 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 in Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. Billys Island, Minnies Lake, Big Water, River Narrows, Suwannee River Sill, Cravens Hammock. March, 2019. Photo #201903076_DT158373422 © William Wise - Dreamstime.com Tomorrow morning my daughter and I embark on our annual Okefenokee Swamp paddling trip! And this time, she is bringing a friend who has never visited the swamp before. I love sharing this unique world of the Okefenokee with others. I’m sure she’ll be absolutely amazed.
We will be staying at our regular spot: site #4 in the Stephen C Foster State Park campground. Our food is all packed, the canoe is loaded, all is prepared and after a four hour drive, we’ll be in one of my favorite natural places! Once that canoe hits the water, which way will we go? Which of our favorite gator watering holes will we visit… Big Water… Minnie’s Lake? Where will we get out and explore… Floyd’s Island… Billy’s Island? Is it up the Red Trail, or squeeze through The Narrows? Whichever we choose, it will be an incredible time as usual. I love the swamp!
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I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders.  William Wise's 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  Killdeer Bird in Flight; Walton County, Georgia. August 30, 2016. Joshua 6:20 “...and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, and they took the city.” It is political season in the United States. From now until November all the media outlets will be saturated with political ads as every advocate for every cause will be projecting their voices in an effort to be heard. Some days, I just have to pull away from all those voices and go for a birding walk. But as a Christian, should I pull away? Should I remain silent? As I stepped outdoors to get away, my attention was immediately drawn to a noisy bird circling overhead; his loud voice was carrying on the wind. One of the Killdeer birds that is normally darting around in our parking lot was flying through the air and shouting its name: Kill-deah! Kill-deah!!! The voices of the other plovers are more pleasantly described as ‘a plaintive or musical whistle.’ But not the Killdeer, of which Peterson’s Field Guide gives a one-word description: “noisy”.  Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, a vocal plover common to lawns, beaches, parking lots. On edge of a pond in Walton County, Georgia, USA. So, just like the political activists, the Killdeer too wanted his voice to be heard! And perhaps I should take a lesson from the Killdeer. As Christians, in the interest of peace and harmony, do we remain quiet as the special interest groups shout aloud in support of their own, often unrighteous, causes? Do we let their voices carry louder than ours? The last time that happened, the outcome wasn’t so good. “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed” (Luke 23:23). As the other voices carry along on the winds of social media, radio and television, our Christian voices in support of righteousness should also be heard! What if William Wilberforce and Abraham Lincoln had remained silent? Instead, they let their voices carry on the wind, like the vociferous Killdeer, and changed our society!
Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation. William Wise Nature Notes is my wildlife and birding photo blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. I am also a guest author at Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures and The Creation Club. — “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.  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, You made the earth overflow with Your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, on a pond in Walton County, Georgia. Birding photography, February 2020. The Canada Geese are again beginning to congregate on the pond behind my office. Each year we have a pair or two nest on the shores.
-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. "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  Four Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina, songbirds at backyard bird feeder in Athens, Georgia USA eating bird seed from metal squirrel proof bird feeder. Common North American bird. February 9, 2020. ©www.williamwisephoto.com February 8, 2020 - I would call it strange weather, but since we live in Georgia, strange is actually quite normal. Only a few days ago we tied a February record at 75 degrees! Then the following day we had tornado watches and warnings. And today... snow! The morning rain switched to flurries just before noon and left that beautiful blanket of white. The only problem: my family and I were visiting my parents in Greensboro, GA (35 miles south of Athens) and we missed it all! It had all melted before we arrived back home at 5 PM that evening. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia  Young White-tailed Deer browsing in my backyard at dawn; Clarke County, Georgia. February 1, 2020.  Female Northern Cardinal in the rising sun in my front yard. February 8, 2020; Clarke County, Georgia.  Song Sparrow below my backyard bird feeder in Clarke County, Georgia. February 9, 2020.  Tufted Titmouse at my backyard bird feeder in Clarke County, Georgia. February 9, 2020.  Carolina Chickadee at my backyard bird feeder in Clarke County, Georgia. February 9, 2020. I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders. 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  Hooded Merganser diving duck on a small pond in rural Walton County, Georgia, USA. January 17, 2014. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. (The Message paraphrase)  The Hooded Mergansers have finally arrived for the winter on the small pond behind my office. Not only are they so unlike our resident Mallards in appearance, sporting that black-and-white retractable crest, but they differ greatly in habit and action. That’s the difference between dabblers and divers! When not cutting across the water for a free handout of bread, our trio of “green heads” stay along the edges of the pond, searching the shallows for aquatic vegetation and larvae. They are the dabblers. But the Mergansers! Those “hoodies” swim out to the middle of the pond and SPLASH!!!... they disappear, diving down to the depths. They are the divers. They go deep for those delectable bottom dwellers!  Mallard drake duck on a Walton County pond, Georgia. January 26, 2017.
