Oh. A European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis. We weren't expecting them before the next week.
At first we thought it was Dorota, who always comes first, but we checked old pictures and the markings don't match.
Many hours later (this all happened yesterday, I had no time to download and post the photos) – the turtle found a good spot for her nest. She spent a lot of time to determine optimal sunlight and soil condition, but she didn't take fucking humans into equation and laid the eggs on the side of a road, where cars and tractors drive. The nest will have to be moved.
Right after she laid her eggs and went back to her swamp, a bit before midnight, we secured her nest to prevent foxes from having a feast with fine wire mesh. Soil was too compacted for metal pins we usually use to hold well, so I added a couple of bricks.
All that's left of the turtle nest today – a hole in the ground.
Yesterday in the evening, one day before #WorldTurtleDay, a park ranger came by and dug out 15 eggs. They were taken to a safe place and will hatch in 3 months. Had it not been so close to the road, the nest would have stayed under our care.
She looks like Dorotka, who's been coming to lay her eggs near our house for the past six years, with a break or two. Now we'll go through the archives to make sure it's she.
Dorotka walking through grass to find the best spot to lay her eggs. I didn't want to bother her much, so this was taken from far away, sorry for the quality. Also, it was getting dark.
This is a regular junkyard now – our house is still under construction. Dorotka decided to lay her eggs where the steps to the porch are supposed to be. The construction of steps will now have to be put on hold for three months until the young turtles hatch. Talked to the park rangers – they'd rather not take the eggs from here to their hatchery– they're too busy with other turtles. This year is exceptional. The European pond turtle is a rare species and it is strictly protected in Poland.
We secured Dorotka's nest in the morning. Sorry, foxes, no juicy turtle eggs for you.
Fuck, fuck. She found what she thinks is the perfect spot for the nest.
#Polesia #PolesiaTurtles