 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  Anhinga darter bird in cattail wastewater treatment marsh at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. Anhinga anhinga is a water bird also known as snake bird or water turkey. What a concept: turn our wastewater into a wetland! In a world that historically hasn’t been friendly to the environment, at least the last few decades have shown some progress in preserving and caring for the natural home gifted to us by our Creator. One such place is the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Augusta, Georgia. According to their website, the City of Augusta was ordered to upgrade its wastewater treatment system in 1993. Instead of releasing treated wastewater into Butler Creek, a series of wetland cells was created to further purify the water before being released into the Savannah River. Other than a few pumps and a slight odor, you’d never realize it was a water treatment facility. And the waterfowl definitely don’t seem to mind that is a constructed wetland. “Build it and they will come!”… Phinizy Swamp is loaded with herons, egrets, ducks and other water-loving creatures. The manmade dikes topped with gravel are perfect for hiking, biking, birding or running. New Year's Day at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park; Richmond County, Georgia  Boardwalk trail over the Butler Creek floodplain panorama at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. Cypress trees, Spanish Moss, blue sky, clouds and cattail marsh grasses. Phinizy is an environmental wastewater treatment facility and waterfowl impound.  Pied-billed Grebe water bird, Podilymbus podiceps, swimming in green marsh. Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. Phinizy is an environmental wastewater treatment facility and waterfowl impound.  American Coot water bird, Fulica americana, . Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. Phinizy is an environmental wetlands wastewater treatment facility and waterfowl impound.  Anhinga darter bird in cattail wastewater treatment marsh at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and Center for Water Sciences in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. Anhinga anhinga is a water bird also known as snake bird or water turkey.
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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  A tiny Ruby crowned Kinglet, Corthylio calendula, song bird in a thicket facing the camera. Birding photography at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park in Augusta, Georgia USA on January 1, 2022. Although a bit later because of the midnight celebration, as is my custom, I rose long before daybreak on New Year’s Day morning. When the sun finally decided to get out of bed and climb the eastern sky, the warm morning prompted me to a bit of backyard birding. A surprise appearance of a seclusive Hermit Thrush was a bit fulfilling, but only whet my appetite for more. I threw a few snacks and water bottles into the car and headed toward Augusta, Georgia. On this first day of the year, I was hoping to increase my Richmond County, Georgia species count a bit by a winter visit to the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. The oddest sighting of the day was an American White Pelican. When I first spotted the white bird with black on the wings, I thought it was a Wood Stork. But raising the glass I was caught by surprise. I’ve photographed white pelicans before, but not so far inland in Georgia. When I asked another birder around the corner, he stated he had been going to Phinizy for many years and not spotted one before. He was quite excited as well. All in all, it was a good day. I added 19 birds to my Richmond County list! New Year's Day at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park; Richmond County, Georgia  American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, flying with wings spread in blue sky and clouds. Birding photography at Phinizy Swamp, Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia USA. January 1, 2021. 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 Wow, its already the last day of 2021 and I haven't done any birding in December. Time to get out there for a bit! Found five species of sparrows in just a few minutes. Walton County, Georgia 
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
Young male Boxer and Bulldog mix breed dog outside on leash portrait. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
"Hugo" was a handsome young Boxer mix dog that was turned in stray to the animal control shelter on December 27, 2021. No owner came to look for him and he got a new home on January 3, 2022!
Young male Boxer and Bulldog mix breed dog outside on leash portrait. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
Young male Boxer and Bulldog mix breed dog outside on leash portrait. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
Older senior male Boxer and American Bulldog mix breed dog outside on a leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
"Stoney" was an older Boxer and American Bulldog mix breed dog surrendered to the animal shelter by his owner on December 28, 2022. He was a nice and quiet guy that got along well with others. I did his outdoor adoption photos on December 29 and he was rescued on January 3, 2022!
Older senior male Boxer and American Bulldog mix breed dog outside on a leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
Older senior male Boxer and American Bulldog mix breed dog outside on a leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter.
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS...
Older white and tan senior Great Pyrenees female mix breed dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website fees.
Just like the song says, everyone would like to be home for the holidays... even the dogs! My job as an animal shelter photographer is to find new homes for homeless pets. And it seems to take on even more urgency around the holidays.
