Tamia Nelson's Outside » Turtle Portrait Gallery

First Turtle Taxi Rescue of the Year

Tamia Nelson — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:01:41 +0000

Regular Outside contributor Pat Mckay takes time to help an old lady across the road…

Another Lucky Turtle: Safe and Leech-Free

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 07:01:47 +0000

The press of work and a stiff wind made me less than enthusiastic about taking a spin on my bike. But I'd reached an impasse in the article I was working on. Cycling always clears my mind, so I figured that a couple of hours away from my desk would help me unblock the recalcitrant narrative line. Besides, I needed the exercise, even if I was already pretty tired. So I saddled up and headed out for a circuit on my favorite 20-mile loop. I was right to think that I'd feel better once I was underway, and I felt even better half an hour later when I rounded a bend to find…

Here We Go Again: On the Lookout for Turtles Tempting Fate

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:01:47 +0000

It's that time of year again. Turtles are on the move, and they often move into danger. Sometimes, though, they hit it lucky. Last week I saw a large snapper quickly cross a road on her own along my favorite bike route. Safe and sound. And a few days ago, I got a letter from Shawn Orbanic, who also keeps his eyes open for turtles. Here's what he has to say…

Texas Turtle Taxi is On the Job

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:17:55 +0000

One Texas turtle is basking happily this morning thanks to the efforts of Barney Ward of Old Fat Man Adventures. Barney noticed a moving bump in the road as he was driving along a lightly traveled road, and when he got close, he stopped to investigate. Here's who he found…

A Turtle Taxi Triple Play!

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:01:57 +0000

Serendipity strikes! Only one day after I posted "It's Turtle Time," I spotted no fewer than three—yes, three—snappers making a dash across the asphalt along the same thirty-yard stretch of back road. They're now immortalized in the Turtle Portrait Gallery, but here's a closer look at all three, beginning with the first one I encountered…

Another Turtle Rescue: Not Just One, Nor Two, but 17 Snappers Saved!

Tamia Nelson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:01:45 +0000

I've been disheartened to fail to be in the right place at the right time to save the lives of several turtles this year. The only good news is that there were fewer dead turtles and frogs on the road this year than last in my neck of the woods. So when Shawn Orbanic sent me an email late last week telling me of his extraordinary turtle rescue, I was overjoyed. And the most amazing aspect of his story is that he was able to save 17 snapping turtle hatchlings. I'll leave Shawn to tell the story…

Turtle Taxis Save Two Turtles… And More Turtle News!

Tamia Nelson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:01:08 +0000

Then news came to me from Japan expert, Bob Angel, who’s a keen saver of turtles in his own right. He found an article in a Japanese newspaper which astonished me. Go to the article entitled “Turtle Gets Prosthetic Legs” in The Asahi Shumbun for the full (though brief) story, and if you want to [...]