Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week is a Snap – x2!

You are looking at two snapping turtles; right side of the subject is the classic view of a turtle’s shell breaking above the waterline, looking immediately left and just under water’s surface, is the underside of the other turtle.  They are coupled during mating, to better describe the positioning, there is a head to the right of the exposed shell and there is a head just to the left of the turtle’s underbelly.  Now let us connect this photo to my Subject title, picture me standing directly along the bank of small pond, I am looking to my left trying to photograph some turtles on a log.  Suddenly, I hear a commotion in the water directly in front of me and then, ‘The Photo of the Week’ pops up!!

Two Snapping Turtle mating incidents and stories.  The above Subject Title description was the situation on each occurrence, LUCKY!!

Sunday April 29th made a visit to Columbia Lake, Knowlton Twp. I wish I could say it felt like Spring, IT DIDN”T!! However, I can report some Spring activities in the wild. When I first arrived, there is a little pond area just before Columbia Lake. I am trying to get a clear photo of some turtles on a log, when suddenly the water right in front of me starts churning and I notice a nice size snapping turtle breaking the surface, then I realize it is two snapping turtles. They didn’t seem to mind me recording their courtship.

Second incident:  It is back on April 18, 2015 and I have just observed and photographed a tour at Winakung Indian Village along the beautiful “Scenic & Wild” Musconetcong River in Allamuchy Mountain State Park.  A wonderfully enjoyable and interesting experience as always!!  Meandering downstream to Waterloo Village, I’m photographing the abundant wildlife situated along and in the River.  I was taking a video of a swan, leisurely swimming, in the open water not far from the River’s distant shoreline.  The swan begins to turn its head, looking towards that shoreline and WHAM!!!   An explosion of splashing water right at the shoreline, within my camera’s view-field!!  I wonder what I just witnessed!!

It wasn’t until I downloaded and observed the video on my computer that I realized it was two very large snapping turtles!!

I am not a turtle expert by any means, but doing a little research, I am surmising that these two had just initiated mating!!

In closing, a couple of observations as to the turtle’s size, look at the swan, look at the turtles AND they are further away!!  I put in the other two photos as references to size and looks!!

NOTE: Turtles were around when the dinosaurs ruled the earth!!  To still be around, they must have been doing something right over the ages!!  Come to think of it, these photos are a vital part of that survival strategy, creating new generations!

Please go to my Flickr site for the creation of a new generation photos – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157652249015136

Please visit my Flickr site – ‘Snapping Turtles, various encounters’ album – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157633065305583

Enjoy Your Open Space, Charlie Fineran