A day hike to one of our nearby Georgia State Parks - Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Georgia. 

​My young daughter and I were exploring the green space in our neighborhood and came across this Eastern Rat Snake coiled in the leaves. I wanted her to see their great climbing ability so I placed it on the side of a Sweetgum. Up, up, up it went!  I don't think the squirrel nearby was too happy with its presence. 

​Saturday, 9:02 to 10:02 AM - With the first signs of spring finally arriving, the morning temperature was a nice 51 degrees. There was a cool breeze, but the rays of sun were nice. Hearing a good bit of chirping and singing, and seeing little creatures flitting about the wood line, I decided to camp out at the feeders to see what I could see. It was obvious the birds were back as I spotted 15 different species in my backyard in just an hour.

On Sunday, I sat out for about another hour-and-a-half and, in addition to many of the species seen the day before, spotted 5 more different species. 

• 3:14 PM - (16) a Red-bellied Woodpecker came to bang on the big Loblolly for a bit.
• 3:43 PM - (17) Two Cedar Waxwings briefly perched in the Sweetgum tree before flying off. 
• 3:47 PM -(18) another little bird with yellow on it (remember, I’m not too good with sparrows and warblers) later identified as Golden Crowned Kinglet (another for the life-list). 
•  4:16 PM - (19) a Downy Woodpecker visited the hanging spherical feeder to grab some nuts then fly to a nearby pine for a photo or two.
• 4:21 PM - a female Eastern Towhee showed up and briefly confused me with her more chocolaty color than the male. 
• 4:28 PM - (20) an Eastern Bluebird perched in the Black Cherry Tree. They were much more frequently spotted throughout the winter and have perhaps moved on looking for nesting boxes.  
• 4:38 PM – (21) Turkey Vulture soaring overhead.

​Twenty-one species in just a few hours! That may pale in comparison to the 264 bird species spotted in one day by Team Sapsucker in April 2012, but still a thrilling couple of hours for an amateur birder and his daughter! (Okay, maybe she wasn’t as thrilled as I.) 

There are creatures that lurk in the dark waters… creatures that make our skin crawl… creatures that evoke fear. But what is the source of that fear? Is it truly the long, slithering serpent itself that brings these untamed emotions to the surface? I’d dare say “no”. It is actually fear of the unknown that makes us fear. It is our ignorance of the creatures around us that drives our irrational thoughts.

The majority of the snake calls I receive through my animal control job are, in fact, harmless. Although every caller thinks they have a copperhead or “water moccasin” in their living room, ninety-nine percent of the time it turns out to be some species of rat snake or water snake.

Yes, the water snake genera (Nerodia) are thick, heavy keeled snakes just like the Cottonmouth or Copperhead. And they too prefer and overlap in wet habitats.  But a little bit of study of a few key features can turn someone’s uncontrolled hysteria into a mild caution. Both the Cottonmouth and Copperhead have vertically elliptical pupils; the water snakes have round pupils. “But I’m not going to get that close to look at its eyes!”, most people say. So studying the range of each snake and pattern is also a key to identifying.
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But either way, stay calm, back off, and let it be. There is no need to go chopping off the head of a harmless creature because of an irrational emotion borne of ignorance. 

As I step outside this morning the realization surrounds me: now it feels like spring. Feel the warmth of the golden sunrise beams falling upon the face. Hear the previous months’ silence broken by the songbirds. A mockingbird is scolding and chasing off another mocker. They are back! Singing wildly, chasing, scolding, establishing territories.

I feel refreshed this morning. Two days of camping followed by a good, comfortable sleep in my bed… I am revived. I am looking forward to worshiping my Creator in church in a few hours. I am grateful for the opportunity to be leaving my home earlier than the rest of the congregation to serve by getting the building ready for service.
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Though not as enjoyable as hiking the Gahuti Trail, I am enjoying my drive to church. A bright red cardinal darts by; a squirrel contemplating a dart across traffic; a beaver that contemplated and decided poorly (of all places, a roadkill beaver on Beaverdam Road); another red flash; four black vultures on the power line, three on the tower and one quite ungracefully trying to balance on the wire; another two red flashes… six Cardinals in all on my short drive. Feel the warm spring sunrise. I am arriving at church; closing the notebook and preparing for a Sabbath’s day of worship and service. 

More and more Readhead Ducks (Aythya americana) have begun to settle on the pond over the last few weeks affording some better photography. 

