Monday, October 17, 2005

Family photos

I've just got around to downloading these photos from my camera. I took these just after coming back to Japan.

Remember when I posted pictures of the turtles in the river? Well, while I was away, a couple of them got busy and produced a baby turtle. Just one, that I've seen. Here is a picture of the proud mother with her baby.



As I was watching them, the proud father made his appearance. "Don't forget me!" he said. "I'm a part of this family, too! I had something to do with this!" (I am trying to imagine turtle sex, and failing, but I don't think it can be very FAST. This can only be good news for the females.)

He climbed up onto the rock, shoving his wife out of the way.



Then the whole family posed for me to take a couple of pictures. At least I suppose they were posing, because when I cycled around to the other side of the river to take a profile shot they didn't move. They were holding their pose. Wasn't that considerate of them?



Don't they have lovely undersides? They look like upside-down ladybirds. (That's ladybugs to you Americans.)

Here is the profile shot. Why do you think they hold their heads up like baby birds? Do they think a Great Turtle in the sky is going to feed them?



What a lovely family.

NOTE: I am only guessing about which parent is which. It is entirely possible that the larger turtle is in fact the female, and I have anthropomortified them by getting it wrong.

10 comments:

melinama said...

I adore you.

Ms Mac said...

They are quite lovely photos!

Anonymous said...

what a photogenic family!

Anonymous said...

Anthropomortified? I like that word!!

I like the turtles, too, they are very nice.

Cheers!

Cheryl said...

Quite a grey day for coldblooded turtles to be sunning themselves - or was the water even colder? I guess its cold blood, unless its a vitamin D thing - cant get a straight answer on google.
They are gorgeous.

kenju said...

I think they hold their noses up to sniff the air for possible incoming foodstuffs! But what do I know? Not much about turtles, but I do love your photos.

Badaunt said...

Cheryl: It was a very warm day - it may have been grey but it wasn't cold at all.

Librianguish: Anthropomortified is a word! (I should know. I invented it.)

Kenju: What do turtles eat, anyway? (Besides bread, that is.)

The Village Idiot said...

the ninja turtles had a thing for pizza, and since you're in Japan, where time fries and where everything is historical, i assume that all turtles are ninja turtles.
QED: they like pizza.

Grad I could help,
the idiot

Artistic Soul said...

I love it! These are so wonderful. You have such a way with a camera.

Doris said...

Fantastic how you got them to turn and pose for you!

"anthropomortified" LOL