Nature Done Wright

When Patty and I were doing some shorebirding along Delaware Bay last year about this time, we stopped by a waterfront residential area because the name rang a bell.

The birding was limited, so we left. As we headed back down the road parallel to the Delaware Bay, a woman in the car ahead of us stopped and got out.

We were perplexed as to what she was doing until she walked to our car and showed us what she had removed from the roadway: a baby Diamondback Terrapin. 

The woman was Larissa Smith of Conserve Wildlife Foundation, a wonderful wildlife biologist I've worked with a couple of times. She explained that these tiny terrapins cross this road every late May.

So Patty and I stopped by to see what was happening this year. A lot.

We helped save four of the little turtles — including three that would have likely been crushed by a giant tractor-trailer headed for a marina. 

Alas, we found a few crushed little guys on the way.

There are plenty of Turtle Crossing signs, but I don't think most people who see the signs (or the baby turtles) realize they are trying to avoid terrapins the size of quarters.

A big thank you to Larissa for educating us.