Painted Beauties in Siouxland, Heron Haven, Omaha, NE

Eastern Painted turtles sun themselves together on a log at the Heron Haven Wednesday April 26, 2023 in Omaha, NE. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Sometimes it is surprising what one might find in Siouxland when out exploring areas like the Heron Haven, albeit in Omaha, NE and probably a bit south actually of Siouxland. On a visit last year a fellow photographer and I came across a number of Eastern Painted turtles themselves enjoying the park area sunning themselves in a large pond. It looked to be quite and extended family affair and they are far enough out and away from a bird blind so they didn’t seem to mind some curious onlookers. Barely any movement but the occasional head tilt, or until one felt sufficiently “sunned” only to slip back into the water. Just a nice day out with the family.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Eastern Painted turtles sun themselves enmasse on a log at the Heron Haven Wednesday April 26, 2023 in Omaha, NE. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

An Eastern Painted turtle suns itself on a log above the above the water line on a pond at the Heron Haven in Omaha, NE Tuesday, August 9, 2022. The Haven is a spring-fed wetland sanctuary, an oxbow wetland of Big Papillion Creek. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)