Today's addition to the list of assorted critters we have observed or captured in and around our yard is this handsome male box turtle. He was marching through our front garden when we left for school this morning (a distraction which almost made us late). William and I found him not too far away when we returned, and turtle-napped him for a day of captivity until Amy got home and we released him.
The kids of course wanted to keep him as a pet but a brief bit of research corroborated my hunch that the turtle would not be too happy about that. I'm not really sure where this fellow came from - coincidentally William and I spotted him yesterday, at the park across the street (I am only assuming it is the same individual - I've never seen a turtle around here at all). He would have crossed the road to get to our house this morning. And today was mower/weed-whacker day, so I justified his captivity knowing that he was safe from the big machines. We released him in a different part of the woods behind the house, away from the road and other homes. I hope he does okay - I also read that these turtles can be get stressed and disoriented if they are far from their usual area. Still, I can't imagine that the busy road he was headed for was what he had in mind either. (And in case you were wondering - eye color and shell shape confirm that he was indeed a he.)
The cats found him almost as amusing as the kids did when we let him walk through the grass a bit, and he showed off his best box turtle hinged-shell disappearing act if they got too close.
It is always refreshing to turn the calendar to a new month. October was busy, and I'm sure November will fill up too but for now the page is clean (and only one more month till baby month!). Happy November 1st, and Happy Turtle Day.
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