Walton County, Georgia

A crisp breeze moves through the pines. The continuous climb of the stream-side trail elicits some heavy breathing which can be seen in the chilled air, cleansing the lungs. An array of crystal spikes hang inverted from the fallen trees that straddle the waterfall and drip shimmering, crystal drops. What a beautiful day for a hike! What a beautiful place to do it!

Vogel State Park is located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest in North Georgia. It is one of my favorites as it embodies that Appalachian Mountain beauty. The well-laid trails are perfect for even young hikers like my daughters. As we learned at an interpretive lesson that evening at the park headquarters, much of the park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Those were tough depression days, but they spared no gift in laying out this park. 
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After several hours, we make it to the peak of Bear Hair Gap Trail. An overlook through the trees reveals Lake Trahlyta far below. At 2,500 feet elevation it is one of Georgia's highest altitude state parks. My desire was to backpack the Coosa Backcountry Trail, which leads to the Appalachian Trail near Neel Gap, but my girls are still far too young. But still, this day hike is quite fulfilling, soaking in the mountain landscapes. 

​Friday, 12:25 PM – Monroe, Georgia. ​Although it was a chilly 43 degrees with biting winds, I couldn’t sit stir-crazy in my office chair any longer, especially seeing a beautiful blue sky shimmering off the small wind-driven waves on the pond.  The Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) were finally there on a sunny day. It seems that every time I’ve tried to photograph them, they are sitting on the pond on overcast days. 

I went out to stealthily sneak up on the Mergansers. Unlike city park Mallards, these little ducks are so skittish and quickly paddle or fly to the opposite side of the pond whenever any person, car or truck passes by. I decided to sit and hope a passing public works vehicle on the opposite side would push them my way.
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While crouched in a shady spot and waiting for the keen-eyed guys to forget about me, I saw a hawk fly into a snag on the far end of the pond. A moment later, I saw a second hawk catching a draft on the 20 mile-per-hour winds.  I focused my 300mm lens on the hawk in the air. The short tail and streaked belly- band let me know I was watching a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). It was awe inspiring how this bird drove face first into the cold wind.  He was soaring and occasionally flapping his wings, but stayed perfectly in one spot in the sky. For 48 seconds I kept my camera still and without panning or moving, the hawk stayed within the focus grid of my camera. 

After the brief ride on the wind, he dove and then cut a sharp curve toward the snag at the opposite end of the pond where the other hawk was perched. I watched in amazement. Instead of perching on a limb next to the other hawk, he perched on the other hawk and stayed for about 8 to 12 seconds. 

​Though most sources state breeding doesn't begin until March, and mating usually follows aerial courtship displays, I’m pretty sure about what I witnessed. It certainly wasn’t a violent attack meant to drive an adversary away, as both proceeded to sit perched near each other for another five minutes or so. Both flew off as I invaded their privacy and neared the base of the tree for a better photo.  
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Satisfied I had cured my cabin fever for the moment, the biting wind drove me back into my office. Once again, the crafty little Mergansers managed to avoid a sunny day close-up photo! But at least they drew me out of my office to witness this Red-tailed pair obeying the command of their Creator! 

Brasstown Bald two Mondays ago; Hard Labor Creek this past Saturday; Sandy Creek hike Sunday. I am so desiring for an extended hiking and camping trip. What I love is getting out in God’s world: no TV’s, no Nintendo DS, no radio commercials, NO SCREENS! I could have cared less about the Super Bowl as we hiked.

Small ideas of outdoor devotionals and children’s church lessons come into mind as we are hiking. Yes, this world is not our home, but while we are here is it not better to enjoy God’s creation more than man’s inventions?
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Even getting outdoors door-to-door for outreach is so enjoyable. Amanda and I lead a small group in an older neighborhood of mature trees sporting hosts of woodpeckers and other birds. Amanda’s friend Gabrielle was first to excitedly point out a Red-tailed Hawk. 

​January 31, 2013. Thursday, 5:27 PM – Watkinsville, Georgia.  Winter is a great time to spot hawks. There are far fewer leaves on the trees and fewer other birds around, making the larger perched beauties easier to see. Now that the daylight hours are lengthening, my monotonous drive home is getting a bit more entertaining by watching for wildlife. While passing the Athens Seed Co. in Watkinsville, as I do each day, I was searching the tree line. 

