Look all the way to the right edge of the waters. See the bump on the log? It’s a Florida Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) or Florida Red-bellied Cooter. It is sunning in the late morning to keep warm, as cold-blooded reptiles do. I’ll discuss the adjoining birds another day. Copyright 2026 Pamela BreitbergA zoomed-in image clearly shows the red belly of this Florida native. The Florida Redbelly Turtle is a vegetarian although it begins life eating small insects! Learn more here. Copyright 2026 Pamela Breitberg
