I think this may be a wood turtle. According to a website I found,
They are primarily river turtles that prefer streams with a moderate slope and speed. They feed in uplands and fields that are adjacent to the streams. They will venture some distance from the stream (sometimes 1000 feet or more) but they rely on the stream for refuge and overwintering.So, if you are a State of Vermont herpetologist, welcome to my blog! For the rest of you, I’ll return to regularly scheduled programming in another post.
Status
This species has a state natural heritage rank of S3 (uncommon, localized). Illegal collection has been a problem. The Wood Turtle has been designated a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (high priority) in Vermont’s Wildlife Action Plan, and is a species of special concern in Vermont. Please report all sightings of this species in Vermont. Take photos if possible. Even historic sighting information is useful.
(Yeah, I have a free Flickr account, but I maxed it out already and I’m too cheap to pay for more.)
Sarah, Yes, that's a Wood Turtle, one of my favourites. I've never seen a wild one. Great sighting.
ReplyDelete