rescuing a turtle
On a recent drive to St. Stephen, we took the cross-country Route 785, a haul-road, recently upgraded and chip-sealed (this creates a hard, smooth pavement-like surface). For us, it is the perfect short-cut to the Bay of Fundy coast.
Since it is so far from ‘civilization’, cars travel a little fast on this road. Sometimes this is a peril for wild life.
Along the way, we helped a Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) in its desperate attempt to cross the road.
He was certainly suspicious of my help and my camera angle, and retreated into his shell rather than be properly photographed.
In the end, I helped him over a steep bank of gravel left by a grader, and he was on his way to the pond on his preferred side of the road.
‘Turtle-Crossing’ sign in southern Ontario
© Jane Tims 2012
nichepoetryandprose 
I love the perspective and distance in the first photo and that in all that space you found that little guy.
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seedbud
June 23, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Hi. I hadn’t thought of it that way. You are right… what brought us together??? Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm
That pond certainly looks mighty good to me in this heat.
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snowbirdpress
June 23, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Hi. Agree!!! Stay cool. Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm
I felt like your turtle must have felt trying to cross that gravel road… So glad you were there to rescue it.
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snowbirdpress
June 24, 2012 at 12:10 am
Hi Merrill. Thanks! Jane
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jane tims
June 24, 2012 at 11:55 am
Jane! That is awesome! I have done this many times myself on a called route 80 in Kentucky. I used to drive 78 miles of it everyday and after rains, it seems like I would get two or three out of the road between going to work and coming home. Once at the city limits of Somerset I pulled a snapping turtle from the road! haha that was a memory as he did not appreciate my efforts. He seemed happy to get to the pond though! 😉
Have a safe trip!
Brant
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sunontiepost
June 23, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Hi. I think snapping turtles live up to their names. Lucky you still have fingers. Rescuing turtles is great. You remind me, I forgot to post my photo of the ‘turtle-crossing’ we saw in Ontario. I think I’ll add it to the post! Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Turtles and cars don’t mix. I enjoyed reading about the turtle rescue and the photos documenting it are absolutely awesome.
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Sheryl
June 23, 2012 at 10:21 am
Hi Sheryl. Thanks. I don’t think the turtle felt he was being rescued. When I picked him up, his legs went as though he could swim through air to get away from me. Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Great pictures of the turtle, great post!
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dfb
June 23, 2012 at 10:09 am
Hi. They are so colorful…. would be great to paint. Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:18 pm
A good deed done…we haven’t explored that particular road yet Thanks for the tip. We’ll try it.
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Carol Steel
June 23, 2012 at 8:04 am
Hi. It is largely unpopulated, but has lots of wild character. Also, it gets you right to the heart of the ‘Saints’ (St. George, St. Stephen, Saint Andrews). Jane
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jane tims
June 23, 2012 at 7:17 pm