Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

This is the most commonly encountered sea turtle in NC waters. They are distinctively orange-brown colored and are quite large (although not as large as Leatherbacks). Barnacles usually cover their shells as seen below. These turtles were seen on various Brian Patteson pelagic birding trips off of Cape Hatteras, NC.

	Two Loggerhead Turtles apparently in courtship Off Cape Hatteras, NC 5 March 2006
	Two Loggerhead Turtles apparently in courtship Off Cape Hatteras, NC 5 March 2006
	Two Loggerhead Turtles apparently in courtship Off Cape Hatteras, NC 5 March 2006>


A different Loggerhead Turtle Off Cape Hatteras, NC 5 March 2006	Yet another Loggerhead Turtle Off Cape Hatteras, NC 5 March 2006

	Off Hatteras, NC 19 Feb 2005
	Off Hatteras, NC 19 Feb 2005

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Created on ... July 18, 2005 | Update on ... March 7, 2006 | jspippen@duke.edu