A New Generation of Cooters...Hopefully!

  While out picking figs, I noticed a large "blob" down the hill near the wild persimmon trees.  This blob was doing a slow wobble back and forth which meant only one thing...this was a female turtle digging a hole with her hind legs.  I eased my way down the hillside to get a better look. Sure enough, a female Cooter turtle was in the process of creating the perfect nest for her eggs.  The soft mulch had been pulled aside and she was now digging in the sandy soil beneath.  She stopped for a moment to see if I was a predator.  I slowly edged around her a good thirty feet away so as to not unduly disturb her.  After making a wide circle around, I headed back to my chore and left her in peace.  As I picked figs, I had a good view of the turtle's choice spot.  Even though she hesitated for a few moments when she noticed me, she resumed her goal of egg-laying.  It was not long before she had completed the task at hand and turned to head back into the marsh.

  I am not certain that the name is correct but these have always been Cooter turtles to me.  Pop first mentioned the name when we had the turtles in the huge pond on the old farmplace.  The back of the Bayou is filled with such wonders as these turtles and they make their way up the hillside to lay eggs.  I am always impressed that any of the eggs ever hatch since so many predators are eager to dig the nests. Raccoons, fox, bobcats, rats and even crows will dine on the eggs given a chance.

  *Little known fact about Cooter turtles!  Are you aware that these turtles cannot swallow when out of the water?  They mostly eat aquatic plants but will catch insects and small fish when available.  Regardless of their meal, they have to go underwater to swallow it.  Now you know...sort of interesting at least to me.  

  Since I know exactly where this nest is, my aim is to keep watch.  If no predators raid the spot, perhaps the little ones will make it back down the hill to the marsh.  They will go from one predator-filled spot into another.  Hopefully, they will survive and another generation can be seen sun-basking on the marsh mats of the Bayou.

Brave Little Turtle!

   Life is far too fragile and precious for any of us to not lend a helping hand when any creature is in need.  It saddens me to know there are those who refuse to rescue critters.  I, for one, have no problem "diving right in" to help.  Although, in this case, the diving part was not needed.  The rescue was needed, however.

  Mark has some crab traps at the end of the pier.  He faithfully baits these things and waits.  The otters faithfully eat the bait while that waiting is done.  Consequently, not many crabs are enticed into the traps.  Other critters are, at times.  This morning, a hapless turtle had made its way into the trap.  While I am not up on my turtle identifications, Pop always called these "Cooters" so the name stuck...Cooter it is. The little turtle was about the size of my hand and was as calm as any "stranded" animal could possibly be.  Mark wanted to just dump the poor critter onto the pier but I insisted on being a tad more gentle.  The crawler (open spot) in the crab trap was large enough for me to poke my arm inside.  The turtle looked a bit uneasy at the approaching hand but I think it realized I was there to help.  It gave no struggle as I lifted it from the trap and sat it on the pier.  Wow!  It was a pretty, little thing!  After a few moments and a couple of photographs, I slid the turtle back into the water so it could go on its merry way.

  I often wonder what the wild critters think when I am rescuing them.  Do they truly understand that this huge creature (me) is just trying to help or do they go into panic mode and purely freeze on instinct?  I like to think they are familiar enough with me that they understand there is no need to fear my helping hand.  Folks, be kind to all critters.  Sometimes, they need a helping hand just as we do. Just be kind.

"On Track"

  For the past few nights (and days), it has been extremely cold.  At least, it has been cold for this far south.  We are not accustomed to the temperature staying below the freezing mark both night and day.  It has also been quite windy which adds to that chill.  Needless to say, folks down here were bundled up to their ears!  It makes me glad that I worked so hard for the past few weeks gathering the firewood.  With both of the menfolk "out of commission", I had to do chores for all of us.  It was not an easy job for an old lady but I am proud to say "I did it!"

  

  That cold wind also blew the tide far from the shore.  In fact, there was no water anywhere near the pier!  All you could see was mud!  Yep, I headed to the pier despite of the cold...despite of the icy wind...despite of the frozen pier boards.  It was a bit treacherous as I kept slipping and sliding!  Still, I made it and was captivated by the mudflats that were left behind as the water receded.  The water hides a lot of stuff!  Since the last time the tide was this far out, so many logs have floated in and are now mired in the mushy mud.  Those were not the only things interesting, though!  Tracks...so many tracks were to be seen!  It always amazes me how critters can walk on that mud and not become mired themselves.  

 

  A set of tracks that caught my eye was a double row of small ruts.  Occasionally, divots could be seen on either side of the ruts.  Ahh, turtle tracks.  We must have a lot more turtles in the bayou than I realized. Either that or we have a very active turtle!  Tracks were winding everywhere thought the mudflats. 

  I am assuming that these tracks were made by the Cooter Turtles that mostly hide in the marshes or bask on those logs.  The tracks seemed too small for the snapping turtles plus did not have the claw marks which are telltale signs of the snappers. Both types of turtles usually only make their way ashore to lay their eggs then are back down to keep out of sight.  Had I been on the pier a bit earlier, perhaps I would have seen a dozen or so as they slid their way across the mudflats.  I imagine they were confused about the frigid weather and did not burrow down in the mud soon enough to keep warm.  Poor, old southern turtles!  They were caught off-guard just like all of the rest of us!

