 Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Tuesday, 9:48 AM - Will Neeko make it out of the shelter? Because he had never really been away from his owner’s house much before, “Neeko” wasn’t well socialized and was quite jumpy and skittish when he was surrendered to the shelter on April 20, 2018. Unfortunately, with intake on the upswing and the kennel filling with loud dogs, it wasn’t exactly a quiet environment for him to settle down. Neeko’s initial indoor kennel shots showed a wide-eyed, nervous dog. I knew it would take some work to get this beautiful boy out alive. All of his vaccines had expired, but thankfully he tested heartworm negative and was vaccinated in the shelter. But even outside of the kennel, Neeko was still a bit freaked out. And it really did not help that during his photo session the Walton County Sheriff deputies were qualifying on the range behind the shelter. I had to give him time to settle a bit, and had to shoot a lot of photos. Most of the photos still showed that wide-eyed, scared boy. Only two of the entire series of shots revealed what a calm boy he could be if someone gave him a chance, some TLC, and a secure loving environment. Neeko was turned in to the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia by his owner on April 20, 2018. He was photographed on April 24 and put on the shelter’s adoption website, www.waltonpets.net. He was adopted the very next day on April 25!   "Neeko" with that scared look in his eyes.
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 Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Tuesday, 9:06 AM - What are unique face! One bright blue eye set in a half-white, half-black adorable face. “Cillie” was truly a unique looking dog... but also an exposure challenge when it came to photography! “Cillie” had that great, energetic personality typical of most of the pit bulls that come into the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia. Playful and wanting to please, she was not short on love towards people. And her jovial, somewhat silly personality earned her name (though with a bit more elegant spelling). She was picked up late at night by a patrolling sheriff’s deputy in a busy intersection along Highway 78. Of course, she had no collar, tag or chip to get her home. Even though her stray-hold wouldn’t expire for another few days, I immediately got her out the following morning for her glamour photographs. The pit bulls always have such a hard time getting adopted or rescued that I didn’t want to waste any days. “Cillie” posed no challenge to the shelter staff, for she seemed to love everyone, pets and people alike. The only challenge was in properly exposing her photograph with that black and white face. Meter on the black side and blow out the white side; meter on the white side and blacken out the other half. I took my camera off spot metering, set ISO to manual, and did the best I could. A little tweaking in PS did the rest! Silly was photographed for the Walton County animal control shelter on date and placed on the shelters adoption website www.waltonpets.net. She was reunited with her owner on April 27, 2018.      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 Colossians 1:16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  Male Yellow-rumped Warbler bird, Setophaga coronata, in bright breeding plumage. Perched in Water Oak tree. Photographed in spring in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA. The yellow-rumped warbler Setophaga coronata is a North American bird species combining four closely related forms: the eastern myrtle warbler ssp coronata; its western counterpart, Audubon`s warbler ssp group auduboni; the northwest Mexican black-fronted warbler ssp nigrifrons; and the Guatemalan Goldman`s warbler ssp goldmani. Tuesday, 6:30 PM - The thistle-seed sock I hung by the fire pit is working! A pair of American Goldfinches are clung to it and feeding away. I try to sneak up for a closer shot. Although they look like bold and confident birds, they certainly do not allow me to approach and skittishly fly off. But while I was closer to the Woodline, I notice quite a bit of small bird activity. Birding takes patience. Perhaps that is why it never appealed to me in my younger years! But as I am able to stand still for just a few moments longer, I am able to train my lens upon two new sites. First was a brightly colored grey, white, yellow, and black masked looking bird. I thought perhaps I had a new species of warbler for me but soon realized it was a male Yellow-rumped Warbler in his full breeding regalia. I had only seen the more drab winter dressings before. The second sight was a less colorful passerine. I need the help of the Merlin ID app for this one. A new life bird for my photography life list: a Red-eyed Vireo! This birding thing is now become a full-blown passion. I love the excitement and thrill I get each time I’m able to check off a new species on this glorious scavenger hunt created by our Father in heaven. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia  Life bird: Red-eyed Vireo  Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, sitting an a deer antler near a wooden bird house nest box. Photographed in spring in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA. The eastern bluebird is a small thrush found in open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards. It is the state bird of Missouri and New York.  Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, sitting an a deer antler. Photographed in spring in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA. The eastern bluebird is a small thrush found in open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards. It is the state bird of Missouri and New York.  Male Yellow-rumped Warbler bird, Setophaga coronata, in bright breeding plumage. Perched in Water Oak tree. Photographed in spring in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA. The yellow-rumped warbler Setophaga coronata is a North American bird species combining four closely related forms: the eastern myrtle warbler ssp coronata; its western counterpart, Audubon`s warbler ssp group auduboni; the northwest Mexican black-fronted warbler ssp nigrifrons; and the Guatemalan Goldman`s warbler ssp goldmani.  American Goldfinch on a thistle sock  American Goldfinch  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  Fuzzy hatchling yellow Canada Goose babies easting greass near a pond in Monroe, GA USA. Branta canadensis. These babies hatched in April 2018. Spring is all about new beginnings. Winter’s lifeless branches and twigs begin to burst forth with green verdure. A vast array of colors bloom in the petals of previously dormant seed and bulb. The golden warblers pass through on their biannual migrations. And new life bursts forth from the white eggs of duck and goose. It is no wonder why we celebrate the new life Easter during this springtime celebration!
And on this fine spring morning the eggs of the two Canada Geese have hatched! The proud parents now cruise the pond with six yellow fluff-ball babies swimming close by. Such cute little chicks! I could fill memory card after memory card with their images. I will enjoy watching their progress as they grow over the next few weeks.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Psalm 12:5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”  The nest of a resident Mallard duck was plundered by a raccoon, eating the eggs. Walton County, GA, USA. Mallards nest on the ground on dry land that is close to water; nests are generally concealed under overhanging grass or other vegetation. More than 50 percent of mallard ducks will not survive their first year, falling prey to predators such as American crows, mink, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and snapping turtles. Monday, 11:25 AM - A gloomy, rainy day. But even more so for the resident Mallard ducks than for me. Overnight, something had plundered their nest and eaten all of their eggs. With so many possible predators out there - such as raccoons, coyotes, foxes – they are virtually ‘sitting ducks’. Walton County, Georgia   The nest of a resident Mallard duck was plundered by a raccoon, eating the eggs. Walton County, GA, USA. Mallards nest on the ground on dry land that is close to water; nests are generally concealed under overhanging grass or other vegetation. More than 50 percent of mallard ducks will not survive their first year, falling prey to predators such as American crows, mink, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and snapping turtles.  The nest of a resident Mallard duck was plundered by a raccoon, eating the eggs. Walton County, GA, USA. Mallards nest on the ground on dry land that is close to water; nests are generally concealed under overhanging grass or other vegetation. More than 50 percent of mallard ducks will not survive their first year, falling prey to predators such as American crows, mink, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and snapping turtles.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Leviticus 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  Life bird: Eastern Kingbird added to my photo life list Monday, 2:44 PM – Rain, rain, rain! I’m thankful for the rain in that it tends to keep the intake of animals lower in the shelter. And lower intake gives me time to get caught up on things… even to take a short break every once in a while! Between downpours I took short ventures up to the ponds to see if the Little Blue Heron that visited the other day was back. No luck, but I did come across some “new” birds… new for me at least. Out looking for the heron, I added two “life bird” photos today: an Eastern Kingbird and a House Finch. Although I may have seen a bird before, I don’t like to add it to my life list until I’ve photographed it. I’ve seen Kingbirds posted on telephone wires on my drive to and from work; and who hasn’t seen a House Finch in a grocery store parking lot or garden center! But this was my first photograph of each. As I continued short walks between outbursts of rain, I managed quite an ebird list for the day. And on my drive home, I actually saw the end of a rainbow! A low arching rainbow stretched across the sky and I could see where it came down to the ground along New High Shoals Road. Too bad there was no pot of gold. Walton County, Georgia  Life bird: House Sparrow added to my photo life list  Barn Swallow  Red-winged Blackbird calls out from atop a duck nest box  Eastern Phoebe  An Eastern Kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus, perched in a laurel bush over green lake in Monroe, GA. The eastern kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher native to North America.  Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, bird in Monroe, Walton County, GA. One of the most abundant birds across North America, and one of the most boldly colored, the Red-winged Blackbird is a familiar sight atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires. Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff up.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Revelation 4:11 - 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. Sunday - Sitting on the back patio at 7:30 AM under a gray sky, 52°. There’s a slight cool breeze in the air. It is become quite obvious that my neighbors with all of the cats have moved away. For the squirrel population in my backyard is back on the rise. I enjoy the squirrels and their antics; hanging in all sorts of positions from the feeder pole. This morning, one young squirrel was putting on a short comedy act under the swing set. I suppose he was giving himself a dust bath as he twisted, turned, somersaulted and rolled in the mulch. However, there are times I really don’t like those rodents! Since my source of free seed has dried up of late, I’ve actually gone out and bought several bags. It is frustrating to see a full feeder of expensive seed emptied by squirrels in just 20 minutes. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia  Blue Jay  Blue Grosbeak  Pileated Woodpecker  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders 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  Summer Tanager Saturday morning, 7:39 AM. Seems a little chilly for such a bright, glowing sunrise. The Palm Warbler makes another return not too far from the hummingbird feeder. I managed to get a little bit better photograph than my last. A flash of the red stops in the pine tree in the left corner of the backyard and then lifts off to the Persimmon tree. It was only a quick glance, but I don’t think that was a cardinal! It is confirmed as he is followed by a flash of yellow: a pair of Summer Tanagers! About an hour later, the male Summer Tanager shows up again as sit journaling. This red beauty landed just 15 feet away from me on the small metal fire pit by the turtle pond. As I tried to slowly go from my camera he lifted off and went to the persimmon tree where I got some photographs. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia  Palm Warbler  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Luke 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.  Male House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, perched on a house gutter singing in Athens, GA. Adult males have rosey red head and cheeks with brown streaks on the breast and belly. An introduced species but now common in the southeast United States. Photographed in spring time birding season. Friday, 5:46 PM-a cranberry-dipped House Finch sings us a dinnertime song from the corner of the rooftop while we enjoy our back patio. Sunny, high near 69°. Wind gusts up to 15 MPH. Low 45°  Male House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, perched on a house gutter singing in Athens, GA. Adult males have rosey red head and cheeks with brown streaks on the breast and belly. An introduced species but now common in the southeast United States. Photographed in spring time birding season.  Male House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, perched on a house gutter singing in Athens, GA. Adult males have rosey red head and cheeks with brown streaks on the breast and belly. An introduced species but now common in the southeast United States. Photographed in spring time birding season.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.  Canada Goose goslings born the week of April 20, 2018 - Fuzzy hatchling fledgling yellow Canada Goose babies swimming on blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA. Branta canadensis. These babies hatched in April 2018. Friday, April 20, 1:32 PM – Wonderful morning! The eggs of the two Canada Geese have hatched! The proud parents now cruise the pond with six yellow fluff-ball babies swimming close by. Such cute little chicks! I will enjoy watching their progress as they grow over the next few weeks.  Canada Goose parents and babies, April 20, 2018  Fuzzy hatchling yellow Canada Goose babies easting greass near a pond in Monroe, GA USA. Branta canadensis. These babies hatched in April 2018.  Canada Goose goslings, April 23, 2018  Canada Goose goslings, April 23, 2018  Fuzzy hatchling yellow Canada Goose babies easting greass near a pond in Monroe, GA USA. Branta canadensis. These babies hatched in April 2018.  Canada Goose goslings, April 23, 2018  Canada Goose goslings, April 23, 2018. Canada Goose newborn hatchlings sleeping in a pile, Georgia, USA  Canada Goose goslings, April 26, 2018  Canada Goose goslings, April 26, 2018 Thursday, May 10, 2018 - It’s a beautiful sunrise on a beautiful day. There’s not a single cloud in the blue sky. A second pair of Canada Geese with goslings is on the upper pond this morning. Two adults with five goslings, probably half the size of the family I’ve been watching for the last few weeks. They were startled at my presence and ran quickly down into the pond. The driveway behind the shelter is absolutely littered with goose droppings.  