Snappy Summer (Original Photography)

in #photography5 years ago (edited)

Happy meteorological summer! Here in Mankato, the temperature flipped from "spring" to summer" as if a switch were thrown. Gone are the chilly spring days and here is the heat of summer.

Since completing a master's degree in early May, I've mostly been looking for work. It's a slow process and, as always, a little depressing. To counter that, I've been looking for good photo ops and spending a bit more time in nature. It's amazing what being in a forest, surrounded by trees and clean air can do for one's outlook.

While out at Triple Falls, I came across another creature apparently pondering the universe and his place in it...

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Snappy Face

This is quite possibly the oldest snapping turtle I've ever seen. It was hard to get a good photo, since he was surrounded by large rocks and, well, I didn't want to get snapped. Snapping turtles are quite capable of taking off a human's finger with their powerful jaws. Standing ankle-deep in the stream and crouching down, I was able to get this portrait of him.

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Strange Stone

If you didin't take a good look, you might accidentally step on him, trying to cross the stream. Here's a more detailed view of his old, weathered shell. The other side has a long crack.

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Not A Stepping Stone

Somewhere, I read that these turtles can live almost 50 years. I can only guess at this one's age, but it's entirely possible that he's older than I am!

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Triple Falls

Thank you for taking a look! If you enjoy my work, please click the upvote button. Comments are also greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

@fotosdenada

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Glad you knew that it was a snapping turtle! I had one demonstrated at a park in Florida. It was shocking to a) see a ranger taunt one (mind you it was fun), and b) how far and quickly they can snap behind them. In Florida, I'm one of THOSE people that jump out of my car, pick up a turtle that has ventured into traffic and re-direct them. After the ranger show, I watch out for their pointy butt.
AND CONGRATS!!!!! Are you totally finished school now? Or are you still teaching?

I, once, tried to pick up an alligator turtle who was in the road. I almost lost my nose for the trouble! In the end, I got one of those cardboard window shades for your vehicle and poked it at him so he'd bite it and I could drag his feisty little backside off the road.

School and teaching are all completely done. Now I'm in that lovely limbo null-space that is looking for work. Ugh! Still, at least it gives me time for photography.

Wow! I have never seen one that big! Glad you were cautious around him...he is a beast!!

They can take fingers off pretty easily and they have really long necks. I didn't want to lose a finger! lol

I remember when we were kids my father spotted one in the area where we were swimming in the lake. He prodded it with a boat oar and it snapped on to the oar and he was able to carry it out of the area and release it into a different part of the lake. It always caused me to worry just a little bit about what was lurking underneath the water.

That reminds me of the guy that caught a muskie with his foot in the Boundary Waters. He had his feet up off the end of the canoe and the thing jumped out of the water and latched on. Sadly, he didn't get to keep it, because it wasn't legally caught.

My Boundary Waters fishing adventure was when I caught a bass and just as I brought it up to the canoe a huge northern pike came up and hit the bass and I ended up catching both of them! I'm glad my foot was not involved!

haha! Howdy sir fotosdenada! That's a great find. He does look ancient. How large would you say he is, how many inches across his shell?

This one was over a foot across, side-to-side. At least, from a visual inspection. He didn't look like he wanted me to measure him, and I value having all ten fingers!

lol! well that is huge! I bet he was very old. I wonder if you'll see him when you go back. What kind of job are you looking for and what is the plan? Is Spain still part of the plan?

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