Western Pond Turtles

Note: today I modified the blog's name to include the word "Nature."

Seven turtles sunbathing in Almaden Lake.

(This shot could have used a more powerful zoom than 12X, but if you click the photo you can see them clearly enough. Luckily, being high on the crossing bridge provided a good vantage point. The camera is a 6-MP Canon S3IS with movie mode. It's a great camera but battery life is short. Fortunately, it takes AA's (four). I bring the camera with me on all bike rides, but it's a little heavy to carry while jogging any distance.)

These omnivorous reptiles feed on vegetation (algae, cattail roots, lily pods), crustaceans (invertebrates with exoskeletons like crayfish), pond animals (fishes, frogs), and insects. They'll eat carrion, too.

Females lay 5-13 eggs per clutch, once or twice per year. They usually build their nest within 100 yards from the water. Lifespan is around 30 years. (Not bad for eating carrion.)

Western Pond Turtles range from Baja California (Mexico) to Washington State (the west coast of the U.S.).

Today was a three mile jog.

[Photo: Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata) Click photo to enlarge.]