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Cold Weather Sun Bathing
The sun was out on a chilly morning & she was taking advantage of that. The concrete would be the warmest place to soak up some rays. She was right below me as I looked over the fence.

She was the first of the species I ever saw, a day I will never forget.

Maximum head width: 65mm
Midline plastron length: 222mm
Midline carapace length: 260mm
Maximum carapace length: 275mm
Maximum height: 120mm

I had been hunting a big snapping turtle to use during upcoming classroom presentations. So this was my lucky day! Just before work, right in the middle of the gravel road behind the animal shelter was a fairly big one! His carapace was 9.5 inches front to back. The kids loved it! It was released to the same pond the following day. http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/large-snapping-turtle

Down near the firing range, on the narrow strip that separates a small marsh from the larger wetland area, a gargantuan snapper was crossing from one pond to the other. His head was near the size of a tennis ball; his back feet were huge paddles as wide as three my fingers and tipped in heavy claws. I used a branch to note the length of his carapace which later measured out at 15.5 inches. http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/gargantuan-snapper

One of my co-workers brought in an Eastern Box Turtle that his German Shepherd had found and threw around like a chew toy. A few marginal scutes were broken off the front of his carapace, but it otherwise seemed okay. http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/turtle-on-a-fence-post

• Walton County, Georgia
• Mostly sunny, high near 79°
• Sunrise 6:22 AM; Sunset 8:43 PM
• Day length: 14 hours, 21 minutes

~ William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

Walton County, Georgia. ©williamwisephoto.com

• Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Sunrise Today:7:36 am; Sunset Today:7:45 pm
• Daylight Hours: 12 hours, 9 minutes (+2m 7s)
• Moon: 12.9% Waning Crescent

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

Big one! 12" carapace, 15 pounds 10 ounces, and feisty as heck!
©williamwisephoto.com
Animal Control call; removed from fenced backyard and relocated. Walton County, Georgia.

Journal: http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/large-snapping-turtle-scale-weighing-fifteen-pounds

Walton County, Georgia ©williamwisephoto.com

• Forecast: showers and thunderstorms, high 79°; low 63°
• Sunrise 6:30 AM, sunset 8:29 PM
• Day length 13 hours, 58 minutes
• Moon: waxing crescent, 5% illumination
• Journal: http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/common-snapping-turtle-photo-blog

Greenfield Lake, Hanover County, North Carolina.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Sunrise 6:45 am; Sunset 6:04 pm
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 19 minutes (+2m 4s)
• Moon: 31.1% Waning Crescent

©williamwisephoto.com Juvenile Common Snapping Turtle found near the water retention pond behind the animal shelter; Walton County, Georgia.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 104.
• Sunrise 6:30 am; Sunset 8:48 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 18 minutes (-42s)
• Moon: 55.0% Waxing Gibbous
• http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/juvenile-snapping-turtle

This guy was sitting on trail not bothered by folks walking by. About 2 feet long maybe. Appeared to have wounds on back. Later told that it appeared a bigger gator had tried to eat him/her. But appeared healthy and eventually headed back into the water.