A second family of Canada Geese with goslings, May 10, 2018  A second family of Canada Geese with goslings, May 10, 2018  The Goslings Grow! May 15, 2018  Growing goslings. May 15, 2018  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Proverbs 20:15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.  Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, perched on wooden duck breeding box over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA. A small, dark heron arrayed in moody blues and purples, the Little Blue Heron is a common but inconspicuous resident of marshes and estuaries in the Southeast. They stalk shallow waters for small fish and amphibians, adopting a quiet, methodical approach that can make these gorgeous herons surprisingly easy to overlook at first glance. Little Blue Herons build stick nests in trees alongside other colonial waterbirds. Friday, 9:42 AM - What is “rare”? An online dictionary says that something rare is “not found in large numbers and consequently of interest or value.” It was a thing of excitement for me (in a bird nerd sort of way) to enter into the “rare bird” realm today! As soon as I saw the purplish-blue, small sized heron standing on top of one of the duck boxes over the retention pond behind the animal shelter, I knew I had never seen a Little Blue Heron here before. But does that make it “rare”? While paddling the Okefenokee the last two summers, I saw dozens and dozens of Little Blue Herons; up in the trees, walking on the lily pads, standing next to gators; even the white juveniles were in abundance. Certainly not rare in the Okefenokee! And there was no shortage of Little Blues on Hilton Head Island and other coastal areas as well. But apparently here in Walton County, spotting a Little Blue Heron is a rare thing! I had to check the “rare” box on the ebird app and provide supporting text and photo documentation. Even after submitting all that, it was still several weeks before a local reviewer could confirm my sighting. Twenty-five years ago when all I cared about was snakes, I could never figure out those weird birder people. But now, I’m fully addicted just like them! You know you’re hooked when you want to tell all your friends about the “rare” Little Blue Heron you spotted that day… and they in turn look at you with that same blank stare I gave the birders in my twenties! Walton County, Georgia, USA  Little Blue Heron in flight  Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, perched on wooden duck breeding box over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA.  Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, fishing on shore over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA. A small, dark heron arrayed in moody blues and purples, the Little Blue Heron is a common but inconspicuous resident of marshes and estuaries in the Southeast. They stalk shallow waters for small fish and amphibians, adopting a quiet, methodical approach that can make these gorgeous herons surprisingly easy to overlook at first glance. Little Blue Herons build stick nests in trees alongside other colonial waterbirds.  A Great Blue Heron shot the same afternoon. Clearly a much larger heron with different coloration.  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. 1 Timothy 6:14 "Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,  Eastern Phoebe bird, Sayornis phoebe, perched on branch over blue pond hiding in green foliage. Familiar flycatcher bird of the southeast United States. Photographed hunting insects over blue retention pond in Monroe, Georgia, USA. Spring 2018. Friday, 8:40 AM - With my wife gone all week to Romania, it was a pretty hectic schedule all week at home. I could be spotted cooking, cleaning (somewhat), doing laundry, and carting the girls back and forth to soccer practice. I was very thankful that the animal intake was very low for the week and coming to work almost seemed like a break! On an early morning bird walk around the retention ponds, I spotted another new life bird for me: the Spotted Sandpiper. Four of these little, plump birds were bobbing their tails up and down on the floating vegetation of the banks. Cornell’s website says, “Though you may think of the beach as the best place to see a sandpiper, look for Spotted Sandpipers alone or in pairs along the shores of lakes, rivers, and streams. The Spotted Sandpiper is the most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America.” In just a short time walking the pond perimeter, I spotted several more species and snagged a nice ebird list. It seems all the birds were out enjoying this beautiful, sunny spring morning as the sky warmed up. Walton County, Georgia, USA  Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.  