 Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message Swamps are wet. But when it rains non-stop all day long, “wet” is an understatement. The sound of the downpour began around 3 AM and woke me up in my little tent. Toward sunrise, it slackened to a light rainfall that lasted the entire day. I had to make the best of it. I started off with my muck boots and rain jacket. I walked to the Upland Pine Trail in the Stephen C Foster State Park. Plants, scat and mushrooms were recorded with my iPhone, while the dark, gloomy birding shots were with my Nikon D500 protected by a rain cover. After about three hours of hiking, except for my feet, I was soaked to all my undergarments and headed back to the campground. I threw my wet clothes in a dryer and took a long, hot shower. From noon until about 3 PM, the rain did not relent, so I took up residence in a picnic shelter and waited. Feeling like a day was being wasted, I left the picnic shelter and decided to drive the west entry road (Hwy 177) and The Sill, just hoping to find something and redeem this wet, gray, gloomy day. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.
0 Comments
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Caution Do Not Feed Alligators Warning sign in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. State and Federal laws prohibit the feeding and harrassment in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges. In his 1935 book titled The Alligator's Life History, E.A. McIlhenny (of the Tabasco family) wrote, "It is quite safe to say that the food of the alligator at some period of its life, consists of every living thing coming in range of its jaws that flies, walks, swims, or crawls that is small enough for them to kill, and covers a tremendously wide range. After they reach three feet in length and larger, any creature inhabiting the land or water which they can catch and swallow is good food." This is no doubt a true statement! In 2020, I completed a review of over 19,000 American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) observations uploaded to iNaturalist between April 5, 2009 and December 31, 2020. Observations which depicted an American Alligator eating a prey item were added to the iNat Alligator Appetites Project. The result revealed a gruesome smorgasbord of dainties enjoyed by this giant reptile. A review of the 110 observations added to the project, fish and reptiles nearly tied for the top prey items at about 25% each, with birds and mammals nearly tying in second place around 14% each. Truly, the American Alligator is an opportunist that doesn’t discriminate or turn its nose up at a particular menu item… even another alligator! A breakdown is as follows: • Fish 26%  Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Yellow Rumped Warbler songbird perched on marsh grass in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. Setophaga coronata is a migrating warbler in North America. It is numerous in the southeast in winter breeds in Canada. January 21 2021. The Yellow-rumped Warblers were all over the place in the Okefenokee on this January trip. All along the banks of The Sill, a hidden chirping was constantly heard in the tangled brush. In fact, no matter where I was during the three days, no matter what time of day, if I "pished" those little Butter Butts would practically swarm me! But on a couple of occasions, I'm glad I remained diligent in may scanning, for there were other warblers mixed in with the hoards of yellow-rumps. A couple of Orange-crowned Warblers and a particularly photogenic male Common Yellowthroat.  Orange-crowned Warbler perched in brier thorns. Leiothlypis celata is a small songbird native to North America. Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Georgia USA. Wildlife birding photography January 21 2021.  Common Yellowthroat songbird perched on marsh grass in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. Geothlypis trichas is a common warbler in North America. January 21 2021.
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message
Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota, coiled on a Cypress Tree branch in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area canoe and kayak trail. January 21, 2021.
I was paddling up the beautiful Suwannee, a blackwater river that is born within, and meanders throughout, the Okefenokee Swamp. Being overcast and cool, it was slow day for reptiles… as slow as the current that carried my canoe along. But on a sudden, I had that feeling. Birders know that feeling… a sense that somewhere nearby is a nice find.
I have no idea how I spotted it. Its long, coiled, brown body perfectly matched the twisted, tan cypress roots upon which it basked. A Brown Watersnake! These thick, heavy-bodied snakes are often mis-identified as the venomous Cottonmouth, which lurks in the same habitat.
Although the watersnakes aren’t venomous, they are no less feisty. Anyone who has had the experience of handling a watersnake knows their theatrics of writhing, striking, musking, and biting… anything to just be left alone! This individual didn’t disappoint in its performance. 
Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota, coiled on a Cypress Tree branch in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area canoe and kayak trail. January 21, 2021.
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Artificial nest cavity in Long Leaf Pine tree for endangered Red cockaded Woodpecker. In pine uplands along Highway 177 between Fargo, Georgia and the Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife birding conservation photography on January 21, 2021. As I sit roadside peering into a batch of white-blazed Long-Leaf Pines, my eyes watering and blurring from over a half-hour of anticipatory scanning, I am amazed to think that at one time, millions of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers drummed across the eastern United States. But as the forests fell, so did the numbers of Dryobates borealis. In 1973, it was listed as an endangered species. Given my difficulty in spotting one on multiple trips to their prime habitat, I assume they are still in peril. "For I long to see you, ...to the end ye may be established." Romans 1:11  White blaze indicating artificial nest cavity in Long Leaf Pine tree for endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker The USFWS has been making attempts to bring back this little black-and-white woodpecker here in the Okefenokee Swamp. Along the western entrance to the refuge (Highway 177), tall stands of Long-leaf Pine, the primary nesting tree of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, are managed through prescribed burns and advanced forestry techniques. And high in those trees are placed artificial nest cavities for the woodpeckers. Bearing a white ring at the base, the pines with the artificial nest cavities are easy to spot as you drive through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Another tell-tale sign of woodpecker activity is the oozing white sap, like melting candle wax, that drips down from woodpecker excavations in the Long-leaf pines. This sap provides a sticky defense against climbing predators, such as snakes.  Artificial nest cavity in Long Leaf Pine tree for endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker I hope these efforts pay off and that one day, instead of squinting for hours just hoping to see one Red-cockaded Woodpecker, we can let an unexcited exclamation of "there goes another one. Man, these woodpeckers are everywhere!" Until then, look for the white blazed tree and hope to spot this endangered little woodpecker.  As I was scanning for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, my heart leapt as I saw a woodpecker fly by. But alas, it was a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message An excerpt from EA McIlhenny's book The Alligator's Life History where he describes stepping on a submerged alligator...  Young American Alligator swimming in the blackwater of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area in Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. Eyes and nose peering above the water line. January 21 2021. "The water was less than knee deep and the going good until I got almost half way across, then the bottom began to suddenly get soft, but thinking it was only a pot hole, I kept on, and in a few steps more was in slush up to my armpits. As I made another step I felt my foot strike something solid, and thinking it was the opposite side of the hole, raised my foot until I got something hard underneath and heaved myself up. I had just thought how nice it was to get out of the slush, when it seemed as if an earthquake had struck me, and my feet lost the bottom, the mud and water around me began to boil. I got a hard blow on one leg below the knee which I afterwards found was cut to the bone, and I was thrown violently to one side and went under. Fortunately, I did not lose my gun, and as soon as I could find my feet, lost no time in getting to the grass... What happened was a very large alligator had deepened the centre of this little pond for his den, and when I stepped on him, he threw me off his back and hit me on the leg with the side of his jaw. I don't think for a minute he made any attempt to catch me, for he could have easily done so." E.A. McIlhenny (1872 – 1949), of the McIlhenny Tabasco Sauce company, was a hunter, explorer and naturalist that established the Avery Island wildlife refuge on his family estate in Louisiana and wrote The Alligator's Life History in 1935. While some of his statements are criticized by modern science, he was one of the most knowledgeable alligator experts in the country at the time. His work contains valuable information and entertaining anecdotes. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message It was January. And it was cold. But snow in the Okefenokee Swamp??? Not exactly...  