 Dabbling Mallard ducks; Walton County, Georgia. Dabbling ducks feed in shallow water for aquatic vegetation and larvae. October 7, 2016. One observer of ducks wrote, “Dabbling ducks have the condition known as ‘duck butt.’ You look at them in the water and sometimes see no face, just a duck rear end sticking straight up in the air.” [i] And over the last twenty-six years of my salvation, I’ve observed that the church visitors or new converts that remain on the edge - only occasionally seeing their faces and merely dabbling in dedication – they usually migrate away at their season’s end never to return. But the diver! The diver that abandons all to explore the depths of prayer, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and the call of God, they repeatedly come with mouths full and to spare for others! If you’ve been dabbling on the edges in your commitment to serve Christ and to serve in your local church, row out to the middle, step out of the boat, and dive in. I assure you, the water’s great! That’s the difference between dabblers and divers! [i] Learn to tell the difference between dabblers and divers, by Kathy Long, Virginia Living Museum. https://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/arts/dp-vlm-naturenotes-ducks-0816-story.html 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  Bird's Eye View -- Close up photo of Great Blue Heron. December 18, 2018. Walton County, Georgia. Have you ever desired to fly like a bird or soar like an eagle? To see entire, sweeping landscapes and distant horizons all from one vantage point? Who wouldn’t! And with the price of drones coming down, captivating aerial photos and video are becoming much more common. Drone footage grabs and holds our attention and imagination, and we often do not know why. Drones give us a perspective on things in ways we can never naturally see them. From high up above our normal position, drones give us that proverbial “Birds’ Eye View” on the world… and that appeals to us! We imagine having the outstretched wings and keen eyes of the hawk; an image that personifies true freedom; a freedom other creatures covet.  Bird's Eye View -- Turkey Vulture soaring over Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia, USA. July 29, 2013. A fellow Christian blogger and photographer Simon Desjardines wrote, “One of the great advantages a drone offers is that it can get where we cannot…All of a sudden we can be transmuted into a bird and cross frontiers to reach our goal.” A soaring bird has a much greater field of view than us earthbound pedestrians. And the “bird’s eye view” image speaks of something even beyond birds; it speaks of an omniscient God with a much higher vantage point than ours… outside of time and space, in fact. A recent evangelist to my congregation spoke, “God has a bird’s eye view of our lives. He knows where He is trying to take us. He knows what lies ahead.” From His perspective, God’s view sees more than the moment we are struggling in.  Bird's Eye View - Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis, North American Raptor bird of prey. Close up portrailt profile of beak, feathers, eye. Walton County, Monroe, Georgia, USA. August 1, 2017. A view from higher up changes our outlook on our current trials and past failures. Instead of stopping us, we see them as teaching moments along the road to help us move forward. The evangelist concluded, “This is just a small portion of your life. But use it to move on.”
