Aribada

This afternoon I witnessed a miracle of nature. 

I have documented it in video and photos. I have only put the photos below.

I was at the kitchen window when I saw something way in the back of the back yard. It seemed to be moving, but in a weird way. 

After a while I noticed it appeared to be coming closer to the house. 

I finally decided to investigate.

As I got closer, I could finally see that it was an enormous turtle.

Sensing my presence, it pulled its enormous head close to its shell.

Taking my life into my own hands, I got in for a close-up.

As luck would have it, it did not lunge at me.

I went back into the house, keeping an eye out the kitchen window.

The turtle moved about the backyard, seeming to stop every once in a while to try to dig a hole.

(I later found 6 areas where an attempt to dig was made.)

After about 30 minutes of maneuvering, the turtle made its way to the edge of the flower bed behind the deck.

Once at the edge of the flower bed, the turtle began digging in earnest, getting mud on its face and really digging and pushing the dirt with its back feet and tail.

It spent a great deal of time undulating at the edge of the hole that it dug, then just stayed there for about an hour. I had stopped my surveillance and gone back to my cooking.

When I looked again, the turtle was gone!

Here is the hole that was dug. 

I believe she laid an egg (or eggs) in the hole.

I spotted her toddling off down the side yard, toward the weeds.

As mysteriously as she arrived, so did she depart.

Concerned that some predator in my yard (and we know there are many) might try to eat the egg, I tried to cover it, without covering the hole itself so the baby can get out once it hatches.

I hope it works.

She came, she searched for the right spot, she dug, she laid and she left.

I'll keep you posted on what happens next.