"Snowflake" was an older Great Pyrenees mix breed dog that was brought to the animal control shelter as a stray. She was a very sweet girl, so it was a bit strange that no owner came to claim her. But through her pet adoption photos posted on several national pet adoption websites, "Snowflake" was rescued from the animal shelter on December 20. Home for the Holidays! 
Older white and tan senior Great Pyrenees female mix breed dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website fees.
Older white and tan senior Great Pyrenees female mix breed dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website fees.
Older white and tan senior Great Pyrenees female mix breed dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet photography for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website fees.
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
Female red brindle and white American Pit Bull Terrier mix dog with collar outside wagging her tail. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
"Merry" was a happy Pitbull mix that recently had puppies. She was picked up stray by an animal control officer and brought to the animal shelter on December 2, 2021. Her owner called, but then never showed up to claim her. She was saved by DAWG Squad Rescue on December 13, 2021.
Skinny thin lactating recently had puppies female red brindle and white American Pit Bull Terrier mix dog with collar outside. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
Skinny momma lactating recently had puppies female red brindle and white American Pit Bull Terrier mix dog with collar outside. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
Large male black and tan German Shepherd K9 canine dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
"Rocky" was a handsome German Shepherd dog picked up stray by an animal control officer on December 1, 2021. He was a popular boy while in the shelter and got 20 adoption applications. His owner showed up and claimed him on December 10, one day before his hold expiration.
Large male black and tan German Shepherd K9 canine dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
Large male black and tan German Shepherd K9 canine dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photography for humane society animal shelter.
 A long haired tabby and white male cat hissing and showing teeth with ears pinned back in a cage in the animal shelter When I arrive at the animal shelter for a day’s worth of adoption photography, not every pet is excited to see me. Many of the dogs and cats in the pound have suddenly found themselves away from the comforts of their home and in a totally new and alien environment. They aren’t feeling too welcoming, and often let me know! Instead of moving to the next and dooming that pet to no adoption photos, I usually try to have patience to see if we can make something good of a bad situation. Some of the cats will initially lay back their ears and hiss. I can’t blame them; I’d do the same to someone invading my space! But a few soft words and a couple of minutes can really change their demeanor.  Aggressive angry tan hound dog with collar barking, growling and showing teeth in the animal shelter dog pound. Many of the dogs can be frightened to find themselves in the loud kennel around strange people. I’ve found that simply sitting on the ground outside a dog’s kennel and giving it a few minutes to approach me will work wonders. I let them come to me, instead of forcing them into a photography session. But occasionally, there are some “bad dogs” that just won’t have any of a photo session. In the end, if I can make it work out, a good adoption photo always produces results and ends up as new homes for many of these homeless pets.
Animal Shelter Furtography is my collection of pet photography from the humane society animal shelter to find new homes dogs and cats needing rescue or adoption. The photographs are posted on several national pet adoption websites.
Young male tan Retriever mixed breed puppy dog outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption pet rescue photography.
Coming into the animal shelter on a Wednesday morning, I saw this cute little Labrador mixed pup. He had been picked up running around by an animal control officer and was brought to the pound. Up to that point, no owner had come to claim him. So it was my job to get some great photos and get him adopted into a new home!
Donny enjoyed it outside in the warm, fall sunrise. I sat with him a bit, petting him and reassuring him so he'd be comfortable for our photoshoot. It didn't take long and Donny was striking some handsome poses. His adoption photos went up on several adoption websites and he left the animal shelter for a new home on November 16, 2021! 
Young male tan Retriever mixed breed puppy dog outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption pet rescue photography.
Young male tan Retriever mixed breed puppy dog outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption pet rescue photography.
