April: Finishing Touches. April 24th and 25th 2026

A warm Friday means Andrea's lunchbreak is taken on a trail. Well, the local den sites have all been abandoned for the year, but we took one last look (until the Fall) and came up empty, save for one well camouflaged Redback. We officially call this place off-limits until late September.

The next day was supposed to be a cool but sunny Saturday, somewhat like when we took a hike around our favorite Norfolk County pond the weekend before. We did OK that day, what could possibly go wrong if we tried to do the same at our favorite pond in Plymouth County? Well, for one thing, it was off and on cold and the sun never really made much of an effort. Still, we did see a few critters. As often happens, we started off with a wee Redback.

Water levels were super high in the bogs. We saw some Spotted Turtles but due to a recent cutback at the foliage around the entire place, they saw us coming. Got my camera on one slowpoke.

From there, we saw a few Painted Turtles. Not a ton, but beggars can't be choosers this year. These tenacious chelonians were a very welcome sight.

A beautiful Great Egret (#41) posed nicely for us.

I didn't need a Mallard for this year's Bird Count, but I got such a nice, ridiculously clear photo that I figured I might as well share it.

We saw a couple of Snappers along the way, both in the water and both smarter than the camera person.

Now, on the bad side, we talked to some fellow hikers and a guy mentioned a big "die off" where many fish were caught in the cold and washed up dead. We did see a few leftovers from that. The trimming back also gave us a small chunk of desiccated Water Snake. The guy said he'd seen a lot of chunks. We also came across a good sized Redbelly Turtle that had succumbed to the weather just off the path. Heartbreaking stuff, all of it.

We put in just under seven miles that day and while we didn't see a lot, we're happy with the living animals we encountered. We ended up with a few more Painted Turtles.

One of these days, the weather will adjust and we'll have a real year. But it's showing no signs of making that adjustment yet, so we grab at what we can. And we're thankful for everything we get to see.

More April Stuff. 4-16, 4-20 and 4-23-2026

It sure has been an off and on Spring. Warm and sunny! No, cold and windy! Rainy! I swear some sleet hit the windshield the other day. But we've been trying to get out when possible. I probably don't have too many years left in this world so I want to spend what I can seeing animals.

Thursday, April 16th.

It was warm and sunny, like I mentioned above. We made out way over to the dens on Andrea's lunchbreak. On the drive over, I said "I want to see tympanums." Andrea said it was unlikely because we don't see a lot of frogs around the densites and when we do, they're Bulls. Imagine my happiness when I saw that I'd prognosticated a Green Frog!

When you hear that silly call, you have to look. That's how we got #38, a Fish Crow.

The dens were critterless but on the way out, back to the car, I flipped some last minute rocks and got two First-of-Years! A Blue-spotted and a Spotted Salamander. Yes, Virginia, the local salamanders have moved, even though we never saw it happen.

Sweet lunchbreak!

Monday, April 20th.

We didn't get out over the weekend. It was cold and overcast. A lot of friends were posting their prize sightings on Facebook and made me feel like crap. Maybe we should have gone out. Even though New England is about 20° colder than everywhere else on Earth this Spring, we decided to go take a hike around our favorite pond in Norfolk County on Andrea's day off. The temps never hit 50 but the sun was out. Until we got there, when it became intermittent at best. But we forged ahead.

First up was a Redback, as it often is, but this one is kind of special. See the soil it is on (under a log)? That's all fucked-up soil thanks to Crazy Worms. We hadn't seen any Redbacks on this path for a few years and we blame Crazy Worms for that. It's nice to see something that should be there.

I hadn't planned on peeking into a known vernal but since it hasn't grown in there yet, we took a look. Lots of tadpoles, definitely Wood Frogs and maybe something else, too. A big Green Frog jumped into the middle, unphotographed.

The sun was trying its best and the dam area was warmish when the clouds allowed some shine. We got lucky and saw a Garter slide into the brush. I had to grab it for a voucher shot. It was not cold to the touch and it was quite speedy.

A Spotted Turtle was going for the gusto.

Admittedly, we hit this place because it's good for Water Snakes and we still did not have one on the year. Shameful! That all changed when we ran across this big fat moo moo mama cow basking next to the path. A good one to call First of Year!

A big beauty. Some folks with a dog were about 100 yards behind us and when they caught up, they said she never even flinched when their dog got close. Just a tongue flick.

We hit a cache of Painted Turtles.

Another Spotted climbing high.

These two Painters heard that family with the dog coming and turned their heads to look at who the hell was being so damned loud.

Another Water Snake was coiled up in some leaves. I thought his mouth looked funny so I went closer to look and he jetted off. Andrea said a second one had been down there, too. 

His mouth was fine.

