​Just after 6 PM, my daughter and I reached the Maul Hammock overnight shelter in the Okefenokee Swamp. As we paddled up to the wood plank platform in the middle of a small lake cut into the green field of Spatterdock lily pads, a medium-sized alligator lay just to the left. It watched without moving as we unloaded all of our gear and set up camp for the night.

Maul Hammock lies on the northern side of the Swamp. Because it is a 12 mile paddle from the eastern Kingfisher Landing entrance, and a two-day paddle from the western Stephen C Foster entrance, Maul Hammock is quite remote. A permit is also required to paddle past Big Water or Double Lakes, therefore no other paddlers are usually encountered when heading to Maul Hammock.

After pitching our small tent and enjoying a “college student” meal of canned ravioli, my daughter and I were treated to a beautiful sunset.

In April 2024, my daughter and I got permits to cross through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on a three-day paddle from Kingfisher Landing, westward to Stephen C Foster State Park. Our first evening was spent at the Maul Hammock Shelter. After a full day of paddling and photography, we arrived at Maul Hammock. 
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Maul Hammock is on the northern side of the Okefenokee Swamp. On a map, it appears that you are close to the refuge borders. But on the ground, you get the full sense of wilderness, far from any civilization… not considering the camping dock and privy, of course. I’m all for the wilderness experience, but I’m also thankful, and so is my daughter, that all the camping platforms have a restroom!  They are usually stocked and fairly clean, but it is wise to bring your own paper. 

Phinzy Swamp Nature Park in Augusta (Richmond County) Georgia, is probably the closest coastal/swamp-like habitat I can get to on a day trip. I like making a few trips per year to get my fix on alligators and wading birds that I can't photograph where I live in the Piedmont, and can't get away because of work. There are always plenty of photo opportunities in just a few short hours and a few short miles of walking at Phinizy Swamp! 

Enjoying an afternoon of backyard birding, I could hear a Black-and-White Warbler singing in the tangle of vines and downed wood. I brought out my small portable speaker to see if I could get it to make an appearance. Sure enough, the playback worked! He popped up for a few seconds to explore the little speaker, even fluffing up his feathers in agitation at the supposed intruder. I got my photos and then let it be. (Frequent use playback is not recommended, particularly in breeding season.) A very striking bird in the muted earth tones of my small patch of woods. ​

Since it is typically a hobby that I fit in when I have spare time, my enjoyment of my backyard birds dropped off quite a bit the last year. When I looked at my eBird stats, I found that I skipped entire months in 2023. While I hate to schedule time for my hobbies, I decided to be a bit more intentional in 2024 and bird at least once a month in my backyard. Surely I can do that! On this particular Saturday afternoon, I relaxed in a chair near the back of my yard and watched at a pair of Brown-headed Nuthatches flickered back and forth, climbing up and down the tree trunks and limbs. 

Some random days for spring birding photography in Walton and Clarke Counties, Georgia. 

It's hard to believe she is grown up and engaged! What a privilege to do their engagement photography. 

Backyard birding in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. 

Wedding photography for a friend from church...

"Fabio" was a senior Pitbull Terrier dog that was picked up stray by an animal control officer on June 2, 2023. He had a microchip, but his owner never came and claimed him. He was rescued from the animal shelter on June 22, 2023!

While paddling the green trail from Kingfisher Landing to the Bluff Lake shelter, we found several tall Yellow Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia flava) along the canoe runs. Their bright green color and tall trumpets stand out among the Hooded Pitcher Plants.

On April 17 and 18, 2023, my daughter and I launched from Kingfisher Landing on the eastern side of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and paddled southward to spend the night at the Bluff Lake overnight canoe shelter. 

​The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge covers almost 630 square miles. Compare that to the city of Atlanta which covers 134 square miles. Or think of the Okefenokee being double the size of New York City, which spreads an impressive 300 square miles. But unlike Atlanta or New York with over 6,000 miles of roadways, the Okefenokee has only 120 miles of maintained canoe trails, which leaves the vast majority of the Swamp unmarked. Therefore, it could be quite easy to get lost if one paddles away from the marked trails.

This is why the Falcon Guidebook Paddling the Okefenokee exclaims, “Stay on the trails. Once off trail, there are surprisingly few prominent landmarks from which to regain your bearings in the Okefenokee. Some sections in the Okefenokee are obstructed by overhanging branches, downed trees, submerged stumps and logs, masses of floating Pete, aquatic vegetation, narrow banks, shallow water, or other obstacles.”

The designated trails have colored mile markers along the routes. But even with a GPS, I have occasionally found myself doubting my location while paddling the prairies. A mile marker sign may missing, damaged, or in high water, submerged! However, the US Fish and Wildlife Service does an excellent job of keeping the canoe runs obvious and open. But even so, stay on the path!