Posts in Category: tortoise

Gopher Tortoise

On April 27, 2016 by lightshedder With 0 Comments - action, animals, close up, Florida, p&s 4 wildlife, Pic of the Day, tortoise, wildlife

Gopher Tortoise, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Florida

This is the business end of what I think is a large Gopher Tortoise that was crossing the road on the way into Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in Florida when we visited yesterday. I lead a photo excursion there on Sunday with the Florida Birding and Photo Fest and need to “scout”.

This turtle was fast and fearless. And hungry. It was eating some herb growing in the grass of the median. This shot was taken from inches away.

Sony HX90V at 100mm equivalent field of view. 1/320th @ ISO 80 @ f5. Processed in Lightroom.

Snapper!

On June 12, 2013 by lightshedder With 1 Comments - animals, Maine, p&s 4 wildlife, reptile, tortoise, turtle, wildlife

I was returning from a fruitless dragonfly prowl down by the mouth of the Mousam River over the weekend, and came upon this fine lady. She had just finished digging a nest, and was laying her eggs. She was only 3 feet from a fairly busy strip of blacktop, between the edge of the road, and a fancy iron fence that keeps the public out of one the larger estates in Kennebunk (last owned by one of the young stars of a recently very popular TV show). They have a large ornamental pond, with a rustic bridge, daffodil banks, manicured white birch trees, etc. She, hopefully, made the pond her home (since otherwise she was on the wrong side of the road from the nearest water…not an issue for her maybe…but a definite hazard to her hatchlings, when and if.)

I mean, this is one tough old lady Snapping Turtle.

Such character! Such power. Such a lady.

Canon SX50HS. My usual modifications to straight Program. 1) 425mm equivalent field of view. f5.6 @ 1/1000th @ ISO 800. 2) 2400mm equivalent. f6.5 @ 1/1000th @ ISO 800. Processed in Lightroom.

5/5/2011: Middle-aged Mutant Ninja Tortoise

On May 5, 2011 by lightshedder With 1 Comments - action, animals, Florida, tortoise, wildlife

Admittedly I have no evidence this Gopher Tortoise is middle-aged, and it is almost most certainly not mutant, and there is only the vaguest possibility it is a ninja…but I could not resist. This creature was doing a job on the weedy plant in a drainage dip at Vaill Point Park near St. Augustine Florida when I visited last week. But its name is probably not Aristotle 🙂

Nikon Coolpix P500. 1) 810mm equivalent field of view, f5.7 @ 1/320th @ ISO 160, 2) 810mm, f5.7 @ 1/400th @ ISO 160, 3) 500mm, f5.7 @ 1/320th @ ISO 160, macro.

Processed in Lightroom for Clarity and sharpness.