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Don Lewis, Massachusetts Audubon Society,
Fox Island Wildlife Management Area

Year Without Springtime — 27 April 2003

When Taylor and I left the cottage for morning patrol, the thermometer needle still hadn’t cleared 40 degrees.  Skies were dark and threatening with northwest winds 20 to 25 knots.  Hard to believe we are supposed to be more than a month into spring.  Certainly, the turtles are not amused.  Whether paddling through Chipman’s Cove or walking the brumation creeks, I’ve seen not a single active terrapin in 2003.  Instead we have had six cold-stunned diamondback terrapins since the supposed beginning of spring, including the one we discovered this morning.

We wanted to check the Lieutenant Island brumation sites, but high tide had flooded the causeway, and that chore would have to wait until afternoon.  We opted to visit the east shoreline of the Fox Island Wildlife Management Area off Blackfish Creek because it seldom gets much foot traffic from researchers or tourists.  Taylor, the Turtle-Dog-in-training, jumped down from her perch in the passenger seat and tore down the beach as is wont for a six-month-old lab.  I followed at a slightly more measured pace as befits a . . . well, a more mature companion.

About 100 yards to the north of the landing we spotted a small terrapin resting atop the salt hay wrack line.

She proved to be a four-year-old juvenile female, cold-stunned and deposited with the morning high tide.  Cold to the touch, she still responded when probed, but her eyes remained closed fast.  Terrapin 1794 measured 9.49 centimeters carapace length and 8.17 centimeters plastron.  She weighed 120 grams.

After hydrating and resting a bit in a warm environment, she began to open her eyes occasionally.  Interestingly, they both had a blood-red, almost blood-shot appearance.

Another interesting phenomenon relates to Terrapin #1791, the eight-year-old formerly cold-stunned male who awaits return to the wild (should spring ever arrive).  As each new turtle enters the garage lab, he reacts.  He moves in this heated tank as close to the new critter as he can get, pushing up against the glass.  No. 1794 is not visible to him in her opaque container, yet still he nuzzles the corner nearest where she is located.  This fellow is definitely ready for release.  It would be wonderful if the season would be equally ready to receive him.