"Don’t skinny dip with snapping turtles."

We only see these guys out of the water in early spring.  We have always assumed the the bigger one is the male.  The rest of the summer we may catch them laying at the bottom of the creek, stretching their heads to the surface for an occasional breath.

Snappers mate between April and November, and lay there eggs in June and July.  The female can hold onto sperm for several seasons, using it as necessary.  She will travel quite a distance from the water to find a sandy place to lay her eggs.  She lays between 25-80 eggs, using her back legs to guide them into a pre- made hole.  The eggs are covered with dirt and left to incubate for 9-18 weeks, dependent on temperature.

Snappers eat both plant and animal, making them omnivores.  They ambush their pray, going after anything that they can swallow.  (We once witnessed the larger snapper attempt to pull a nearly full grown duckling under the water.)

Snappers are to large to retract under their shells.  When threatened, snappers make a hissing noise, and when stressed, release a musky odor from their back legs.  They have powerful beak like jaws, sharp nails, and a snake-like neck that can stretch across either side of their shell to their hind feet.  They can be fierce and belligerent, but given a choice, would rather flee then face a confrontation.  

They have a lifespan of about 30 years in the wild.  

Basking in the sun on a spring morning

Digging a hole to lay her eggs

Laying her eggs

OCCUPIED

The male Wren arrives in early spring and establishes a territory of about 1/2-3/4 acres.  He keeps watch over this area from three advantage points, while singing from dusk to dawn.  His singing is loud and diverse (and I find lovely!).
I watched as the male Wren busily filled several birdhouses in our backyard with twigs.  Once finished, he presented the different nest to his mate.  She selected this particular birdhouse and began adding additional twigs, along with grass and pine needles.  Breeding season begins in March and runs through July.  This is the second nesting.  (The first brood was raised in the birdhouse outside our front door.)
Come Autumn, Wrens head south for the winter.

Look Left and Right Before Sitting?

Today's Pick!

Spinach

Leaf Lettuce

For the Birds...............

Recently, I noticed that the male Golden finches have turned a vibrant yellow.  This signals the start of the courting season, and the attracting of a mate.

Birdhouses, ideally, should be placed outside well in advance of the start of the mating season.  This gives the  birds time to check out potential nesting sites.  You can keep your birdhouses up all year, taking them down to be cleaned at the end of the season and rehung.  The houses will serve as shelters during inclement weather.

Like us, birds have varying preference in their choice of homes.  Size of the house, style, along with the location and neighborhood, will influence the birds decision to choose a birdhouse or not.  Birds do not like their house to sway, so they should be securely fastened.  Place your birdhouses in areas that will shelter them from bad weather and all day direct sun.   Provide nesting material, water and a food source near your boxes.

If you have not put up your birdhouses, it may not be to late.  Some species of birds have more then one brood each season (up to three).  For others, bad weather may have delayed their nesting.  Destruction of the first nest may signal a restart to the nesting process. 

First Hummingbird Sighting May 10, 2013

In anticipation....of Garlic!

Spring Garlic Care

If you have not already done so, pull back the mulch around your garlic, to expose the new shoots.  Fertilize with a fish emulsion.  Spring is the time to water your garlic.  You will want to keep the moisture in the soil fairly consistent, watering when the top 2 inches is dry (about every 3-5 days).  Watering encourages full size bulb formation, but over watering may hinder curing, reduce the shelf life and encourage mold.  Garlic does not compete well with weeds.