Painted Turtles

Ten painted turtles on one log, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Bumps on a Log III

A bale of ten turtles bask together in the low October light off of Doughnut Island.  They’ve broken the unofficial record of six turtles in 2012 and five turtles in 2011.

Painted turtle riding on another turtle's back, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Hitching a Ride

A young turtle improbably basks on the back of another turtle.  The large fellow here is also the largest turtle in this photograph.

Six painted turtles on a log, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Bumps on a Log II

Six turtles take the Log Game up a notch, besting their previous record of five on a log last year.


Northern pike underwater, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

A Day in the Life

A day in the life of an underwater camera as a young northern pike, muskrat, and painted turtle cruise past in the lagoon’s murky depths.

Red-eared slider covered in hibernation muck, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Hibernation Solidification

A painted turtle basks on a log, still covered in mud and algae from its long winter slumber at the bottom of the lagoon.

Mossy painted turtle, Snug Harbour, Toronto Islands

Painted Moss

Covered in weeds and moss, a painted turtle basks on a log near Snug Harbour.


Three-legged painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Gimpy

Another view of this three-legged painted turtle from 2006.  What happened to its leg is still a mystery, but subsequent sightings in later years proves that it’s doing just fine.

Painted turtles on log, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Crisscross

Painted turtles, Trout Pond, Toronto Islands

Bumps on a Log

Painted turtles tie the ducklings with a score of five, in the “we can fit more on a log than you” category.


Painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Arch

One of the first turtles to emerge in 2010, this little fellow basks on a log off of Doughnut Island, the background showing a still-total lack of green in the environment.

Painted turtle, Trout Pond, Toronto Islands

Ancient Waiting

Taking a page from the old “Is it live, or is it Memorex?” ads, a large painted turtle leans into the sunset light of a gorgeous August evening.

Painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Up Close and Personal

A tiny painted turtle fills the camera’s entire frame, hovering just inside the minimum focus distance of the lens.


Painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stones gather no moss, but older turtles certainly do.

Reflected painted turtle, Snug Harbour, Toronto Islands

Mirror Image

A painted turtle basking on a log reflects perfectly in the calm waters of Snug harbour.

Malformed painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Gimpy Returns 2008

A three-and-a-half legged turtle first photographed in 2006, surfaces again in 2008 in a different body of water, connected briefly during the high-water mark in spring. In 2006 I wasn’t sure how this fellow would do in our environment, happily it seems to be doing just fine. Tagged as a b-roll shot, focus and lighting […]


Malformed painted turtle, Hanlan's Point, Toronto Islands

Gimpy 2006

A three-legged painted turtle basks on a log in 2006 near Hanlan’s Point. What happened to this fellow’s front-right leg is still a mystery, but subsequent sightings in later years confirm that, despite the missing leg, it’s doing just fine.

Painted turtle, Snug Harbour, Toronto Islands

Back on Black

A painted turtle basks in the sun framed by deep shade in Snug harbour.

Painted Turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Lazy Reflections

The first painted turtle of 2008 basks on a log in the strengthening sunlight of late March.  There’s still ice on the water at this point, and I’m always amazed that they can come out of hibernation at a time when full winter paddling gear is still required. Gloves, pogies, paddling jackets and PFDs are […]


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