A white Snowy Egret walks along the banks of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Egretta thula is a small white heron whose feather plumes were once hunted for the fashion industry but now protected under the Migratory Bird Act. Wildlife birding photography January 21 2021. As my canoe drifted back toward the boat launch and parking lot of The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area, I assumed the small white bird up ahead was a juvenile Little Blue Heron. I could see it running in bursts up and down the edge of the canal to corral and catch little fish. But with each sprint, as it lifted its feet out of the water, I could see a flash of yellow. These were the golden slippers of a Snow Egret, not a Little Blue Heron! I was quite excited to find this little fisherman. Even with seven Okefenokee adventures under my belt, this was my first photograph of a Snowy Egret in the refuge. And this particular individual was quite the compliant model. Over the course of the three days, it was right there near the boat ramp and parking lot. It didn’t seem to notice my presence as I slowly approached whether by canoe or by foot.  Snowy Egret in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Georgia USA Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  A Wild Turkey hen seen foraging along Highway 177 between Fargo, Georgia and the Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife photography on January 21, 2021. No matter how many trips I make to the Okefenokee, my excitement always builds exponentially as I near the refuge border. It is a twenty mile drive from Fargo, Georgia on the western edge of the Okefenokee until you reach the dead-end within the Stephen C Foster State Park campground. This long stretch of Highway 177 can seem quite boring if all you notice are the telephone-pole-straight pines that seem to go on endlessly to your right, left, forward and behind. The tendency can be to “gun it” and get to the swamp more quickly. But if you slow down and take your time, you just might find some critters along this drive (and not splat them into roadkill as well). White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkey often emerge from the dense Saw Palmetto to forage on the roadside grasses. In January 2021, I spotted an American Black Bear crossing the road far ahead, but alas, no photograph. From spring to fall, Highway 177 is a great stretch for “herping”, as the snakes like to crawl out onto the warm pavement in the evenings and overnight.  A White tailed Deer doe seen foraging along Highway 177 between Fargo, Georgia and the Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife photography on January 21, 2021.  A Wild Turkey hen seen foraging along Highway 177 between Fargo, Georgia and the Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife photography on January 21, 2021. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  The Suwanne River Sill Recreation Area of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The lower half of the canal is paralleled by a long driveway with parking and boat launches. Thursday, January 21, 2021 , 4:00 PM - Upon paddling the upper half of The Sill, I made it back to the boat launch parking lot with a little more daylight left. I decided to walk the long driveway that parallels the lower half.  Rattlebox legume plant have large seed pods. Invasive plant species introduced to the United States from India and are toxic to cattle and domestic livestock. Genus Crotalaria. I’ve been trying to broaden my perception beyond crawling and flying things and tune into the world of stationary productions. Since nearly everything appeared brown and drab on this overcast afternoon, the colors of leaves and mushrooms more easily caught my eye. I’m very weak on vegetable identifications and knowledge, so why not try got get some lessons from iNaturalist! As I walked, I heard the calls of a couple Barred Owls echoing in the forest opposite the canal. I found a few other birds in there, and in the canal as well. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Long Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota, coiled on a Cypress Tree branch in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. A large non-venomous snake with keeled scales. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area canoe and kayak trail. January 21, 2021. From naturalist Francis Harper’s journal during his first visit to the Okefenokee Swamp in May 1912:
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message An excerpt from E.A. McIlhenny's 1935 work, The Alligator's Life History:  Black and white monochrome photography of a large American Alligator swimming in the blackwater of the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. Large epidermal scutes line the back. January 21 2021. "The deep booming roar of a twelve foot male alligator is a sound that once heard will never be forgotten. It is not unlike the first boom note of the ostrich, or the deep, slow-throat roar of the lion before he begins the quick short-cough roars; but exceeds in volume both of these sounds. It has much more volume and is deeper in tone than the bellow of the largest of our domestic bulls. I know of no sound, natural or artificial, that causes such a tremendous vibration of the atmosphere as the full-throated roar of a full-grown alligator. Often when near these reptiles as they bellowed, I have felt a very distinct vibration of my diaphragm caused by the trembling of the air by the broken waves of sound thrown out by these great creatures." Page 71 E.A. McIlhenny (1872 – 1949), of the McIlhenny Tabasco Sauce company, was a hunter, explorer and naturalist that established the Avery Island wildlife refuge on his family estate in Louisiana and wrote The Alligator's Life History in 1935. While some of his statements are criticized by modern science, he was one of the most knowledgeable alligator experts in the country at the time. His work contains valuable information and entertaining anecdotes. