Sunday 26 February 2012

Taking the sun

I couldn't resist these two little European Pond Terrapins [Emys orbicularis] Cistude d'europe. They were taking the sun this afternoon in full view of the new hide at the étang de  la Sous, just along from the Maison de la Nature in the Brenne. A lovely day, to be described more fully shortly.
Cistudes in the sun

3 comments:

Colin and Elizabeth said...

I had no idea you would find these creatures in the wild here.. Shows how much I know! Thanks for enlightening me!

Diane said...

What a great photo. I also did not know that there were terrapins here. Diane

Tim said...

Colin and Elizabeth... take a drive to the Brenne, it'll be a nice day out... there is plenty of information available there if you go to the Maison du Parc or the Maison de la Nature... both well signposted!
Pauline and I were commenting that in the past nine years, more and more hides have been opened, and the interpretive literature has improved enormously... We chose la Forge because we are almost equidistant from [a]the Loire Anjou Touraine [up by you] and [b]the Brenne national parks and [c]the Sologne [not yet a PN but very well equipped with Visitor Centre and good literature]

I am just about to publish an entry on the Etang Purais and the hide there... Brand New last year!

Diane, the terrapins are at about their furthest north in the Brenne... but Spring is definately here... I saw a lizard poking its nose out of a hole in the barn wall... just testing the air. The sudden flick to attention of the cat sunbathing on the bench next to me allowed me to spot that.