Snapper

It's turtle nesting time! Out on my morning walk I was delighted to find an enormous (OK, medium-sized) snapping turtle laying her eggs in a little driveway that leads onto a farmer's field. She's in a very vulnerable position - if she could she'd be off in a flash - but she's committed and has to finish the job. 

I'll go back tomorrow to see how things are. It's not uncommon to find turtle nests have been raided overnight and the eggs eaten. I've never found a snapper here before, but painted turtles love to use this little stretch of road to lay and I suppose the predators (raccoons?) know this all too well.