Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[Doug Watson]

Once I was dipnetting through some weedy shallows, catching mosquitofish to feed to something or other. On one dip I came up with a six-spotted fishing spider clinging to the edge of the net. It quickly looked around, saw the wriggling fish in the net, hopped down, grabbed one, ran back up the side of the net and leaped into the swamp. All before I could do much more than think, "Hey, a spider!" That guy had his priorities straight!

That's amazing!

[Patrx]

Late last week, I was visiting my parents and came across this scene in their backyard - a highly energetic interaction between two snapping turtles. My initial supposition is that they were competing for space, but I know very little about snapping turtles. For all I know, this is really violent mating behavior 

[Doug Watson]

Late last week, I was visiting my parents and came across this scene in their backyard - a highly energetic interaction between two snapping turtles. My initial supposition is that they were competing for space, but I know very little about snapping turtles. For all I know, this is really violent mating behavior 

Maybe its my browser but all I see for the photos is question marks.

[Patrx]

Late last week, I was visiting my parents and came across this scene in their backyard - a highly energetic interaction between two snapping turtles. My initial supposition is that they were competing for space, but I know very little about snapping turtles. For all I know, this is really violent mating behavior 

Maybe its my browser but all I see for the photos is question marks.

Perhaps that image host simply isn't reliable - I'll try a different one. Do the images display correctly now?

[Gwangi]

I can see them and those are some fantastic pictures, right place at the right time for sure! Love snapping turtles, one of my favorite local animals.

[Patrx]

I can see them and those are some fantastic pictures, right place at the right time for sure! Love snapping turtles, one of my favorite local animals.

Thanks! It was quite dramatic. As for being in the right place, that was mostly a matter of wading nearly to my knees without the benefit of boots. The turtles seemed altogether disinterested in me, very much distracted.

They are pretty cool! I'd never investigated them up close. They're almost crocodile-like in some ways. Check out that tail!

[Doug Watson]

Perhaps that image host simply isn't reliable - I'll try a different one. Do the images display correctly now?

I can see them now. Wow, I have never seen that, from most of the shots it looks like it could be love. Did they break up and move off while you were watching?
Great shots!

[Patrx]

I can see them now. Wow, I have never seen that, from most of the shots it looks like it could be love. Did they break up and move off while you were watching?
Great shots!

Ah, good! Looks like "Imgur" is my new image host of choice.
No, but they did occasionally both stop moving and just float for several minutes at a time. My camera battery failed and I returned indoors before they parted ways, so I didn't see how it ended. I do have about two minutes of video, which I could share if there's any interest.
Thanks

[Doug Watson]

I do have about two minutes of video, which I could share if there's any interest.
Thanks

I'd love to see it.

[Patrx]

I do have about two minutes of video, which I could share if there's any interest.

I'd love to see it.

Fair enough 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYWivBQN5ZA

[Doug Watson]

Fair enough 

Very neat, there are a few other similar videos on YouTube so it seems it was love.

[Patrx]

Very neat, there are a few other similar videos on YouTube so it seems it was love.

Interesting! Glad to have an answer on that, though I do feel a bit rude for observing 

[Halichoeres]

I do have about two minutes of video, which I could share if there's any interest.

I'd love to see it.

Fair enough 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYWivBQN5ZA

Naughty!

[Doug Watson]

Interesting! Glad to have an answer on that, though I do feel a bit rude for observing 

Yah, now you are a turtle porn distributor.

[Patrx]

All in the name of science! Sort of.

[Gwangi]

Very neat, there are a few other similar videos on YouTube so it seems it was love.

Interesting! Glad to have an answer on that, though I do feel a bit rude for observing 

Just wait until I upload the toad orgy pictures. 

[Newt]

Great job with the turtle shots, Patrx! I'm going to be disagreeable and suggest that what you saw was male-male conflict. Snappers are one of the few groups of turtles in which such violent contests are common, and also one of the few groups of turtles in which males are significantly larger than females. The two facts go together; the only reason males have to be big is to fight.

It was kind of shocking to hear chorus frogs calling in the background. It's been a couple months since they quit calling in Tennessee. It's already broken 90 F a couple of times down here...

[Gwangi]

Great job with the turtle shots, Patrx! I'm going to be disagreeable and suggest that what you saw was male-male conflict. Snappers are one of the few groups of turtles in which such violent contests are common, and also one of the few groups of turtles in which males are significantly larger than females. The two facts go together; the only reason males have to be big is to fight.

It was kind of shocking to hear chorus frogs calling in the background. It's been a couple months since they quit calling in Tennessee. It's already broken 90 F a couple of times down here...

The grey tree frogs were calling here earlier this week, about 3 weeks earlier than they usually do. They've stopped now that it has cooled back down. Interestingly the green tree frog in my basement started calling too and has since stopped.

[Doug Watson]

Great job with the turtle shots, Patrx! I'm going to be disagreeable and suggest that what you saw was male-male conflict. Snappers are one of the few groups of turtles in which such violent contests are common, and also one of the few groups of turtles in which males are significantly larger than females. The two facts go together; the only reason males have to be big is to fight.

It appears Newt could be correct here. Most accounts I have read of snapping turtles copulating describe the smaller male mounting from behind but it is done in water as well. There is one account that I read about plastron to plastron mating but the equal size of the participants does suggest two males.

[Halichoeres]

Well, I certainly feel better about watching it then.