Monday, June 21, 2010

Painted Turtle Lays Her Eggs

Saturday was egg laying day for the painted turtles in our neighborhood.  First we spotted this female trying to burrow into our lawn and moved her along to a more turtle-friendly area away from dogs and cars.

Later that night while walking my Sheltie, I discovered another painted turtle on a neighbor's lawn.  This one had already dug her hole.  I ran home and got the kids and the camera.  My daughter videotaped the egg laying.  The turtle layed seven eggs, deftly catching each one with her curled right hind foot before depositing it into the moist hole.  

The turtle's nesting spot was too close to the street, so my son took her down to the creek away from traffic.  We covered the hole and noted the spot.  Eighty days from now - around September 7 -seven baby painted turtles will make their way into the world.  The short clip below shows the first two eggs being laid. 

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