Another Teachable Moment

Five bla-ack bears,
Four white-tailed deer,
Three turtles,
Two ra-abbits,
A-and me i-in my-y-y car! (to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)

On Tuesday evening I dashed into town for a few last minute grad items. On the way there and the way back the above song was my list of critter sightings.

The third turtle was actually at home. She was in the grass outside the house digging a hole. A turtle hole in June means eggs on the way. So, I ran inside to drag LK outside to watch her dig. Although we great big threatening-looking humans were looming around she persisted in digging one slow scoop of dirt at a time.

An hour later LK woke Fi up to come out and watch the turtle lay her eggs. It was really cool!

Yesterday we researched turtles and learned that it was a western painted turtle. She lays her eggs in May or June way up here in the northern end of her range. They will hatch at the end of August or early September. Since we are so far north the baby turtles will hibernate over the winter in the nest and emerge in the spring. We are planning to mark the nest with stakes so that we can watch for changes in the fall and then wait for the babies to emerge in the spring.

I am tempted to dig up a few eggs as a great science lesson. It would just be for Fi and Jo since school is done now. LK convinced me that it would for the best to let this teachable moment pass as an observation rather than hands-on learning.