Mating Snappers, 54 Degrees

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Steve Barten
Posts: 162
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:13 pm
Location: NE Illinois

Mating Snappers, 54 Degrees

Post by Steve Barten »

I had a great walk in the woods yesterday. I almost didn’t go because there was heavy frost overnight and it only warmed up to 54 degrees F. But my philosophy is if you’re not looking, you’re not finding, so I went anyway and had a very successful day.

Painted Turtles were basking.
Image

To paraphrase Ratso Rizzo, “Hey! I’m swimming here!”
Image

The one on the left climbed up and his wet shell dried in the sun while I watched; the one on the right gave him an open-mouth threat when he got too close.
Image

As I was heading out I spotted a round, flat thing in the water about 120 feet off shore, near an island. It reminded me of a softshell, which aren’t found in this pond. I set up my camera for a closer look. DX, 300 mm plus 1.4 TC, 100% crop, to give you an idea how far away it was.
Image

It was a Snapper. He was in an odd pose, too high out of the water, and he was moving with small jerking motions.
Image

There appeared to be something underneath him. You can see a leech on the margin of his carapace just in front of the bridge.
Image

He was really interested in it.
Image

It looked like a pair of Snappers that was mating. As I looked through the viewfinder I became aware of a Bullfrog hopping behind them (arrow).
Image

Image

Image

Finally, the female’s head popped up.
Image

Image

Again, the female's nose is visible.
Image

200% crop. Looks like he's biting her neck.
Image

She moved out to the side (her right, our left).
Image

Image

The front margin of the female’s carapace is visible on the left.
Image

I watched for 45 minutes or longer and the male showed no sign of giving up.
Image

Image

Curiously, about 20 people walked by me on the path during that 45 minutes, and in spite of my camera on a big tripod with a long lens and my obvious interest in something out there not one of them saw the turtles or asked what I was looking at.

Other sightings included Green Frogs.
Image

Image

Hooded Mergansers
Image

Escargot
Image

At another stop, there was nothing out and I was thinking about leaving when I spotted a muskrat. These things will make great food for the Burms when they finally migrate up to Chicago as predicted by the feds. :roll:
Image

Image

As I watched the rat I heard Sandhill Cranes calling and a courting pair did two flybys right over my head.
Image

Image

Image

It was a great day! Thanks for looking and pardon the non-herps, but they were part of the day.
SnakeDude
Posts: 417
Joined: July 14th, 2011, 9:18 am
Location: Denver, CO

Re: How They Make Baby Dinosaurs

Post by SnakeDude »

sounds like a nice day- cool snapper :thumb:
-Ian
User avatar
Mike VanValen
Posts: 2074
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:41 pm
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

Re: How They Make Baby Dinosaurs

Post by Mike VanValen »

I saw a pair of snappers doing the same thing a few weeks back when it got over 80 degrees up here. I wasn't able to get photos like that. Nice observation.
Post Reply