What’s in a name? Thursday, 8:49 AM - It can sometimes be tough to come up with names for so many shelter animals. You can get stuck in a rut and over use “Rex”, “Bella”, “Jack”, “Jake”. You can even have a total mental block. This handsome Boxer came in with another dog that got the name “Bambi”. Her name was easy… she just looked like a Bambi! But what about the Boxer? I quickly googled the characters of the Disney movie Bambi. He just didn’t look like a “Thumper” or “Flower”. But Bambi‘s father was simply known as the Great Prince of the Forest. “Prince”. That would be a good one. As the photo session went on, I realized the name suited his regal personality very well. Such a stately pose and well-cut muscular build. “Prince” got some immediate interest, but in a turn of events it took him some time to make it out of the shelter. Although he never tried to bite or attack anyone, there were a couple of occasions that he growled at potential adopters and rescues that came to look at him. Eventually, Boxer Rescue VT hired a trainer to come evaluate him and he passed with fying colors! The rescue went to work to get him transported up north. Finally, on May 1, “Prince” got his freedom day and left the shelter for a new life in Vermont! His rescue was sponsored by donations to Boxer Rescue VT from Alice, Lane and Anne.      Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget her child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Thursday, 8:42 AM - Lost and forgotten? That is how it seemed. Being a more mature dog, Bambi had to have been a part of somebody’s family for at least a few years. So how is it that she sits in the shelter for so long unclaimed? How is it that so many of the dogs go unclaimed by owners? “Bambi” was picked up stray by Walton County Animal Control Officer on April 16, 2018 in Monroe, Georgia. As is all too common, she also had no collar, tag or microchip for the officer to find her way home. Even after posting her intake photo on several lost and found websites, still no owner came forward. As the days passed by, it became clear that “Bambi” was lost and forgotten by her owner. It was time to try to find her a new home; a home that cared and wouldn’t let her be forgotten again! It was time for some good adoption photos. Being just a plain mixed breed dog, I wanted something to make Bambi’s photos stand out. Tying a simple red bandanna around her neck helped add some character to her photograph. Perhaps someone would make an emotional connection with her pleading eyes looking up at the camera. “Bambi” was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia on April 19, 2018. She was placed on the shelter’s adoption website, www.waltonpets.net. She was rescued on April 28, 2018 by Sav A Pet Rescue in Dothan, AL!      William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. The pastures of the wilderness drip, And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing. The meadows are clothed with flocks, And the valleys are covered with grain; They shout for joy, yes, they sing. Psalm 65  A Pine Siskin visits my Crepe Myrtle. A "life bird" photo for me. It’s 7:30 AM on my back patio. Lidia is in Romania, the girls are still sleeping. The Crepe Myrtles are sporting new sprigs of foliage about 4 to 6 inches long and the Persimmon is finally beginning to bud fourth. The Honeysuckle on the arbor is full and covered in bright flowers. Thick white clouds cover the sky. Lower, faster moving, darker clouds begin to move in from the western horizon. Instead of brightening with sunrise, it is actually getting darker as the gray clouds continue to move in. In the dim light, I see a dark blue bird at the feeder. The first Blue Grosbeak of the season has arrived! The sky turns darker and the sounds of strong winds pick up through the woods. The rains are coming…  Blue Grosbeak  Pine Siskin bird perched on a Crepe Myrtle branch in Athens, Georgia. Spinus pinus is a finch native to North America in Canada and the United States. Rain, rain, rain all morning during church service. In between services, despite the light rain, there is such a wonderful bird activity at the feeders. While eating lunch I spy several bright Goldfinches moving across the yard. One of these days I’ll get a close-up. At 2:26 PM, rolling thunder. I see a small bird zipping across the yard. It buzzes over to the honeysuckle blooms on the turtle pond arbor. A hummingbird! Next, a gathering of brown birds with slight yellow highlights. Are they faded out Yellow-rumped Warblers? Are they some variety of House Finches with whom they are gathered? In a few minutes, one of the birds in question alights just feet from me in Crepe Myrtle almost as if he knew I wanted a closer look. The Merlin App identifies it as a Pine Siskin. Another life bird photo for me! The rain continues, and so do the birds. Chipping Sparrows; the Blue Grosbeak returns but this time with his mate; two Red-bellied Woodpecker’s chase each other around the Persimmon tree; towhees scraping the mulch and discarded seed hulls. At 3:25, strong wind and driving rain pushes me indoors. But through the front window I see another new bird. Brown streaks on a tan belly, yellowish eyebrow and throat, and a rusty cap. Once again I consult the Merlin App and he tells me a Palm Warbler is visiting my yard. Another life bird photo! Athens, Clarke County, Georgia  American Goldfinches  Palm Warbler, another life bird photo! |
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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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