 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Young American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, hidden in swamp spatterdock lily pad vegegation on Billy`s Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Wednesday, 2:00 PM- Even though I was just here in the Okefenokee 8 weeks ago, it is always exhilarating to once again launch my canoe, glide through the spatterdock and Maidencane in the channel leading to Billy's Lake.  Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, on Billy's Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, on Billy's Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Two deer greeted us as we returned to the canoe launch canal at the Stephen C Foster State Park.  White-tailed Deer doe close up portrait photographed in the Stephen C Foster campground of the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Odocoileus virginianus is a mammal native to North America.  White-tailed Deer doe close up portrait photographed in the Stephen C Foster campground of the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Odocoileus virginianus is a mammal native to North America.
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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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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 Wednesday, 1:12 PM - Having quickly set up our tent and camp, I had the canoe on the edge of the water by one o'clock and anxious to hit the waters of the Okefenokee once again. But it was a long drive without cell phone service, so my daughter "had" to do some catching up once connected to the Stephen C Foster Wifi, available only within a small perimeter around the ranger station. So I did a bit of botanizing around the boat launch while waiting upon her. 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Juvenile American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus, a long legged wading bird, fishing for crayfish along the Suwannee River Sill canal in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Adult Ibis are solid white, and juveniles have brown plumage. Wednesday, 11:40 AM - Upon crossing into the refuge, we made a quick drive-through along the Suwannee River Sill to see what might be out in plain view. We scored the first six gators of the trip! Suwannee River Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. March 3, 2021.
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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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
Growling raccoon showing teeth in the woods at the Stephen C Foster State Park campground in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Procyon lotor is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. Often considered an urban wildlife nuisance pest for raiding trash cans. Raccoons may also carry and spread rabies through a bite.
Every campground seems to have its bold, clever raccoons that raid the campsites and trash cans. Two years ago, a sealed ziploc bag containing my instant coffee and packs of instant oatmeal were stolen out of a utility box next to our tent. (The coffee was a major loss!) On this trip, my daughter was surprised by one that was rattling around in a trash can near the Stephen C Foster campground boat launch. We also had one that repeatedly came to our campsite and would not be run off.
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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Canoe trail directional sign for Billy's Island in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. There are over 100 miles of marked canoe and kayak trails within the Okefenokee Wilderness trail system. Wednesday, 3:12 PM - Since we would be paddling all day for the next two days, we decided to land our canoe on Billy's Island for some on-land exploration. We began log flipping in hopes of finding some reptiles and amphibians. Nearly every rotten log was inhabited by some strange insect or larvae, if not by a snake or lizard. I also took a bit of time to focus upon a few plant and fungal species upon the island.   Great Horned Owl; Walton County, Georgia. February 4, 2021. By following eBird alerts, I was able to add several new life birds to my list in February: American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Snow Goose, and Ross's Goose. I was also able to add Green-Winged Teal and Wilson's Snipe to my Walton County list (I've photographed them in other locations in the past). The most surprising was the appearance of a Great Horned Owl that I was alerted to on a brief morning walk by some mobbing Blue Jays. 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  Two male House Sparrows focus stack birding photography. Passer domesticus is native to Europe and Asia but now introduced in most parts of the world. When it comes to photography, there are times when what you see is not what you get. As gaze upon two objects that are some distance apart, our eyes focus instantly and we don’t often perceive any depth issues. But in photography, if the two objects don’t occupy the same plane, one will appear blurry. To remedy this issue, photographers use a technique call focus stacking. One photo shows one subject clearly, while the other is blurred, and vice versa. The two images are then blended together to create one photo in which the two subjects are both focused. Walton County, Georgia. Thursday, February 4, 2021.  Male House Sparrow Georgia birding photography. Passer domesticus is native to Europe and Asia but now introduced in most parts of the world.  Male House Sparrow Georgia birding photography. Passer domesticus is native to Europe and Asia but now introduced in most parts of the world. 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  Redhead Ducks; Walton County, Georgia birding. We typically get Redheads on our retention pond every year at the beginning of January. However, none appeared in 2020, and I thought we wouldn't have any this year either, it already being near February. But 7 drakes and 1 hen surprised me today! Walton County, Georgia. 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  Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana nuisance wildlife trapped in humane box trap. A North American nocturnal marsupial common in suburban areas for raiding trash cans and pet food. Photographed in Walton County Georgia USA. A woman checked out a humane box trap from animal control to trap feral cats. But coming out the next morning, she saw something that wasn't a cat! I had to get some photographs before releasing it in another area. I removed it from the trap to try and get some more natural looking photographs. But as soon as it came out, it actually started "playin' possum"! In all my years of dealing with Opossums I've never seen such a convincing performance. - Walton County, Georgia  Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana nuisance wildlife trapped in humane box trap. A North American nocturnal marsupial common in suburban areas for raiding trash cans and pet food. Photographed in Walton County Georgia USA.  Close up of the sharp canine teeth of the Virginia Opossum. Didelphis virginiana is a nocturnal marsupial. Opossums have fifty teeth more than any other North American mammal. Photographed in Walton County Georgia USA.  Virginia Opossum playing dead also known as playing possum. Didelphis virginiana nuisance wildlife nocturnal marsupial common in suburban areas for raiding trash cans and pet food. Photographed in Walton County 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Tall Slash Pine tower over Saw Palmetto in an upland pine habitat of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in South Georgia, USA. Pine plantations for timber are managed by prescribed burns. Chesser Island Swamp Island Drive. Just after 11 AM, I finished my drive over to the east side of the Okefenokee Swamp and headed out the Swamp Island Drive. The winding, 9-mile paved road has a few roadside ponds, pull-overs and trails.
