This map turtle made an appearance in a garden in Williamston, Mich. Image: Dan Slider
Here’s what Great Lakes Echo reader Dan Slider has to say about capturing this image in late May:
Our backyard slopes down to the Red Cedar River in Williamston (Mich.) When our border terrier mix, Roari, and I started our usual evening stroll, we heard something rustling in the garden bed behind us and discovered this beautiful turtle with a glossy green shell. The terrier kept a curious eye on the turtle while I ran back into the house for my camera. My wife looked up Michigan turtles online and identified it as a map turtle.
A week later, a neighbor knocked on my door to tell me there was a large turtle laying eggs by the curb down the street. He wondered if it could be the same turtle I had seen. This time it was a big snapping turtle and this story was the result: http://williamstontoday.com/news/tinkertowns-turtle/She is twice as big and not nearly as pretty as this map turtle.
Have an environmental image you’ve taken somewhere within the Great Lakes region and that you’d like to submit for Echo’s Photo Friday series? Send it to greatlakesecho@gmail.com along with the photographer’s name and town of residence, approximate date it was taken, where it was taken and a little bit of description of what we’re looking at. Context such as how you happened to take it or whether there were physical or technical challenges in capturing it is also helpful.