Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

From Neosho National Fish Hatchery:

It is common for us to see humans and the occasional canine walking around the grounds here. But this morning I spotted this guy strolling along the grass above the branch. We'll see turtles frequently when we drain a pond, but this was a bit different. I thought about helping him into the water, but he wasn't very friendly. 

Photo: common snapping turtle by Bruce Hallman/USFWS. 

#animals #reptile #turtle #nature #wildlife 




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Trout Lilies

#Thursday

From Neosho National Fish Hatchery:

This blooming beauty is commonly called many things such as yellow adder’s tongue, yellow trout lily, yellow fawn lily and yellow dog-tooth violet. It is a native spring wildflower that occurs in moist woods, on wooded slopes and bluffs, and along streams in the southern part of Missouri.

Photo: Trout lilies by Bruce Hallman/USFWS. 

#plants #wildflower #TroutLily #nature 




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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Male)

From Neosho National Fish Hatchery:

Not to be confused with a Shakespearean insult or Yosemite Sam's name for Bugs Bunny, this is a real bird—a type of woodpecker. It uses its specialized, brush-tipped tongue to lap up tree sap as well as insects for dinner. 

Photo: Yellow-bellied sapsucker (male) by Bruce Hallman/USFWS.




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