Yes, we admit it. We’re tired of a long, lingering cold spring and a too late start to the field research season. So, we’re fast-forwarding to summer with a virtual whale watch in Stellwagen Bank off Cape Cod.
Humpback Whale “Trevor” Identified by Fluke Design
Beyond the unbridled pleasure of seeing these great mammals up close and personal, professional naturalists on certified whale watch vessels provide observational data and photographic documentation of whales that yield information on population trends, as well as health of individual animals and general behavioral characteristics.
August Whale Watch in Stellwagen Bank
At least once a year, Turtle Journal heads out on a whale watch boat from either Plymouth Harbor or Provincetown to visit Stellwagen Bank and to savor the experience of cruising with these giant animals. We also gather documentary material on humpback, finback and minke whales for our educational programs, as well as observations of other marine megafauna such as ocean sunfish.
Humpback Whale Prepares to Dive
There is nothing so majestic as a group of humpback whales coordinating a massive “bubble net” feeding, and afterwards blowing steam for a deep dive to begin the process all over again.
The Turtle Journal team visited nearby bog wetlands this morning in hopes of finding their first snake of the season. Last night howled with storms that pelted the South Coast with torrential downpours, yet temperatures remained mild in the mid-50s. The early morning high tide, augmented by a fierce southwesterly gale, flooded banks of Sippican Harbor in Buzzards Bay. As the sun rose, though, the day moderated and glistened in bright sunshine. Perhaps today would mark our first springtime encounter with the slithering reptiles.
Â
Painted Turtles Basking in Bog Reservoir
We waltzed along bog channels to check for basking spotted turtles. Alas, none were to be found. At the reservoir, though, painted turtles staked out basking rocks as they increased their internal body temperatures to begin foraging and then mating.Â
Common Garter Snake Basking at Goldwitz Bog
Even though Don had been expecting to find the first snake of the season basking along the bog path today, he managed to step right over this good sized garter snake that had completely blended into the pathway as if it were a protruding tree root. Luckily, Sue spotted the snake that Don had nearly tripped over.
Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Common garter snakes are widely distributed throughout North America. Since garter snakes are the Massachusetts’ state reptile, it seemed fitting to be the first snake that we encountered this spring season.
Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
Garter snakes are not the only snakes found in the wetlands of the abandoned Goldwitz cranberry bog. One of the first slithering reptiles we discovered in this locale was the northern water snake, a large, “non-venomous” snake native to North America. They are darkly colored and interestingly patterned and are sometimes mistaken for copperheads. These snakes aggressively defend themselves by repeatedly striking and biting when cornered, and their saliva contains a mild anti-coagulant. Since Don is on a strong anti-coagulant, he has no desire to test the limits of this “non-venomous” additive.
Juvenile Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
The Turtle Journal team ran into a juvenile northern water snake at the bog a while back that proved everything that books say about their aggressive behavior. We have never seen a more combative critter in our field studies.
Aggressive Juvenile Northern Water Snake
Don gently prodded the vicinity of this juvenile snake to assess it reaction. And, boy, did it react! After the first few strikes at the pole end of our ten foot long net, we were really glad that the pole was ten feet long. Despite that energetic encounter, snakes remain one of our favorite Turtle Journal creatures. They are extremely beneficial to the environment and the eco-system, and they’re just plain gorgeous … once you get beyond the slithering cold-blooded reptile thing (smile).
Pitch black, heavy clouds and driving rain. The absolute best springtime conditions to venture into swamps and bogs of Massachusetts’ South Coast to spy on the ardent rituals of awakening amphibians. The Turtle Journal vehicle splashed through bottomless puddles. Our lights probed the gooey darkness as we crawled along a cratered one lane road half a mile through flooded wetlands to reach the abandoned Goldwitz cranberry bog. Our arrival was greeted by a riotous cacophony of spring peepers, American toads and wood frogs.
Â
American Toad from Nighttime Goldwitz Bog
We donned our field gloves, grabbed our sampling nets, snapped on our flashlights and plodded through several inches of rain as we searched the bog channels for creatures of the night. Spring peepers were everywhere, and we decided to net one of them last because they are so difficult to restrain in the darkness. Sue Wieber Nourse spotted an American toad and snagged it for closer examination.
Examining American Toad
The Eastern American Toad is a medium size amphibian and fairly common in the wetlands of Southeastern Massachusetts. This specimen proved quite cooperative during documentation and was quickly released back into the bog channel to continue its mating rituals.
Spring Peeper (Pseudoacris crucifer)
Don Lewis netted two spring peepers for closer examination. They are brown, tan or beige, and can easily be distinguished by the dark “X” or cross on their back; hence, the name “crucifer” or cross-bearer.
