[misc] Little Dinosaurs

Last Thursday I saw a massive snapping turtle crossing my dirt road as I was leaving to pick up a pizza for supper. It was nearly halfway across the road. I pulled up next to it, said, "Hey, Buddy... You better get out of the road... See you later." I only spent about 10 seconds with it because I didn't want to scare it. 

I told Dollar about it when I got home. "It was huge. With a spiky tail- like a dinosaur." I was kind of regretting not spending more time checking it out- I was sure I was never going to see one again.

Saturday evening, Dollar saw something dark moving through the front lawn. He said, "I think that turtle came up here to find you."

LOOK! LOOKIT!

The shell is about 12 inches long. The tail is about 10 inches long. I pet it's shell a couple times (because I couldn't resist). We weren't sure where it was coming from or where it's going.

But, I assured Dollar (and myself) that if sea turtles can find their way across the ocean to a specific beach in Costa Rica on a specific day each year, I'm sure this turtle will make it to... wherever it's going.

Here's a short video of it going down the driveway. Seems to be making okay time.

And THEN. Last night- we saw ANOTHER one in the driveway. We think it was a different one- perhaps a little smaller. Also... it's shell and foot were kind of messed up. We wonder if it was run over by a car or something :( But it was trucking across our driveway, so maybe it will be okay.

Are snapping turtles laying eggs now? Why so many around?