Painted Turtles

A Cold Weather Secret of Painted Turtles

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

It has been said that October was the big spender, with the paycheck going to bird migrations, fantastic tree colors, and the fluff of milkweed pods floating freely in the wind. It was also the perfect weather for Painted Turtles to bask in sunlight, and that’s what they were doing. Some of them were even perfectly positioned to be captured by my camera, others coated with duckweed, slipped back into the water with barely a splash at my not-so-stealthy approach.

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Painted Turtle Time: Become a Kid Again!

Oakland County, MI Government 3 Comments

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Want to feel like a kid again, with an insatiable sense of discovery? Try wandering the wetland embracing trails of Oakland County and that just might happen. You may even rediscover the sense of wildness within you, no matter how citified or refined you think you are, or pretend to be. Sometimes we all just need something to stir our memories, slow our fast-paced lives and set us free, at least for a while. For some, it may have been the scent of May lilac blooms or the arrival of the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird. For others, perhaps just a soothing evening walk down to the solitude of a neighborhood pond, with a pause to stare at a bug-eyed frog, to gather thoughts before resuming a parental role. For me, it is often the first sightings of painted turtles basking on logs. What moment refreshes your feeling of childhood wonder?

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