Being a birdseed company, there are always plenty of doves and pigeons waiting in the surrounding trees anticipating quitting time and the exodus of the employees in order to alight upon and eat up whatever was spilled throughout the day.  And on occasion, I’ve spotted a hawk nearby, perhaps waiting to alight upon and eat up the seed-seeking doves. But I never was able to get in a good Athens Seed Co. hawk photo. 

As I rounded the curve of Depot Street, I saw the larger, erect bird in the tree and slowed to a halt.  A hawk! And perfectly poised for a photo. Judging by the long, banded tail, I initially thought I was shooting a Red-shouldered Hawk. But as I positioned the car under the gorgeous bird, the belly streaking was odd. Was it a juvenile Red-shouldered? Or something else?  I got in a few good photos before it flew off. ​

​The next morning, hoping for a new Life List photo, I examined my shots. Long tail… bands on the tail… but wait, it is a really long tail, and rounded on the edges. Hmmm, a clue.  And the belly pattern… it wasn’t rusty bands like the Red-shouldered’s markings. It was more streaked, like a Red-tailed Hawk’s… though more up on the chest and not across the belly. And the long, banded tail couldn’t possibly be that of the stubby Red-tail. 

​I grabbed Wheeler’s Photographic Guide to North American Raptors.  “Best field marks are large square head when hackles are raised, then showing eye closer to beak than nape, stout legs, rounded tail (outer tail feathers are noticeably shorter than central ones) with a wide white band on the tip.” That’s it! But just to be sure, I emailed the photos to the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society president, and this was my reply: “You're absolutely right, it's a Cooper's! The long tail is an excellent clue for separating the accipter hawks (Cooper's and Sharp-shinned) from the buteos (Red-tailed, Red-shouldered). The brown upperparts and vertical breast streaking make this a young bird. Great photos!” A new one on the Life List!  

​Monday, 9:54 AM - Latitude: N 34.870200, Longitude: W 83.810200. 

​There’s something about standing upon a mountain. For some it may be a sense of conquering the world; for others, a way to meet with God. But there is something special about a mountain. It was on a mountain that God met with Moses in the burning bush; it was on a mountain that Jehovah spoke to the children of Israel; it was on a mountain that David desired to build the Temple of God; it was on a mountain that God spoke with Elijah in the still small voice; it was on a mountain that Christ was transfigured before the disciples. 

My choice to head to Brasstown Bald wasn’t spiritual, but just a matter of looking for a fun day-trip to get out in God’s creation. And why not a mountain? Brasstown Bald is the highest peak in Georgia at 4,784 feet. A parking lot near the top and paved path to the summit make it an easy family hike rather than a daunting explorer’s climb. Being off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we decided to make the trip. Reading one website that suggested bringing a jacket to the breezy summit even in summer should have tipped us off for what was in store.

Being January, it was cold.  Not as cold as it could be, but it was 41 degrees when leaving the house. We made the near two-hour drive, at one point passing a group of dark-brown, winter-coated does and fawns. As we passed through Helen, the temperature was near 45 degrees. The last few miles were somewhat nauseating switchbacks up into the North Georgia Mountains. And as we climbed the road up the Bald, the dashboard thermometer continued to drop until it steadied in the parking lot at 37 degrees.

​As soon as we opened the doors, a great and strong wind blew through the car. And perhaps the thought “why are we here?” blew into our minds. Although the Lord might not be in the wind, the roar was just as impressive. Being on a high peak looking out over miles and miles, you could hear waves of wind bursts roaring like invisible clouds over the peaks and valleys. And it was cold; windy cold; clothing-piercing cold. In fact, “due to subzero temperatures” (from a sign posted on the locked lavatory doors) the mountaintop facilities were closed. But we climbed nonetheless.  

As we left the exposed parking lot with the wind ripping across it and entered the tree-lined path to the summit, the cutting edge of the wind was dulled. The girls had fun finding icicles hanging off the small rock outcrop ledges near the path’s edge. The paved trail was a mere sixth-tenths of a mile, but with the 18 pound pack on my back, I admit I was left a bit breathless (but blamed it on the altitude). Upon reaching the top, we climbed the partially ice covered steps to the top of the lookout platform for the view. 
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What a gorgeous sight, looking far into the distance. Perhaps it  is the view that draws man to the mountain? From the summit, we can see further than our normal sea-level view allows. And perhaps we can better appreciate our God’s ability to look far into the future, and even the past, from His vantage point seated in the heavens. For Him, no future is too distant to see; nothing is out of His sight. 

