Submitted by: Beth Parrish

It’s March and the turtles should be coming up from the bottom of the lake the first sunny day that we have in the next couple of weeks. They have spent the past few months buried in the insulating mud.

It is very exciting to see the turtles return each season and every year we are seeing increased populations. They are predominately in the Eastern Canal, as they prefer still water, where the wind isn’t a big factor.

If you want to get a good look at them, remember that they retreat quickly to the water if they hear people but they don’t seem to be bothered by motion. So, the quiet person is going to get the best viewing opportunities.

The primary reason the turtles are on the logs is to get warm from the sun. Anytime, they are disturbed and they go back in the water, their natural cycle is being disturbed. The less they are disturbed during the early Spring weather, the healthier our turtles will stay. References: various web pages on Oregon Mud turtles.

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