Right around here we were, of course, very happy with the day so far. But it was also right around here that the sun went under pretty much for good. It was kind of chilly and we were headed toward the shaded side of the pond. Still, we enjoyed the walk and got some much needed exercise. 

Eventually, we saw another Redback vertically clinging to a log under some bark.

Andrea flipped an impressive American Giant Millipede.

We finally got payback for that Green that had evaded my camera earlier.

All of the common snake spots were closely looked at but neither flipping nor exploring revealed anymore snakes. A reliable Two-lined Salamander spot was better to us. I flipped a rock and two of them twisted themselves into the water but one didn't completely hide so I was able to get a shot that I'm pretty happy with.

I call that a darn good day even though the second half was a bit cool and breezy.

Thursday, April 23rd.

Lunchtime. We decided to go to the local cemetery to see if any of our snappy pals were up. We were still Snapper-less on the year. It was beautiful out, sunny but windy. We knew turtles would be present.

Shore 'nuff. right from the car, we could see a pile of Red-ears and Painters.

I could see across the pond where a woman was kneeling down photographing a big shell on the shore. We knew our FoY Snapper was right there. On the way over, we did see a large red-shelled guy in the water but he swam off before I could get a shot. But we got there and I asked if it was begging (as they often do here) but she said no, it was basking when she came across it.

Since most Snappers don't bask a lot, I thought this one might have a cold or something and sure enough, that left eye is a little runny. (I guess wind could have done that... it does with me, but I doubt it.) It's grabbing all of the Vitamin D it can. Big smarty.

There were plenty of turtles up, all enjoying the warm sun. Some Painters.

The happy look on this Red-ear's face says it all.

A pretty Painter swimming by.

A recreation of a shot I got last year a Double-crested Cormorant (#39) sharing a perch with some Red-ears. (The Painters had departed.)

And that's where we're at. There have been some bone-chilling nights since some of these photos and we hope all is well with the critters we have seen. We added four new species to the year in those eight days and that is very good indeed. For lame "herpers" like us, anyway.

Picta This! A Day in April. 4-12-2026

Despite being out (gig) and up late the night before, we wanted to get to a spot in Middlesex County at a reasonable hour and try to find our first Water Snake on the year. It was supposed to be as nice as the previous day though when we got there, we discovered that a breeze was going to be keeping it cool. That's OK... we were there, we would hike. Blanding's are possible here, too.

I finally got the camera on a Red-winged Blackbird (#35). It was right there next to the path, ignoring us as we approached.

We walked up the deck, keeping our eyes peeled for basking Painted Turtles and saw a wee one warming up.

We watched a pair of Muskrats frolicking. Love is in the air. The chase was relentless and they made adorable squeaking sounds.

This distant Muskrat (or Beaver?) wasn't interested in frolicking, just napping. So like me.

Moving on, we saw a hatchling Painted Turtle swimming out in the open. Not a bright move in a place inundated with massive invasive carp. He must have overwintered in the nest and just come up. We watched in fear for a while and he eventually moved to the safety of the reeds.

An Eastern Comma. Evidently, this is the first time I've put one on this blog.

Andrea found a Painter with a deeply tannined plastron on the path. I'd post a pic but it turns up later and I got a better photo.

We went as far as we could before hitting private property. At the furthest point, I got a nice Painted Turtle shot.

Heading back, there was another turtle on the path. We ran up and thought it looked fairly familiar.

This is ol' tannin plastron!

Two things worth noting. It was pretty clear that we weren't going to see any snakes, Water or otherwise. It was just too cool. But... we heard loads of Northern Leopards calling and that is excellent news. This place used to be filthy with them but have been completely absent for the last 3 or 4 years. If they are making a comeback, I couldn't be happier.

We proceeded up another path that went along the river and noted how flooded that area was. That was also the secret Painted Turtle place where they could bask, unencumbered by passing humans (unless you know how to look). The first pic is a twelve-pack, our best on the year so far. (Remember, we just saw our FoYs two days ago!)

Another Painter crossing the path.

I finally got my eyes on a frog. Not a Leopard, but a fine looking Green.

A Muskrat was munching on reeds with it's little hands holding tight.

Two more Painters crossing! This was at the far-point of this path so we watched them go into the drink, then turned back.

Back on the main path back to the car, Andrea spied this proud looking fella basking on the reeds. His face made us laugh, prompting Andrea to say, "If you don't want us to laugh at you, you shouldn't be a turtle!"

Back on the deck, the small Painter count had doubled.

This adult was sitting right on a support beam, hidden in plain sight.

The last Painter of the day.

We ended things up with Bird #37, a Great Blue Heron.

It's funny, only two species of "herp" but we still call this a good day. The Leopard noise certainly helped but just being out seeing things, hearing things and getting some vitamin D into our systems (I even got a little pink on my nose and forehead) felt really good. Just Painters and a Green Frog but damn, that's enough to make us feel very good.