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 William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:14-15  Giant Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina in Walton County Georgia Still attempting to get a photograph of the Beaver that is felling all the trees around the ponds at work, I took my daily get-away-from-the-stress walk on lunch break. Down near the firing range, on the narrow strip that separates a small marsh from the larger wetland area, a gargantuan snapper was crossing from one pond to the other. His head was near the size of a tennis ball; his back feet were huge paddles as wide as three or four of my fingers and tipped in heavy claws. And, oh that mouth! I truly feared a snap from his jaws!  Giant Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina in Walton County Georgia Of course, like a child, I poked and prodded with a stick to watch him snap… one bite breaking my twig! I used a branch to note the length of his shell, which later measured out a huge 15.5 inch carapace! I contemplated bringing him back to my office and later use him in a Creation Speaks lesson, but changed my mind when I knew I wouldn’t be able to carry him very far. I also couldn’t think of a lesson he could teach us. Just a few hundred yards away a previously memorized scripture popped in my head “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:14-15). I raced back to my office, but unfortunately the monster was gone when I pulled around with the pickup truck. Walton County, Georgia  Giant Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina in Walton County Georgia  Giant Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina in Walton County Georgia  Heading out at dusk for a walk around the block, a group of about 6 Common Nighthawks were looping and diving above our house while making a general westerly course into the setting sun. The bold white stripes on their v-shaped wings shown a brilliant eye-catching orange in the lowering rays of sunlight. An attempt for my camera was too late as they circled out of sight before I could fetch it from inside.
 Williamwisephoto Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, 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  Coiled Black Ratsnake ready to strike; Walton County, Georgia. Yet another ratsnake we are called at animal control to remove from houses all summer long!
 Williamwisephoto Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, 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  Baby Ratsnake coiled in barn in Walton County, Georgia Earlier this summer, Kristy the shelter attendant found a baby Black Rat Snake crawling in the garage of the animal shelter. Since it was close to my birthday, she scooped him up in a bucket and brought him to my office. I held on to him three months and thought about using him in an upcoming classroom presentation. Once I caught a larger Black Ratsnake and got him eating, I let my birthday present go behind the shelter. We had a photo session in the straw barn before his release. He is probably an offspring of one of the many Black Rat Snakes we catch in homes around Walton County and release around the shelter. The majority of calls we receive for snakes inside of homes are Black Rat Snakes. Walton County, Georgia  Baby Ratsnake on Limb  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. "Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is His work." Psalms 111:2  I’ve driven the same route home for six years now and had never seen this before. A large raptor with an unmistakable tail caused me to slam on my brakes and pull over. Just one mile before Good Hope on my drive east towards High Shoals, I spotted this beauty circling the skies. I have seen only one other Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) during our trip to the Okefenokee Swamp but was not able to get a photograph. Though not the best shot, I’m glad I was able to get a photo of this one to add to my Life List page. I often consider how many wonders of God people pass by in ignorance each day? Too busy texting while driving to lift their eyes to the heavens and the wonderful world around them. Good Hope, Georgia  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" Job 12:7-9  Black Vulture at Dawn in Walton County Georgia 8/13/2015. Photo #201508054 Knowing I’m about to teach a Creation Speaks class using the vulture, I rolled down my truck window to get a quick photo of this girl standing in rising sun just off Gene Bell Road in Walton County. She was waiting for me to move along so she could come back into the roadway and finish her breakfast of squished squirrel. Hey, don’t knock it; she’s simply doing what God created her to do. Would that we would do the same! (not "do the same" and eat roadkill, but "do the same" and do God's will for our lives!)
 William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11  Camouflage trail camera set on a tripod in the woods by a hunter. Remote game trail camera is a motion sensor triggered camera trap for scouting wildlife, deer for hunting or study.  I pulled the images off the Trail Camera that has been set behind the animal shelter for the last several weeks. Not too bad! Walton County, Georgia.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11  Red-shouldered Hawk. Photo 201508053. 8/7/2015 A refreshingly cool morning; 68°. It hasn’t been this cool in quite some time. Sitting on my oasis patio, the sun is rising an orange radiance in the east to my left. A nearly full, silver moon still hangs in the blue sky in the west to my right. Our male Hummingbird takes repeated draughts at the nectar. A dog howls off in the distance; a mysterious call of the wild (with a bit of imagination). A bright red Cardinal and a rich blue Jay highlight the feeders in back. Goldfish swim under the drabbling pond fountain. Day Lilies and Knockout Roses colorfully border the oasis patio. Canada Geese briefly sound a fly-by in the distance. A Red-tailed Hawk decides to come in for a closer look; perhaps to see if there was an easy meal of House Finch or Mourning Dove at the bird feeders. Athens-Clarke County, Georgia  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. "Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is His work." Psalms 111:2  Great Blue Heron wading in Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park Athens Georgia My daughter's best friend came over our house so we took her on a short canoe paddle at Sandy Creek Park here in Athens, Georgia. We spotted two Great Blue Herons. Blues are so typical here on Lake Chapman that the park has incorporated them into their logo. As we approached one Great Blue rather closely, he took to the air and flew off appearing to hover just above the water; his wing tips creating expanding circles atop the calm lake. We also encountered a juvenile Little Blue Heron, which I had not previously seen here.  Great Blue Heron in Tree on Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park Athens Georgia  Great Blue Heron wading in Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park Athens Georgia  Little Blue Heron; Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park Athens Georgia  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, 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
 William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, 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  Mother Black Bear defending two cubs staring at photographer in Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
 William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11  Neighborhood White-tailed Deer eating landscaped vegetation. I love to see the neighborhood deer. It is good to know that we humans haven't been able to eradicate every habitat and animal on the planet yet. However, the deer love our Day Lilies. I wouldn't mind, except I paid money for them! And now I'm forced to spend more money on deer repellent to spray on the desired vegetation. I wish the deer would just be satisfied with the persimmon tree planted in our backyard. I mostly see does and fawns, but this morning at 6:30 AM on my way to morning prayer, I managed to spot a young buck still in velvet chowing down at the better landscaped yard up the street. I'm sure when my neighbor awakes they too will make trip to Lowes in frustration to purchase some repellent. Athens, Georgia  Neighborhood White-tailed Deer eating landscaped vegetation.  Creation Speaks is a Biblical teaching ministry that uses nature writing and photography to glorify our Creator and teach the truth of creation. “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" Job 12:7-9
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 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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