In all of the disruption related to COVID-19, I hope you’ve all found some time to get out, enjoy nature, and soak up some of the early signs of spring. Although yesterday (March 19th) was the official first day of spring, given the extremely warm winter we had, many of the natural bench-marks that I personally watch for as hopeful “signs of spring” have been occurring earlier than normal this year. Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) is blooming almost a month…
There are fresh water turtles (e.g., snapping turtles, red-eared sliders, painted turtles, etc.), there are sea turtles (e.g., leatherback turtles, green turtles, kemp’s ridley turtles, etc.) that live in salt water, and then there are diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin). Terrapins are the only turtle in North America found brackish coastal tidal marshes, with Cape Cod marking the northernmost extent of their range. Terrapins can tolerate short periods of below freezing temperatures, but not for more than a week or two,…
Painted turtles are one of the most widespread turtles in the North America, and are fairly common throughout Massachusetts. They prefer shallow bodies of water that offer places to haul out and bask in the sun, such as exposed rocks or fallen, partially submerged logs. They have a rather smooth shell, with red patterns along the outer edge, a yellow spot (sometimes elongated) behind their eye, and yellow stripes on their head and neck. There is a useful identification sheet…