Year of the Turtle?

  I am beginning to think that every turtle in the state has moved to the Bayou.  There have been more sightings of the critters than in previous years.  We have caught them on our fishing lines, pulled them out of the Frog Pond (they were stranded and could not make the steep climb) and found them in the compost pile.  They are munching my figs, eating the leftover cat food and tasting the tomatoes.  Besides being busy with the aforementioned things, they are digging holes and laying eggs all over the yard!  Turtles, turtles, turtles...everywhere!  We have even taken to naming them.  A few days back, I explained the reasoning behind one being named Virginia, well....today, Son named one "Turtle".  (Yes, extremely original!) Son's explanation of the moniker?  "I won't forget its name." and he fed it another fig.  Makes sense to me but stop feeding the figs to turtles!

  This afternoon, I headed out the back door to check why the Critter Neighborhood Watch crew was throwing up the alarm.  Some predator was obviously upsetting the blue jays because their racket could be heard even indoors.  After finding that it was a couple of crows displaying malicious intent, I left the crew to do their work.  The blue jays could handle it far better than I.  On the way back to the house, my path took me far down near the marsh.  It was there that yet another turtle was found.  This time, a large mud covered Cooter turtle had come out of the Bayou to lay her eggs.  This is the fourth egg-laying turtle that I have found this summer and I know I have missed dozens others.

  The turtle was oblivious to my presence and never once stopped her task of digging a nice nest.  Afterward, she deposited the round, white eggs into the hole, then proceeded to cover it.  When she finished, she dug several more "decoy" holes in hopes that the raccoons would tire of digging before they found her eggs.  I hope so, too.  I hope so, too.

 

Mama Is Busy!

  Early this afternoon, the neighborhood watch sent up their alarm calls causing me to head outside barefoot in the drizzly rain.  If some predator was lurking too near the wren's nest or the new baby squirrels, I wanted to divert its attention.  Instead, it was my attention that was diverted.  About halfway down the hillside to where the marsh comes up near the wild persimmon tree, my foot found soft soil.  Well, that was different.  Looking down, I realized that I stepped into a small hole.  It was then that I noticed several other holes of the same size and pattern dug nearby.  Decoy holes!  

  Decoy holes are what I call the random bunch of holes that a mama cooter turtle will dig before she settles on the perfect site to lay her eggs. Sometimes up to a dozen holes will be dug and abandoned.  The abandonment can caused merely by an unsatisfactory soil condition such as too many roots or perhaps some debris (glass) left over from a hurricane or can be the result of the turtle being disrupted while digging.  The extra holes can also be a ploy to protect her eggs from predators.  Whatever the case, Mama Turtle digs several holes before finally laying her eggs. 

  Since the neighborhood watch of blue jays was in the old oak tree overhanging the marsh, the ruckus was soon forgotten.  Instead, I searched for Mama Turtle.  It was not long before I found her beneath the mimosa tree. She seemed to be content with her latest hole as she was in the midst of depositing eggs there. Not wanting to disturb her, I kept my distance and let her do her egg-laying duty in peace.  The future generation of Bayou Turtles depend on these stoic ladies and their ploy of diverting predators and I sure did not wish for her to think I was one!

All Through Except For The Waiting

  Sometimes things are well worth the wait no matter how long that wait is.  The wait happening here on the Bayou can end within 50 days or take as long as 125 days.  It all depends upon the heat.  If we continue to have cooler nights and mornings, things will take much longer than if we suddenly jump into midsummer.  Optimally, 50 to 60 days will see us through the longest part.  I just have to be patient.

  My duration time is not entirely "my" wait.  Earlier today, Son was cooling off a bit from caulking the new siding.  He caulks, I paint.  We were both feeling the heat of the noonday sun so decided a lemonade break was in order.  He wandered about the shady area back behind the canebrake before he came across something rather interesting.  On the highest part of the hill back there, a Cooter turtle had decided "her" time was due.  She dug her nest and deposited up to two dozen eggs in the bottle shaped hole before ambling back down to the Bayou.  There are a number of Cooters and slider turtles that live in the brackish water where the Bayou meets the creek.  Mama Cooter had made that slow trek through the marsh, up the steep hill, dug her nest in hard clay, deposited her eggs, covered the nest and then was laboring to make her way back down to the water.  Son found her just after she had left the nest.

  Poor Mama Cooter was drying out quickly in the noonday sun.  She was covered with a thick layer of clay and was exhausted after her chore.  As much as I wanted to help her back into the water, I knew that I should not intervene.  It was best that she continue as she has every year for probably the past ten or maybe twenty years.  She knew what she was doing and needed no help from me.  She was a large turtle with her carapace being nigh on 15 inches and I am sure she was quite hefty!  

  Son and I watched the turtle for a bit.  He called attention to the fact that her shell showed the ravages of being attacked at some point. Perhaps a young alligator or even a coyote had attacked her causing the abrasions and cracks.  Despite this, she was determined to lay her eggs and insure that a new generation of Cooters would inhabit the Bayou.  Good Mama.  Now all that is left is the waiting and the hopes that the little turtles make it down to the water without being attacked by a predator.  Usually, only one or two will survive the first year.  It is treacherous for little tykes on the Bayou.