First Active Male Diamondback Terrapin of 2014
Paddling in Sippican Harbor off Buzzards Bay at noon today, April 12th, the Turtle Journal team spotted a pair of diamondback terrapins actively engaged in “courtship” within Marion’s major mating aggregation. While a net was not readily accessible for a capture, the camera caught the male paddling for safety. Despite this long, hard winter in the Great White North, terrapin activity has begun only a few days later than last year. Today’s temperature rose to the mid-60s with a 10-15 mph breeze out of the north-northwest. The turtles were observed within thirty minutes of dead low tide.