 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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, Saturday dawned with the sun! I broke camp quickly in order to head over to the east entrace of the swamp. Before leaving, I made a few observations while retrieving my trail camera off the Upland Pine Trail, and made one more drive through of The Sill Recreation Area on the west side. Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Chesser Family homestead cabin in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The Chessers were pioneer swamp settlers in the 1800`s. The Chesser family was a pioneer swamper family in the 1800s. The National Wildlife Refuge conducts interpretive demonstrations at the homestead. The settlement included beehives, a sugar cane mill, syrup shed, smokehouse, grindstone and hog pens.    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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Christmas lichen in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Cryptothecia rubrocincta is a species of lichen often shaped like a wreath and bordered in red. In an effort to broaden my horizons and increase my species observed in the refuge, I kept an eye out for the members of Kingdom Fungi. Recognizing only a few, I had to rely upon the help of fellow iNaturalist users for identifications. 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  An Eastern Ribbon Snake climbed out from between the slats of the Chesser Island Boardwalk Trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Thamnophis saurita is a non-venomous species of garter snake common in wetland swamp marsh habitats. At the back of Swamp Island Drive on the eastern entrance of the Okefenokee Swamp is a trail worth visiting. The Chesser Island Boardwalk is a three-quarter mile, well-built boardwalk that projects out into the prairie. If you take it slowly, you might find a Cottonmouth slithering in the water, Gray Catbirds, warblers and sparrows chipping in the scrub, and hawks and vultures flying overhead.  Laurel-leaf Greenbrier, Smilax laurifolia, photographed on Chesser Prairie in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Plant native to the southeastern United States
Typha Cattail marsh plant grass, photographed on Chesser Prairie in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Laurel-leaf Greenbrier, Smilax laurifolia, photographed on Chesser Prairie in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Laurel-leaf Greenbrier, Smilax laurifolia, photographed on Chesser Prairie in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The trail ends at a 40-foot observation tower shaded in a small hammock of Loblolly Bay. Forty feet doesn't sound high, but the view is staggering, and somewhat dizzying for the faint of heart! Bring your binoculars and try to spot the alligators basking in Seagrove Lake. Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. 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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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  Chesser Family homestead cabin in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The Chessers were pioneer swamp settlers in the 1800`s. The Okefenokee Swamp teaches us a something about our lives on this planet. It lets us know how dependent we are upon our modern comforts.
Many a traveler or adventure-seeker comes to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to "get away from it all." And rightly so! Yet even in our effort to "leave it all behind", we bring so much with us. A few days in the primitive world of the Okefenokee brings a realization of how dependent we are upon our ___ (fill in the blank with that thing you just can't live without). For just a short three-day paddle we bring all sorts of advanced gear: ultralight kayak, carbon fiber oars, a mini stove, a small pillow, a portable latrine, water purifier and coolers to keep our food for days. But let us stay just a few days longer than expected and we find our expensive gizmos are of no more use! Flashlight and GPS batteries die with no outlets to resurrect their life. Memory cards fill and our thousand dollar camera is now just added, useless weight working against our paddling. And the signal to our expensive cellphone was lost after the first mile we rowed into the swamp. And if you run out of food, what next? Do we know what wild foods are good to eat, or which will kill us? It is hard to imagine how the Swampers lived this way permanently, and even more primitively. They are proof that it can be done, and has been done, without all the modern technological crutches! If you truly want to get away, try to minimize as much as possible and truly leave it all behind a few days in the Okefenokee. It's a real challenge! (One that I haven't even tried myself!) |
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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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