars.
I posted the 2nd photograph so you can see the distinct coloring on the underside. He was resting in the shade of a rock in our back yard.
Love it!
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
