Coffee with A Turtle

Gulf Coast box turtle

We had an early morning visitor during our Stay at Home time. I believe she is a Gulf Coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) and I'm basing my assumption that she is a she on the fact that males have red eyes and she did not. She marched out from under the huge Southern Indian azaleas (Rhododendron indicum) where I think she has a nest, and was headed for the woods behind the house. I interrupted her stroll long enough to put her in the red wheelbarrow and snap a few photos before taking her back to the pile of dead magnolia leaves and sending her on her merry way.