Spring Peeper from Nighttime Goldwitz Bog
These tiny frogs, ranging from less than an inch to maybe an inch and a half, are the most common voices in South Coast wetlands during the spring.Â
Examining Spring Peeper
So small, they are quite difficult to control and photograph at night without harming the animal. We snapped a couple of quick photographs and captured a short video clip as they escaped from the back of the Turtle Journal vehicle. Within a wink, the peepers had disappeared into the night storm. Drenched, but contented, we also disappeared into the darkness as we retraced our way back to Turtle Journal central.
Turtle Journal’s Sue Wieber Nourse and Rufus Retriever visited the Goldwitz abandoned cranberry bog on Tuesday. On Sunday, they had found a female spotted turtle basking on the bank of a bog channel at Goldwitz. Since then, the weather had deteriorated into a chilly overcast with spitting rain. No self-respecting turtle would be caught dead or alive basking in such un-turtle-like conditions.
Spotted Turtle Hides in Plain Sight
As they walked along the bog looking for turtles, salamanders, frogs and toads, Sue’s eyes caught an anomaly at the bottom of the channel. She stopped, stared and confirmed that a spotted turtle was lying underneath. (Take a look at the photograph above. Can you see the turtle hiding in plain sight? When you think you have identified the spotted turtle in the picture, click on the image and the solution will appear in a new window.) Sue slipped down the bank, plunged into the water and grabbed the turtle in her bare hands. Rufus skidded down the bank, jumped in the water and played.Â
Male Spotted Turtle Drab Neck
Sue had captured Male Spotted Turtle #7, whom Don Lewis had first captured on May 7th, 2007 as he basked on the banks of this same channel. Back then, he was recorded as older than 11 years, he measured 11.39 centimeters straight-line carapace length, and he weighed 189 grams. The next time Spotted #7 was seen occurred on March 27, 2008, when he again basked on the same bank in 40 degree sunshine. Notice the drabness of his neck which contrasts with the colorful female Sue captured on Sunday (see below).
Spotted Turtle Male Tail
Another indicator of #7’s maleness is his tail. Note it is considerably thicker than Sunday’s female (see below), and also note that the anal opening falls significantly beyond the edge of his carapace. Again, contrast with the female tail below.
Male Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Carapace
This April Spotted Turtle #7 measured 11.45 centimeters straight-line carapace length, 8.5 centimeters maximum carapace width, and 8.1 centimeters wide along the suture between the first and second costals. He weighed 194 grams.
Male Spotted Turtle Plastron Concavity
This plastron photograph illustrates all of his male attributes: the drably colored neck, the thick tail and significant concavity posterior of the bridge. Spotted #7 measured 8.5 centimeters straight-line plastron length along the central suture and 5.7 centimeters wide behind the bridge.
Rufus Say Farewell to Male Spotted Turtle
After recording morphometric data and examining the health of Spotted Turtle #7, Sue released him back into the bog channel … with a lot of health from Rufus the Turtle Dog who escorted Lucky Seven back into the water.
Rufus, Sue Wieber Nourse and Female Spotted Turtle
Rufus Retriever, the new Turtle Journal research dog, and Sue Wieber Nourse discovered a mature female spotted turtle basking on the channel bank of the abandoned Goldwitz cranberry bog in Marion, Massachusetts on Sunday. Turtle Journal has been checking this bog since mid-March and this turtle marked the first spotted we have seen at this location in 2011.
Female Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Spotted turtles are a small, elusive wetlands species. This mature female weighed only 189 grams and showed annual growth lines that indicated she was approximately 11 years old.
Female Spotted Turtles Have Bright Colorful Necks
Spotted turtles exhibit sexual dichromatism. Beyond morphological differences, females can be identified by a brightly colored yellow/orange neck. Males in contrast have a drably colored brown or gray neck.
Female Spotted Turtle Tail
Female spotted turtles also have a thinner tail than males, and the anal opening generally falls inside the carapace (top shell).
Female Spotted Turtle Carapace
As usual, we took three straight line measurements of the carapace. The length of the carapace measured 10.4 centimeters and its maximum width was 8.2 centimeters. The width at the suture between the first and second costal scutes measured 7.9 centimeters.
Female Spotted Turtle Plastron
The plastron (bottom shell) measured 9.7 centimeters from front to back along the central suture line. The width of the plaston behind the bridge was 6.05 centimeters. Female spotted turtles have a largely flat plastron while males have a concavity in the center of the plastron posterior to the bridge.
Spotted Turtle Somersault
Spotted turtles offer a special show when they return to the bog channel after basking on its banks. A good number of them slip and slide down the steep bank and hit the bottom at such an unusual angle that they do an unintentional somersault into the water. The one captured in the video above obligingly showed her stuff for the Turtle Journal cameras.
Wild Turkeys Lead Turtle Journal Out of Bog
As Sue and Rufus drove out of the bog along its one-lane wooded road, they were led by a couple of wild turkeys who moved with a slow sureness that showed they considered this roadway their own.
