 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. -- "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  American Alligator in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia; north of Minnie’s Lake between canoe mile markers 24 and 26; N30.88366° W82.29548°. April 16, 2023 ©williamwisephoto.com "Alligators generally prey upon animals they can swallow whole, using gravity to help him go down. Fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, raccoons, or possums, and large birds are among the wide selection of this opportunistic feeder. Occasionally, alligators may take a deer, hog or large dog which they will first drown, and, with vigorous lateral movements of their heads or by the spinning of their bodies, remove body parts to swallow the prey piecemeal. Few animals escape the jaws of an alligator. The large jowls at the angle of the jaws attest to the alligators huge masseter muscles." -- Excerpt from A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp by Taylor Schoettle Schoettle, T., & van Couvering, L. . A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp. H. E. Taylor Schoettle, 2002. Page 53.
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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. -- "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 laying basking on a log in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Scales, epidermal scutes, teeth, claws. Lily pads and moss on cypress log. Minnie’s Lake is always a great destination for a day-paddle in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Launching from Stephen C Foster State Park, Minnie’s Lake is a decent paddle across Billy’s Lake and then about five miles up the Suwannee Middle Fork. Along the way, you pass through the prettiest views in the Swamp (in my opinion) as tall Cypress and Spanish Moss shade the bright sky and cypress knees border the channel, and bright Golden Club and Yellow Bonnet Lilies grace the blackwater river. Upon approaching Minnie’s Lake, the run widens and the skies open up. Minnie’s Lake is filled with verdant Spatterdock that could hide many of the alligators if they weren’t all lounging about on every fallen Cypress tree and stump. We always manage to find a healthy gathering of gators on Minnie’s Lake! Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Sunday, April 16, 2023. 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. -- "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 Watersnake; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 16, 2023 ©williamwisephoto.com While the prairies of the eastern side of the Okefenokee Swamp are wide open and sunlit, much of the western side – especially the portions along the Suwannee River East Fort – is shaded by the tall cypress and tangle of vegetation. Only the small lakes and the canoe trails maintained by the Fish and Wildlife Service are open to the sun. In the shady areas, many of the snakes stretch themselves out along the branches that overhang the canoe trails in order to get some sun. My daughter has a knack for picking out the snakes hidden in the dense vegetation. This particularly well-hidden Brown Watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota) was barely visible along the thick branches. She spotted it while we were enjoying a slow paddle just north of Minnie’s Lake. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Sunday, April 16, 2023.  Brown Watersnake; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 16, 2023 ©williamwisephoto.com 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. -- "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  White Ibis; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Location: north of Minnie’s Lake between canoe mile markers 24 and 26; N30.88478° W82.29494°. Sunday, April 16, 2023 ©williamwisephoto.com The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) if often found in smaller groups throughout the Okefenokee. They are typically foraging with their heads down and long, curved bills sifting through the blackwater. A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee writes, “Although White Ibis do not migrate in the true sense of the word, they often move about covering long-distances during their non-breeding seasons. Large groups of commuting Ibis are often seen flying over the Okefenokee.” Schoettle, T., & van Couvering, L. . A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp. H. E. Taylor Schoettle, 2002. Page 81 Paddling from Billy's Lake to Minnie's Lake 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. -- "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  Blue 208, a ten-foot male American Alligator tagged in a research program at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023. "Alligator Blue 208"... No, that isn't a play called out by a college football quarter back. It is the new identification of an American Alligator in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. On April 14, 2023, my daughter and I were excited to tag along with the UGA Coastal Ecology Lab to tag some alligators. After getting the gators to the bank, they are measured, have blood drawn and gender identified, and are tagged before a safe release. "Blue 208" was a large, 10-foot male... one of the biggest ones tagged that weekend.  American Alligator tail showing the cut caudal scutes and an identification tag; capture-tag-release research program in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 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. -- "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  Close up of a person holding an American Alligator's front foot showing the scales and claws; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 Have you ever held hands with an alligator? If you have, you'd know that the American Alligator has five toes on each of its front feet and four toes on each of its rear feet. The four toes on the hind feet are webbed to help them swim effectively. Alligators also have long, strong claws on their feet to help them dig "gator holes" and to rip underwater trails through submerged vegetation. Female alligators also dig nests and build large mounds over them to protect and incubate the eggs.
