Disappearing Act!

This morning, I sneaked out the back door in hopes that I would be able to get in a little hike around the Bayou before Sunny, the pup, awoke. She always wails like a banshee until I let her out but I figure if I did not wake her..she could not wail! Smart thinking, huh?? My poor Ezzy would miss this outing but in my mind, I promised to spend a bit of extra time with her later in the day. I headed down to the pier in thick fog. The mist made it almost impossible to see my hand in front of my face! While I walked, I kept an eye out for any moccasins that might also be out and about. Just as a precaution, my hike was kept to the board path in hopes that perhaps I could see one there. It is funny how once a poisonous snake is spotted, the alertness level is raised. After another week or so, I will have forgotten all about our not-so-nice visitor and will go plodding around without a care in the world!

As I stepped onto the pier, I heard a sloshing in the tide pool next to the pier. It was low tide but enough water had been trapped behind a ridge of marsh grass to create a nice size "pond". I knew that hundreds of bullminnows would also be trapped in this pond but something much larger was there as well. My first thought was the otters. Sometimes they forage for food among the trapped minnows. Thinking that the fog might provide a decent amount of coverage for a photo shoot, I quietly slipped closer to the pool. When I reached about ten feet from the tide pool, I could barely make out a figure in the midst of the water. This was no otter! It was far to slow moving for the playful mammals! In the fog, this appeared to be a large blob! A large, slow-moving blob could mean only one thing...Snapping Turtle! I eased a bit closer hoping that the fog would conceal me. One false move and the turtle would disappear beneath the mud. I snapped a few pictures but the fog that hid me also did the same to the turtle! Ugh..my one chance to get some great photographs to document the feeding habits of the snapping turtle and it was too misty!

I watched the turtle stretch its neck far out as it tried to reach the minnows. It is amazing just how long the neck of this reptile is! It can fully turn and reach its tail if it so desired! Anyone who thinks they can pick up a snapper by his tail might be in for a nasty surprise! Those jaws can easily take off a finger or two! The turtle will burrow down under the mud and stretch its long neck to the surface of the water to breathe. Its nostrils are located right at the tip of its snout so the turtle can stay will hidden! It is sort of like using a snorkel! Today however, the turtle had no need to snorkel..the minnows were plentiful and the water was scarce. Easy pickings for breakfast, Mr. Turtle! Alas...I attempted to get a bit closer and the turtle spooked. Within seconds it had burrowed beneath the soft mud, totally disappearing before my eyes. If I had not seen the turtle beforehand, I would have never believed that one was so near. What a great disappearing act! Goodbye, Mr. Turtle! I headed back to the Little Bayou House and a wailing banshee!