After a long, cold lonely winter under Lake Chipican’s ice this bale of turtles bask on a log in shared bliss, extending their limbs to absorb as much sun as possible. On this day, a dozen turtles were lined up to tan on a nearby fallen tree. The painted turtles at right lay their eggs in warmer, south-facing areas. The hatchling's sex is determined by temperature, with low temperatures producing males and warmer temperatures females.
Ronny D’Haene, Special to The Journal