When an aerial photo shot by a drone speaks to you, be conscious of the thoughts awakened in your soul. “Oh to have the capability of a bird and see all the landscape before me!” But even if you’ll never learn to fly, Oh to have the capability of a God on your side who knows all the road ahead of you! “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders. 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  Eastern Bluebird songbird perched on a tin roof in Walton County, Georgia. Sialia sialis is the state bird of Missouri and New York. January 9, 2020. The great thing about enjoying birds is that you can experience that joy just about anywhere you go! Even if we’re shut indoors at a meeting or conference, we can simply pick the seat next to the window and find our avian friends. In his chapter in the book Good Birders Still Don’t Wear White, author and birder Noah Strycker wrote, “The beauty of birds is that they are everywhere, from the deepest wilderness to the most crowded inner cities.”  Field Sparrow; Walton County, Georgia. January 10, 2020 “The beauty of birds is that they are everywhere, from the deepest wilderness to the most crowded inner cities.” - Noah Strycker And the great thing about being a Christian is that we can engage with our Creator anywhere we are! Whether we are admiring His handiwork on a nature hike, lifting up His name in organized worship, or slipping into a closet during a stressful day at work to call upon His name, our God is ever-present. In the book of Psalms, David wrote, “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me” (Psalm 139:8-10). Just like the birds, “from the deepest wilderness, to the most crowded cities”, our God is there! Walton County, GA  Female Eastern Towhee songbird; Walton County, Georgia. January 15, 2020. 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 I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other gifted creationists and birders.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, flying over the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, December 23, 2019. Lamentations 3:52 "Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause." It seems the favorite sport of every dog and child on the beach is to run wildly into a pack of gulls. I have to admit, it does look fun, and I probably did it too as a child. While visiting beach of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina this past Christmas, I marveled at the flight of the terns and gulls. Lifting off, taking to the air, circling around, diving and coming back to a landing to avoid the berserker kids and dogs. How do they do it?  Small terrier mix dog running on the beach, chasing seagulls, and flying in the air on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. December 24, 2019. From the beginning, as he marveled at the flight of birds, man began chasing the dream to fly. The first concerted efforts came as early as 1485, if not earlier, with Leonardo DaVinci’s Ornithoper blueprints. Although many efforts were made, it wasn’t until 1903 that flight was accomplished by humans. We may have large jumbo jets carrying people across the globe today, but it was a long, arduous process to get there. If it was so difficult for man to learn to fly, how did birds catch on so quickly and gracefully learn to take to the air? The answer: they didn’t learn! The birds immediately burst forth in color and flight on Day 5 of creation! They were designed, equipped and enabled to fly from their very beginning. They "got off to a flying start", so to speak! [i]  Flock of Ring-billed Gulls, Larus delawarensis, standing on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; December 27, 2019. Does that sound like an impossible fairy tale? Well, consider this yarn: “Flight appears to have evolved separately four times in history: in insects, bats, birds and pterosaurs. These four groups of flying animals didn’t evolve from a single, flying ancestor. Instead, they all evolved the ability to fly from separate ancestors that couldn’t fly. This makes flight a case of convergent evolution.”[ii] Did you catch that? The complexity of flight evolved separately on four different occasions? Since the probability of even a simple, 200 component, single-celled organism evolving is at least 10 to the 60th (a “one" followed by sixty "zeros")[iii], flight evolving even once is basically an impossibility. But four times? It takes less imagination and faith to marvel at the wonder of flight and know that an incredible Artist designed it in one swift stroke! “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air” (Genesis 2:19). Any other hypothesis is just chasing gulls! [i] https://creation.com/created-to-fly  Large black and white Great Dane dog with collar walking on the beach without a leash on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA.  Small terrier mix dog running on the beach playing fetch on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. December 24, 2019. 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, You made the earth overflow with Your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  To pass the four-hour drive back home from our vacation on Hilton Head Island I was scanning the skies and trees for birds. I jolted my family to attention when I slammed on the breaks and yelled "Whoa! That's a Bald Eagle!" It was perched in a large oak overlooking a pasture just off Hwy 21 in Screven County, Georgia. Of course, I had to turn around and go back for a photo!
