Snapping Turtle

Tree609

Willow was slightly appeased to find this female snapping turtle laying eggs roadside this afternoon. Earlier she had missed the fawn and almost cried.

Her brother and I had taken the goats for a walk, and Willow didn't want to go. The Firebird went ahead into the marsh and I heard him say, "A Fawn!!! A fawn!! Look, look!"

And there was a tiny spotted white tailed deer fawn walking away from the outskirts of our group. That's all the look I needed, I told him we needed to get out of there fast and quickly headed back up hill with the goat herd following. Except Nic of course, he has to lag behind and stuff himself.

Three steps into the woods I glanced down and there were my pruners Willow lost last year at wreath season. Right in plain view on top of a knoll. I knew they would turn up eventually, even though we had searched in vain on several occasions. My big loppers have been lost in the woods two or three times for months and then suddenly been found.

Anyhow, I wanted to leave the fawn well alone so Mom would come back for it. I was alarmed to see it walking, as they usually bed down during the day, so we must have really disturbed things. We made the best of it and went well away. I don't think it should be too bad, since we regularly take the goats in that area and our scent must be there.

Last year I had taken photos of a fawn bedded down and got quite close while it held stock still. That was in the same area, but further downstream where we rarely go. So, in a way I was happy to see the fawn there in the one spot we frequent, as to me it was a sign we haven't chased the wildlife away with our walks.

The clippers were a lucky find; when Willow found out about the fawn that she missed, she looked about ready to cry, and I hauled the clippers out of my back pocket and held them up triumphantly. That brought a smile to her face and changed the subject.

An ugly old snapper is no match for a beautiful little spotted fawn, but that's what you get tonight.