 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 American Alligator laying alongside the Chesser Island Boardwalk allowed ample opportunity for some close-up study. Alligator's have upward facing nostrils at the end of the snout that allow it to breath while the body is underwater. The nostrils have flaps which close when the alligator is submerged. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. The American Alligator is perfectly designed for the swamp habitats that they frequent. The eyes and nostrils protrude above the plane of the snout so that the body and head can be totally submerged yet they still can see and breath. The nostrils are positioned on a fleshy mound at the tip of the alligator’s snout. The nostrils can close like a valve when submerging to prevent breathing in water. Sensitive nerve endings around the nostrils signal the alligator to close its nostrils as they touch the water’s surface. In the colder winter months, a gator may submerged for days with just its nostrils poking above the surface. Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. 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  Turkey Vulture buzzard, Cathartes aura, soaring in a blue sky. Birding photography at the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area Dam in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. One bird always guaranteed to be seen in the Okefenokee Swamp is the Turkey Vulture. In the hot summer months when most birds are hiding in the shade, or in the late fall and winter when other birds have migrated on, the Turkey Vulture is often the only bird seen circling overhead. The eBird frequency chart shows a thick blue line every month through the year, graphically representing its continuous presence, and showing it be more frequently observed than its cousin the Black Vulture. Even in the days of naturalists Albert Wright and Francis Harper (1913), the Turkey Vulture was a common sight. They write in The Auk, “TURKEY VIULTURE; 'Buz- zard.'- Common throughout the swamp. The natives have never found its nest. They told us, however, of several roosts, including one at Mud Valley (south of Billy's Lake) and another in the dead tops of some cy- presses in a small 'head' on Floyd's Island Prairie. It is astonishing how soon the Buzzards appear over a spot where an alligator has been shot, and how quickly they transform its carcass into a bare skeleton.” Suwannee River Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Wright, Albert and Francis Harper. A Biological Reconnaissance of the Okefinokee Swamp: The Birds. The Auk, Vol. 30, No. 4 (Oct., 1913), pp. 477-505 Published by: Oxford University Press.
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  Double-crested Cormorant water bird, Nannopterum auritum, standing on driftwood in the Okefenokee Swamp. Birding photography at the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area Dam in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. The Double-crested Cormorant is a strange looking bird. Cornell’s website www.allaboutbirds.org states, “They look like a combination of a goose and a loon.” They are quite common throughout the Okefenokee Swamp and I’ve seen them on every visit, and within every type of habitat within the swamp. Like the Anhinga, the Double-Crested Cormorant does not have oil glands like the ducks. Instead of floating on the surface, it is able to dive and swim underwater for long periods of time and, as I have seen myself, for some good distances. I have sat and waited for a Cormorant to resurface for a photograph, only to have it pop up many yards away. Nannopterum auritum’s main staple is fish. Since it lacks the buoyancy made possible by the oil glands, it often swims the surface with just its head out of the water. Once it is done fishing, it perches nearby, often with its wings spread in order to dry out. Suwannee River Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Double-crested Cormorant water bird, Nannopterum auritum, swimming in the Okefenokee Swamp. Birding photography at the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area Dam in the Okefenokee 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  Slash Pine tree trunk bark, understory of brier and Saw Palmetto in the pine uplands of the Okefenokee Swamp. Swamp Island Drive in Suwannee River Canal Recreation Area in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Not all of the Okefenokee is swamped with water. There are some sandy islands within the refuge and plenty of pine uplands that surround the swamp. Large puddles readily form after rainfall, but do drain, especially in a drought. Slash Pine, Saw Palmetto and grasses are the dominant growth in these upland areas. The once over-logged Longleaf Pine is making a coming in these upland areas due to managed plantations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The drier upland areas provide habitat for wildlife not as regularly found in the wetter habitats like Glass Lizards and Gopher Tortoises. One may also be more likely to find one of the three rattlesnake species – Eastern Diamondback, Pygmy and Timber – found within the Refuge in the drier upland areas. Swamp Island Drive; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. 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  Tree Swallows looping over The Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The first day of a fall Okefenokee Swamp paddle, I came across a couple groups of 50 to 100 tree swallows over the prairies near Kingfisher Landing. By my fourth day, on The Sill, there were hundreds and hundreds - probably thousands - looping and diving overhead. It was quite a trick to get a decent photograph of just one fast-moving little bird.  Tree Swallows looping over The Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. |
 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.
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In December 1993 I came to know the Designer and Creator of this wonderful planet and its creatures: Jesus Christ.
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Donations help support the animal shelter adoption photography equipment and adoption website hosting and domain fees. Thanks for your support!
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