Rondeau Ric

Rondeau Bay, June 7, 2022. Spotted quit a few turtles on a log on the way to see the pelican, this Blanding's was one of them. Emydoidea blandingii The Blanding’s Turtle is a medium-sized turtle easily identified by its bright yellow throat and chin. Unlike most Ontario turtles that have wide, flatter shells, the Blanding’s Turtle has a domed shell that resembles an army helmet. Its shell is black to brown with yellow flecks and streaks and can reach 27 centimetres long. Its head and limbs are black-grey and the bottom shell is rich yellow.

The turtles were out in good numbers grabbing a few rays when we were out on the boat the other day. Since then the weather has turned, bir waves and cold temperatures so they are probably gone for the year. I think it looks very prehistoric poking out of the weeds. Emydoidea blandingii This species hibernates in the soft bottoms of water bodies. Particularly in the spring, the Blanding’s turtle basks on rocks, logs or substrates in sunny locations.

Got out on the pontoon today, I even got to drive. One of the things we saw was this Blanding's turtle sitting at the edge of the marsh. Emydoidea blandingii Blanding's Turtles live in shallow water, usually in large wetlands and shallow lakes with lots of water plants. It is not unusual, though, to find them hundreds of metres from the nearest water body, especially while they are searching for a mate or traveling to a nesting site. Blanding's Turtles hibernate in the mud at the bottom of permanent water bodies from late October until the end of April. source - https://www.ontario.ca/page/blandings-turtle

Went looking for a fawn a friend saw, missed it but found this Blanding's turtle near the parking lot of the trail. Watched until it was safely across the road. Emydoidea blandingii Blanding's Turtles live in shallow water, usually in large wetlands and shallow lakes with lots of water plants. It is not unusual, though, to find them hundreds of metres from the nearest water body, especially while they are searching for a mate or traveling to a nesting site. Blanding's Turtles hibernate in the mud at the bottom of permanent water bodies from late October until the end of April. source - https://www.ontario.ca/page/blandings-turtle

Smiley face. , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Recently Rondeau Provincial Park had a Turtle Day to promote turtle conservation through education. One of the guests was this Blanding's Turtle which had been confiscated by the Canada Wildlife Service. It can't be released into the wild and is kept for education purposes at the visitor centre in the Park. Scientific stuff: Blanding's have a very distinctive yellow throat, however, in captivity the throat colour fades. It has a smooth, domed shell that has been said to resemble a military helmet. This medium-sized turtle inhabits a network of lakes, streams, and wetlands, preferring shallow wetland areas with abundant vegetation. It can also spend significant portions of time in upland areas moving between wetlands. In a single season this highly mobile turtle has been known to travel up to seven km in search of food or a mate. For more information go tohttp://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/risk.php?doc_type=fact&id=317 E...

Cruising the beach , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. While out with the turtle researchers on a hatchling release we came upon this adult Blandings turtle. According to the Toronto Zoo web site: It is 12.5-18 cm in length; Carapace black to greyish-brown with numerous yellowish spots or streaks Plastron has a flexible grooved hinge that allows lower shell to close upward to protect head and legs Bright yellow on chin and throat Protruding eyes Domed shell obvious while it basks on logs, rocks or clumps of vegetation Status: THREATENED Emydoidea blandingii

Blandings turtle , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. The Blandings turtle is endangered through out most of its range. It is about 8 inches long and has a bright yellow throat. Emydoidea blandingii