First Post: Spotted Turtle

My first blog post. I came up with the name Blue Headed Blackbird for my blog because I thought it would be fitting to pay homage to the birds that first sparked my interest in birdwatching, or "naturewatching" as I like to call it: Common Grackles, or as my initial Google search called them, Blue-Headed Blackbirds.

Anyway, with the first post I'll share images I took of a Spotted Turtle I encountered while naturewatching at Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary in Attleboro, Ma, owned by MassAudubon this past Saturday the 19th of March, 2011.

 He was walking away from me as I approached on a sunny trail.

As soon as I tried to move around to his front he ducked his head into his shell. (I think it's a he, but I'm not sure, I'll have to investigate that)

I crouched down to try to get a close up of his face right as he started poking his head out to see if the coast was clear

But then quickly ducked back in the safety of his carapace

I backed off to try to get pictures of him out of his shell

I ever so slowly, 2 steps at at time, inched closer and closer to him, snapping pictures as I went.

For a sense of scale

Needless to say I was extremely excited to see this vulnerable turtle species; they're the most endangered species I've yet seen in the wild, though I sincerely hope that they are able to recover.