So as you can see, the mudhole is basically done. Had I not dug the post-holes yesterday, it’d be completely dry this morning.
I went down with a bucket and sieve to retrieve what I could out of the post-holes. I clearly did not completely clear the holes, but collected another couple hundred. Scoop in, dump out sludge and tadpoles. Scoop in, dump out sludge and tadpoles. Scoop in, dump out sludge and tadpoles and what the heck was that?
Oh – as can be seen from “tadpole rescue not” – a baby turtle came along for the ride.
Okay. so finish scooping holes. There are still tadpoles in there – so be it. I stick my hand in each hole and fish around for other turtles. Don’t find any. What to do? Guess I’ll stick him in Colony Two – even if he eats tadpoles, there’s far more than he can eat in a day.
Good thing we want those toads for the garden and bug control LOL, and clearly my hubby is just having some fun with this as well, but wow, the baby turtle was a surprise, I know a great turtle pond just a ways from our place that we can release him back into.
Just another Day on the Farm 
But what if he likes your tadpoles better??
Asking DH… Aren’t they so incredibly cute/amazing/alert? Did he look you right in the eye? Did you see the intelligence there? (That’s okay, you can call me weird if you like; )
Hope everyone makes it through the heat wave.
Actually, the turtle’s response was more along the lines of, “Eeek! I’m outta here!”, and then it’d scamper off my hand and back into the water. I was rather surprised at how fast it was.
Heat wave should be interesting – 35 C Wednesday and Thursday is what the current forecast calls for. Think I might move the colonies into shade so they don’t get too warm.
I guess our visitor (see https://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/eastern-painted-baby-turtle-guest-post-by-deb/) was forced to stay long enough to “relax”; but he could definitely motor, that’s for sure: )
What a lovely baby painted turtle. Good rescue job!
Thanks. And the identification helps, too. Turtles are not my strong point.