Turtles have a much slower and longer life span than the other inhabitants of the marsh.
Turtles as a species were here before the dinosaurs and have changed little in the 250 million years since.
In the spring, they get possessive of their warm basking logs and are understandibly reluctant to get back into the cold water.
Snapping turtles look for sandy soil to dig in to lay their eggs.
Happily, a suitable place is on our front lawn.
Just one look and you can tell you are seeing a creature with a prehistoric lineage.
All of these images are taken with a telephoto lens at a good distance to avoid disturbing them.
It's a serious business.
And Mother takes her job seriously!
As evening falls, she heads back to the water.
The eggs will hatch before the end of summer ( 180-120 days ) . The tiny turtles head directly to the water!
Bullfrogs are plentiful in Green and Labrador Lakes, indicating that the water quality and the habitat is favourable.
We all hope that it will continue to be a healthy ecosystem.