Frogs and Turtles — Susan Kirby

New York City Can Be Cold-Blooded!

In the parks and on the beaches in New York City, we can see birds and furry critters and lots of flowers and trees. And we can also see the more cold-blooded critters — fish, frogs, turtles, and snakes.

*My Prince, North Mount Loretto State Forest, Staten Island, August 26, 2021. He thought I was too old for him.*

*Bullfrog, Central Park Ramble, April 24, 2022*

*Bullfrog, Azalea Pond, the Ramble, Central Park, April 10, 2021. See below, Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog, for more bullfrog photos.*

*Diamondback terrapins on a rock, Saltmarsh Nature Center at Marine Park, Brooklyn, May 26, 2020*

Central Park Turtles on the Rocks, and in the Water

These shots were taken in April and May 2020 and 2021 in Central Park. I think they are all red-eared sliders, but could have a snapper in there somewhere.

*Red-eared slider, Staten Island, March 12, 2021*

Red Sliders Sliding Into Spring

It’s Not Easy Being Green

The snag pond at North Mount Loretto State Forest has wonderful frogs, I’ve discovered. The first four below were photographed on August 19, 2019.

*Fowler’s toad, North Mount Loretto State Forest, Staten Island, July 7, 2019*

*A frog (small tree frog?) in the North Mount Loretto State Forest, July 14, 2019*

A Terrapin Deposits Her Eggs

I had a chance to watch a diamondback terrapin deposit a clutch of eggs in a nature reserve on Long Island on July 19, 2019. Terrapins are turtles native to the brackish coastal marshes in the eastern and southern United States. I have seen diamondback terrapins on Long Island and at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens. (At Jamaica Bay, I have talked to some volunteers who participate in a program to tag the terrapins and record their nests.)

Terrapins begin by digging a hole to make the nest (not seen in my video). I came upon this terrapin while she was already laying the eggs.

*Diamondback terrapin depositing a clutch of eggs, Lido Beach Passive Nature Area, Long Island, July 19, 2019*

Clutch sizes vary, averaging 11 eggs per nest in New York, and can take up to 15 minutes to deposit. Since this terrapin seemed aware of my presence, I left so as not to cause her more stress. While I was gone, she buried the nest and camouflaged it (not seen in the video). When I returned, she was heading back into the salt marsh.

Slithering Across Jamaica Bay

I have seen snakes on the East Pond side of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, but wasn’t able to take a photo until April 6, 2019. This critter was seen on the boards leading to the Big John Pond blind.

*A snake went before us at Big John Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, April 6, 2019.*

Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog

*Bullfrog, snag pond, North Mount Loretto State Forest, Staten Island, June 24, 2021*

*Jeremiah at Azalea Pond, Central Park, May 21, 2018*

*Was a good friend of mine ... Central Park, April 25, 2018*

*I helped him drink his wine. He always had some mighty fine wine. Central Park, April 25, 2018*

A Turtle's Lament

Hey, You, Get Off of My Back! is a very fun video shot on Sept. 24, 2016. It's also very short. It features four red-eared sliders trying to share a little log.

*Red-eared sliders at the Lake, Central Park, Sept. 24, 2016*