16 March… in the early afternoon I waded into the Far End of the
Great Alder Carr, as I call it, a shrub swap compartment favored by
spotted turtles for their overwintering that has been the site of my
initiation into
turtle season for some years now. Following a northeaster that brought
three days of rain, more than enough to clear the last of the ice pack
and recharging wetlands to spring flood stage, a sun-flooded day with
temperatures in the low 60’s provided a seasonal scenario that all but
guaranteed sightings of spotted turtles up from hibernation for their
first basking of the year. And eleven minutes into my wading search –
instant gratification by turtle-search standards – I saw that familiar
soft glow of the sun on a spotted turtle carapace. I was fortunate to
make a capture and briefly hold Male # 38, who must go back over 20
years in my notebooks; he was an adult of at least 20 when I first
documented him. With another winter behind him, he was well-warmed up,
and at a full-summer level of strength and activity. That remarkable
restoration by the sun that can come within minutes after 5 months or
more of darkness and deepest torpor. I sighted two more basking
spotted turtles, but was unable to make captures for identification;
it is advantage turtle here in terms of escaping, and one of the suite
of reasons this species selects this site for overwintering. These
observations set a new record for the earliest date on which I have
found spotted turtles out of hibernation, by one day. I believe I
mention the previous earliest date (by some margin at the time, and
enduring until this day) of 17 March, which was immediately followed
by a sudden return to sharp wintry conditions that persisted for two
weeks or more, in a previous posting. The forecast is for an extension
of this mid-April in mid-March; after closing this update I will be
heading back out to the Far End. Turtle season 60 begins; that first
encounter with a spotted turtle at age 8 (am I dating myself?),
described in YEAR OF THE TURTLE and elaborated upon with more detail
in SELF PORTRAIT WITH TURTLES – and doubtless referred to in my other
writings – lives with me as I set out again: lucky Guido.

On the 17th (a Wednesday, my big language day) I had time for a midday
search along a reach of the west wood turtle brook where under the
prevailing seasonal conditions, based on a history of more than two
decades, I would have expected to see 3 or 4 turtles up for their
first basking on the stream banks. I saw none, am perplexed and a bit
concerned. I will look in again today. My apologies for all the typos
in my last posting; I tend to do these things in a bit of a rush, with
so much going on – will endeavor be a more careful self-editor from
now on. David