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. -- "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 Some of the critters found in and around the Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.  Corn Snake found on the Sill; Stephen C Foster State Park in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. 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. -- "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  American Alligator; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 along the Suwannee River (brown canoe trail). ©www.williamwisephoto.com It never fails: whenever I show someone a close-up photo of an alligator that I shot while paddling the Okefenokee Swamp, they say, “Isn’t that dangerous to be so close?” But I’ve paddled the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge many times and haven’t come close to any type of incident. Most of the wildlife in the refuge want nothing to do with people and keep their distance. However, I do have to say that it may appear a bit disconcerting as you paddle for the first time and have alligators “charge” your kayak. The gators typically spend their day on the banks or on top of logs sunning themselves. As they see a canoe approaching they often enter the water and swim towards you. But they are not “charging” the boat! They feel vulnerable when exposed on the high ground, and are simply taking to the cover and safety of deeper water. So it may look like they are "charging" at your boat. But relax, they are just as reluctant to get into a tangle with you as you are with them! 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. -- "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  Capturing a large American Alligator with a snare for university ecology capture, tag and release research program in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA "Blue 98" was a re-capture of a previously tagged American Alligator in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. I'm not sure if an alligator's brain is large enough to remember the previous experience, but he didn't look too pleased to be hauled to shore a second time for measuring. The study is being done by the University of Georgia Coastal Ecology Lab.  Measuring the length of a tagged large American Alligator for university ecology capture, tag and release research program in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  Large American Alligator with open mouth and tag in Okefenokee Swamp 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. -- "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  American Alligator with GPS tracker; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 One of the American Alligators with a GPS tracker from the University of Georgia’s Coastal Ecology Lab research project in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. This individual is a female that has been a long-time resident of the boat bay in the Stephen C Foster State Park on the western side of the Swamp. Her left eye was damaged by a fishhook. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023.  American Alligator with GPS tracker; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 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. -- "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  Old logging railroad pylons in Mixon`s Hammock; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 Paddling the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a genuine wilderness experience. Nature has inherited a designated Refuge that is relatively unmolested by mankind. But upon closer look, everywhere the Okefenokee bears signs of human presence. The current generation’s incursions into the Swamp are largely responsible, planned efforts focused on conservation and ecotourism. Miles of manicured canoe trails cross from east to west and prescribed burns in the upland areas help reduce the threat of wildfire. But the Okefenokee also has a long history of human interference and exploitation. In the early 1900’s, logging small logging towns popped up around and even within the Swamp. Nearly all of the giant cypresses were hewn down and removed. Saw mills and railroad engines once puffed and whined in the center of the swap. But now those environmental abuses of previous generations are largely healed over and are but mere, minor scars on the once-again pristine Okefenokee Swamp.  Old logging railroad pylons in Mixon`s Hammock; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023 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. -- "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 with open mouth. Capture release tag on tail from ecology research group. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is an accessible and convenient place to see some large alligators. The long drive to dam runs parallel to the canal. Even if you have mobility issues and can't walk, on sunny days you'll see large gators and softshell turtles basking on the banks, just 30 yards from your car! And because the UGA Coastal Ecology Lab has done a lot of research along the Sill, you may even spot an alligator with a colorful tail tag.  Large American Alligator with open mouth. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in 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. -- "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 On Saturday, April 15, 2023, after helping the UGA Coastal Ecology Lab with some alligator capture-tag-and release, my daughter and I paddled from the Sill Recreation Area westward against the current, up the Suwannee River.  Young American Alligator munching on a swampsnake; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. April 15, 2023. 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. -- "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 Bonnet Lily Spatterdock lily pads and flower floating on blackwater swamp at sunrise Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. April 15, 2023. Have you ever read a swamp? Urbanites like me may have read much about the swamp, but don't have the gift that the Swampers have in reading the details of the Okefenokee. According to the great naturalist Francis Harper - no doubt wisdom he gained from the Okefenokee Swampers - when "a boat or a bear passes over a watery Prairie, the bonnet leaves in the trail remain upturned on one side for several hours afterward. The upturned side of the leaf indicates the direction from which the boat or animal has come." Excerpt from Francis Harper's Mammals of the Okefinokee Swamp, published March 1927 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. -- "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  Thankfully, a rescheduled spring trip to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge! My daughter wasn't able to go for our usual March paddle this year during her spring break. But her class schedule allowed us to sneak in a long weekend in April instead. We arrived at the Stephen C Foster State Park campground late in the evening on April 14 and did a little bit of cruising. I found my second Timber Rattlesnake within the refuge boundaries, but unfortunately it had recently been hit by a car (and was still barely writhing). After sunset, I was able to photograph my first Chuck-wills-widow as several kept landing in the roadway while we were cruising for herps.  |
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