Interesting encounter in London

[ffutures]

Spotted in a pond on a "nature reserve garden" in a small park near my house in London - I think this explains why I've never seen any amphibians in there. I was a bit astonished, given the occasional coldness of the British climate, but it's probably several years since we had enough sustained cold weather to freeze the pond:



Shell length about 4", I think. Almost certainly a red-eared terrapin.

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[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Well, I was busy learning to walk and say "Da-da" at the time of original boadcast, and secretly plotting revenge on stupid children's health inspectors who crept around behind me saying my name over and over while I was trying to plot global domination... Ahem, long story. [BLUSH] But anyway, I caught up on them all a few years ago via BBC Radio7. Terrapins got referenced a lot in the show, particularly by Bill, but the Terrapin Song itself featured even more rarely than Cleese's Ferret Song.

(Punchline: Shortly after going away looking very worried, she was called back to the house by my Mum to hear little Paul parotting, in *exactly* her pitch and tone of voice, her little chant of "p-p-p-p-*Paul*!". She had to amend her notes to say "Not actually deaf, just didn't deign to answer." =:o>

But I never did achieve global domination, which is clearly *all her fault* for distracting me at a critical time! Curses!!!)