Box Turtle and Green Sunfish

   It will come to no surprise to anyone that’s read my blog over the years that I do a lot more fishing and a lot less bird watching and nature walking than I used too. Consequently I have caught a lot more fish. On the down side I do see a lot less birds and other animals. Sure I still see the occasional deer or even eagle, but less common species like scarlet tanagers elude me. So I have not seen many new species for a while until this week.

   The other night DJ and I played home run derby at one of our little league fields. He killed me as I swung at to many bad pitches and rolled over a lot of ground balls. As we were picking up home run balls in the woods (his) we came across this little guy. It is an Eastern Box Turtle. Although listed as “a species of special concern” (meaning not very rare but keep an eye on their population) I had never seen one. With all the miles of nature walks and bird watching through the woods my whole life, the first box turtle I see is right behind a baseball field. It had made a nest in the soft sand behind the outfield and was on its way back to the woods. I’m glad we saw it.

   Sometimes nature can be tough, but other times it will throw you a bone. Obviously the box turtle was truly

an unexpected surprise. Another one happened on Thursday. I set up fishing with my friend Dave for a couple hours of carping. He got to the spot before me. I put my corn on and my method ball and casted out. I set up my chair in a nice relaxing spot in the shade.

   I looked in the water and I see a sunfish. I see tons of sunfish on nests this time of year everywhere I go so I didn’t think much of it. Then I got a close look at it. It had bright orange fins. I was sure I had never seen this species before. Then I looked online and the fish three feet in front of me was a green sunfish.

    As many of you know I am trying to catch thirty species of fish this year. A little beautiful sunfish I had never seen or thought of catching was almost within arm’s length. Problem was I was using 8 foot surf rods and big field corn for carp. I sat their slightly frustrated but happy to know I could add another species to my list of possible catches.

   After supper I went back to the spot armed with my trout rod and a can of worms. When I looked into the water, the hero of this story was gone. I fished for a few minutes then out of the depths I saw him follow my worm. I stopped it and let it sink. The fish took the bait and I had species # 26 for the year. I can say this, green sunfish are one of the most beautiful fish I have ever caught. It was a lot like a pumpkinseed but those fins are bright orange. Although the picture came out pretty well, it was even prettier close up.