​January 19, 2013 – mostly sunny after several days of rain. Low 30 degrees warmed into the mid50’s by the afternoon. Amanda and I returned to the quiet little waterfowl refuge I had found in a Georgia Wildlife Viewing Guide. Its name, Dyar Pasture, is quite fitting. Riding down country roads past cow field after cow field, there pops up an easily missed M.A.R.S.H. Project sign at the entrance of yet another pasture. Turning in, tires rumbling over a cattle guard, two gravel ruts pass directly through an active pasture complete with cow patties to steer around and the occasional inquisitive cow staring in your car windows. Passing through the pasture and over the cattle guards is a small parking area.
 
Walking down to the floating dock at the boat ramp, other than one basking turtle, the impound and the river were rather deserted. Leaving the observation platform on the east side of the impound, we walked North West beyond the trail end out onto the soggy ground of the impound.
 
A few startled ducks startled us as they whistled swiftly from hiding places in nearby scrub. Despite the relative inactivity, several creatures were quite busy all the preceding evening coating all the vegetation in cotton candy webs without any specific form or structure. It was as if someone was a little late in taking down those phony patches of Halloween cobwebs. As we looped around to head back to the car, our attention was grabbed by flitting birds clinging to the sides of tree after tree. A Downy Woodpecker and a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker were quite busy knocking out their niche in the refuge. 

​1/4/13 – a Red-shouldered Hawk flew down right in front of my vehicle on S. Madison Avenue. It swooped down and grabbed a road kill squirrel from off the yellow line. His flight was much more laborious after picking up the squirrel as he was pursued by two cackling crows.

1/12/13 – Saturday, 10:45 AM; a feasting crew of about 15 Black Vultures huddled over a deer carcass along the road side in front of Whit Davis Elementary.
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1/13/13 – 8:45 AM; a quick, small Red Fox darted in front of our car on Indian Hills Road on the way to open the church for Sunday morning service. I am so itching to go on an extended hiking trip. Backpack, bags, mats, gear all slowly purchased. But when? I have been a tad depressed because my plans to get away seem to be turning to dreams that will never be achieved. With all the duties and responsibilities of life, how can I really check out and go? Before I know it, Amanda will be grown, her interests will change, and I’ll lose my outdoor partner. So, my opinion as I write: all else aside, I don’t care, I’m going on an AT hike in May for my 40th birthday. I’m going! This desire to hike is fueling my diet and exercise. If I cast off my hiking dream, then I’ll probably go back to sedentary unhealthiness. 

“THIS WORLD – including its natural wonders – gives us foretastes and glimpses of the next world. Every joy on earth is an inkling, a whisper of greater joy. The Grand Canyon, the Alps, the Amazon rain forests, the Serengeti Plain – these are rough sketches of the New Earth. One day we may say, ‘The best parts of the old world were sneak previews of this one.’ All our lives we’ve been dreaming of the New Earth. Whenever we see beauty in water, wind, flower, deer, man, woman, or child, we catch a glimpse of heaven. Just like the Garden of Eden, the New Earth will be a place of sensory delight; breathtaking beauty, satisfying relationships, and personal joy. God poured Himself, His creativity, and His love into making Eden for His creatures. But at that time, that’s all we were: His creatures, His image-bearers. Now that we are both His children and His bride, chosen out of the human race to live with Him forever, would we expect more or less than Eden?”  - Randy Alcorn, Heaven
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On the way home I saw 3 crows hopping around focused on one spot on the ground. One jumped in, picked up and immediately dropped a long black ribbon. A Mockingbird threw in a dive and I immediately recognized the way of birds and snakes.
 
Throwing the car into reverse, the crows backed off and I could see a long, slender, 2 foot black snake with a solid white belly.  A Black Racer. Since I saw him move, knowing he wasn’t dead, we jumped out of the car. Yes, it’s the way of nature, but my bias falls on the side of the reptile. Poor guy comes out on a December day, probably not to eat a bird or egg, but just to gather a little warmth. I wanted to free him from his cackling bullies. On closer look, blood was coming from his mouth and several spots along the body were torn open. Since I saw he could not be saved and was near lifeless, I decided to let nature have its course and leave him to their meal. They cannot be blamed either, for they knew he was the foe of their innocent babies in the nest, even in the eggs.