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  An Eastern Phoebe tyrant flycatcher bird perched on a rustic canoe kayak trail sign post to Cravens Hammock in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. January 21, 2021. Because it is one of the least scenic areas of the Okefenokee, I don’t typically make trips up “The Sill” when I bring along a companion. The Sill is a long, straight, man-made canal on the western side of the refuge. Its deep channel and ease of access makes it ideal for fishing, but there isn’t much in the way of swamp scenery. But I was solo this trip, and not out to impress anyone with the beauty of the swamp. Also, being cool and cloudy, I knew that if any alligators were to be found out basking in the Okefenokee, they’d be on the high, cut, dry banks of The Sill. So after an early morning 5-hour drive, my canoe hit the waters around 11 AM.  Large black Turkey Vulture soaring in the blue skies over the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area. Cathartes aura is also called a Turkey Buzzard. It wasn’t as easy without my daughter, the usual canoe captain that steered the trolling motor while I sat up front with my camera. With just me in the back, the bow of the canoe stuck pretty high in the air, and the occasional strong wind gusts frequently spun me off course. But it was near perfect flight conditions for the soaring Turkey Vultures. Even though the cloud cover persisted most of the afternoon, a ray of sunshine occasionally warmed the air and prompted some of the alligators to hit the banks for a bask. They were quite inactive because of the cool temperature, and mostly watched as I paddled by.  Large American Alligator basking on the shore of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area in Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. January 21 2021.  Large American Alligator basking on the shore of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area in Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. January 21 2021.  Cravens Hammock canoe kayak trail directional sign in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Georgia. Cravens Hammock has an overnight camping platform along the brown trail.  Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota, coiled on a Cypress Tree branch in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. A large non-venomous snake with keeled scales. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area canoe and kayak trail. January 21, 2021. A fascinating description of the snake-laden, dark forests of the Okefenokee Swamp from Cecil Hulse Matchat's 1938 novel, Strange Green Land:
Cecile Matschat’s works published in 1930's are full of colorful stories of the Swampers that lived in the Okefenokee, exciting folklore encounters with bear, boar and cannibal alligators, as well as scientific descriptions of the flora and fauna of the great swamp. They are a worthwhile purchase if you come across used copies of these collectible out-of-print treasures of Okefenokee literature. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator basking on the shore of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area in Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia USA. January 21 2021. With the last hour of daylight, a few alligators were still visible on The Sill.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Pine Siskin; Walton County, Georgia. Since the great Pine Siskin Irruption began in late 2020 I had been watching and waiting... and waiting... and waiting... and waiting... A few began to trickle into my birding patach in early January. But today, the spigot opened up wide! I was about to head indoors out of the chilly breeze, for I hadn't spotted to much on this windy January morning. As I stood warming my back in the rising sun, I heard a commotion and saw a big group of birds fly in before my eyes. It was a mixed group of Pine siskins, Eastern Bluebirds, and Chipping Sparrows. About 40 chattering Pine Siskins flew into the tops of a few bare Sweetgum and Water Oaks and began foraging, ripping seeds from the Sweetgum balls. The group of about 30 Chipping Sparrows took to lower branches and sat quietly in the warm sun. The 8 Eastern Bluebirds mingled with the raucous Siskins, but weren't sure what all the commotion was about. After a few minutes the Pink Siskins flew off together, but were replaced by another group of about 30 a short time later. Three Pine Warblers and a few other species mingled in as well. |
 All content is ©williamwisephoto.com. Please don't steal images. My images are available at dreamstime.com. Stock sales go into the shelter photography program.
|
In December 1993 I came to know the Designer and Creator of this wonderful planet and its creatures: Jesus Christ.
|
Donations help support the animal shelter adoption photography equipment and adoption website hosting and domain fees. Thanks for your support!
|