Turtle close-ups

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Turtle close-ups

March 20, 2013 by Mike Powell

Yesterday I decided to take some close-up shots of some of the turtles sunning themselves at my local marsh.

I am pretty sure that the first one is a painted turtle, but I am not sure if the turtle in the second photo is a different species. I was intrigued by the contrast between the clean, bright colors of the first turtle and the muddy, muted colors of the second one. The turtles were pretty cooperative and let me get close enough to fill the frame of my camera.

It’s not quite warm enough for humans to be sunbathing, but now that spring is officially here, it won’t be long.

Posted in Nature, Photography, Portraits, Reptiles, wildlife | Tagged Canon Rebel XT, close-up, Huntley Meadows Park, Sigma 135-400mm telephoto zoom lens, turtle | 11 Comments

11 Responses

on March 20, 2013 at 10:10 pm | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekker

Love the photos, I always turtles to be so interesting.
on March 20, 2013 at 10:17 pm | Reply Kay-Kay's Bird Club

Nice turtles. I’ve never seen a painted turtle all drab in color like the second one. Must be something else but I have no idea what.
- on March 21, 2013 at 4:35 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  The turtles spend the winter buried in the mud and when they first emerge they have mud everywhere. The fact that the turtle also has his head partially retracted makes it tough to identify.
on March 20, 2013 at 10:28 pm | Reply krikitarts

Definitely not the same species, Mike; there are considerable differences in the facial markings and the shell structure. I think you’re probably right about the painted turtle, but there are a few other relatives that have similarities. I would love to think you’re right about sunbathing soon, but at this point I’m really skeptical!
on March 21, 2013 at 2:25 am | Reply lylekrahn

The light on the first turtle combined with the dark background makes it a terrific shot. Being able to fill the frame with wildlife is a welcome treat.
- on March 21, 2013 at 4:42 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Lyle. Cooperative turtles helped and I am playing now with a longer lens that I bought used, a SIGMA 135-400mm. It does not have image stabilization, is a bit slow in focusing, and needs good light, but it was a bargain and gives me a bit more reach.
  - on March 21, 2013 at 12:45 pm lylekrahn
    
    I’m sure you’ll like the extra reach and range.
on March 21, 2013 at 6:54 am | Reply New Hampshire Gardener

No turtles here yet. Or frogs. And the red winged blackbirds left to go back down south.
on March 21, 2013 at 10:04 am | Reply Sue

The second turtle has a very distinctive shell pattern with concentric circles and little color on the head and what we can see of the neck. It looks like a wood turtle, but am not sure without seeing more of its neck and carapace. Good website for turtle ID here: http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/turtles/turtles_of_virginia.htm
on March 21, 2013 at 12:30 pm | Reply caleephotography

I love turtles, they’re so cool 🙂 Lucky you are to live where they do!! Great shots Mike, especially the first one!
on April 3, 2013 at 6:15 pm | Reply American painted turtle, new research | Dear Kitty. Some blog

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