Most of the time Red-eared Slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) slide into the water as soon as they detect my presence. Yesterday, however, this turtle seemed to be in such a deep meditative state that it remained in place when I approached it at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. The turtle was even impassive to repeated buzzings by several Eastern Amberwing dragonflies, some of which flew within inches of its face.
I was hoping to get some a shot of a dragonfly landing on the turtle’s shell, but was content to capture this image with both the turtle and a passing dragonfly.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Turtles have been making their way up from the river here to my upper yard to lay their eggs I love them all.
That is cool. Whenever I see a turtle on dry land, I tend to assume that it is egg-laying time. I am always amazed how far they will travel from the water to lay the eggs.
Yes quite the haul for those here. Love watching the babies march back to the water.
Nice Mike! Like the Amberwing flying by the turtle!
Sounds like the turtle was enjoying the sun a bit too much! 🙂
Perhaps the turtle was daydreaming or even dosing–I am guilty of doing both from time to time. 🙂
Thanks for this shot. Based on this I need to pay more attention to our turtles. I assumed they were all the same. Now I see we 100+ species.
Haha! Great shot.
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Its Myrtle! LOL! Just had to say that, being that I just wrote my story with Myrtle in it. 🙂 Great pic!
Thanks. It was a fun shot. By itself the turtle was interesting enough, but getting the dragonfly in the frame too made it even cooler.
Nice shot, Mike. And great that you got the amberwing in there too. It’s funny how turtles balance the way they do. I’ve seen that a few times in my local swamp.
https://sggphoto.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/11-19-2013-balancing-act-and-a-turtle-turf-war/
I really did want the dragonfly to perch on the turtle, which I have seen happen a few times, but was actually ok with capturing the flyby. Turtles perch in some unusual ways–I would have thought they would want to have their feet in touch with the log or rock, but somehow they manage to balance sometimes with all of their feet in the air. It is fun to watch turtle interactions and the linked post showed a wonderful bit of communication between two turtles.
I’ve never learned if that is typical behavior between two turtles or maybe just a domestic squabble.
It is always fun to anthropomorphize even when we are clueless about what is really going on.
Excellent capture of the pair, Mike!
That’s a pretty cool shot, Mike.
Thanks, Dan. It was a fun shot to take as I waited for the dragonfly to fly into the frame.
You’re a patient man.
I will sometime argue, Dan, when folks assert that I am skilled as a photographer, but it is inarguable that I am patient and persistent.
I would argue (against you) if you suggested you aren’t skilled as a photographer. You have a very good eye for what will be a good photo. Add to that your patience and willingness to go where your subjects are likely to be found, and I know why it’s always worth coming here.
You are right, Dan, of course. I do know what I am doing with my camera gear and have always had a pretty good eye. I am able to capture a lot of interesting and sometimes compelling images. Some are close to professional quality, some are not, but I try to share ones that I like. Some photographers have better technical skills than I do and many have better gear, but none of that really helps unless you are willing to put in the hours and hours sometimes needed to get a split-second opportunity. That’s why I say that patience and persistence are my strong suits, along with unbounded curiosity. 🙂
My, my, Michael, what an eye,
To spot that fly-by dragonfly!
The turtle didn’t bat an eye
As it flew so casually by
But paused a moment just so you
Could catch it, as you wanted to!
Wow, Gary, you’re a poet too. Thanks for putting a smile on my face to start this day. I don’t know if it is too cute, but I might have to call this and Ode to a Turtle, playing off of the short name of the Odonata order of insects to which dragonflies and damselflies belong. 🙂