William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  White sea shells at low tide on the sand beach with blue ocean water bubbles and waves on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Atlantic Ocean  Royal Tern, Thalasseus maximus, flying over ocean waves on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in December. The royal tern has an orange red bill. Coming to the ocean always affords me some views I don't see at my inland home of Athens, Georgia.  Male Royal Tern birds exhibiting territorial behavior. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Thalasseus maximus lives on the coast and is only found near salt water. They tend to feed near the shore.  Rolling crashing waves Atlantic Ocean off Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, standing on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019. Bottlenose DolphinsNot knowing where they would surface next, I didn't realize how impossible it was to get photos of dolphins breaking the surface! I put on a 28-300 mm lens. While I scanned the waves at the widest possible angle, as soon as they surfaced I simultaneously zoomed to 300mm and fired off on the shutter release. I didn't get any quality shots, but at least got something! Northern GannetSeveral times during our week-long stay on Hilton Head Island, I searched the "most likely" birds for this time and place on the Merlin App. One bird I didn't have and would like to see was the Northern Gannet. Having gone all week without seeing one, I had pretty much forgotten about it. But our last day, while the rest of my family was packing, I scanned the ocean from our hotel balcony. And waaaaayyyyy out there, I spotted one last life bird for the trip! HARBOURTOWN PIER Harbour Town historic red and white striped Lighthouse and pier on Hilton Head Island, Sea Pines Resort, South Carolina. American flags on observation deck. Site of the annual Heritage golf tournament.  White sea shells at low tide on the sand beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  Willet shorebird wading in a salt marsh lagoon habitat on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Ripples and reflection on the water. Tringa semipalmata is a large shorebird sandpiper. Have you ever planned a nature outing only to find the park or preserve packed with people? Frustrating! While there are probably still plenty of photo opportunities, folks may wander into your landscape shot, or kids and dogs may scare the birds away. A little bit of internet research before arriving can be your best ally. My family and I have made several trips to Hilton Head Island on the coast of South Carolina, USA. While my wife and daughters love to enjoy the beaches, shops and restaurants, I like to get away for some photography. Yes, there are plenty of gulls and terns on the popular beaches, but there is another beach where the wild things are!  Life Bird for me! Winter plumage Black-bellied Plover shorebird on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA; December 2019. The grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola, known as the black-bellied plover in North America. Arctic breeder and long distance migrant. Fish Haul Mitchelville Beach Park.  Another life bird on this trip! Dunlin, Calidris alpina, shorebird with long bill on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA; December 2019. Circumpolar long distant migrant. Also Semipalmated Plover on right in photograph. Fish Haul Mitchelville Beach Park. Fish Haul Park at Mitchelville Beach on Hilton Head Island is that special place. The beach isn’t as “cleaned and well-groomed” as the shores along hotel row, and this tends to keep the sunbathers away. But the piles of seaweed and driftwood, broken shells and dead crabs make for much more natural looking landscape shots. And because the people are fewer, there tends to be a higher concentration of more skittish birds and wildlife. Fish Haul is an excellent place to go in the summer when the popular beaches are packed. But even in the winter it is still a bird photography hotspot, as I learned this past Christmas. There were plenty of sparrows, cormorants, egrets, plovers, sandpipers and an especially photogenic Willet.  Willet shorebird wading in a salt marsh lagoon habitat on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Ripples and reflection on the water. Tringa semipalmata is a large shorebird sandpiper.  Semipalmated Plover shorebird on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Charadrius semipalmatus is a small plover that migrate in winter to coastal areas of the southern United States. Sand dune, beach, coastal habitat. Fish Haul Mitchelville Beach Park. So do your homework before going on a wildlife photography trip. Look for those lesser frequented, more natural looking areas and avoid the crowds. -Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind around 9 mph.  Snowy Egret in salt marsh lagoon habitat on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Fish Haul Mitchelville Beach Park  Willet shorebird wading in a salt marsh lagoon habitat on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Ripples and reflection on the water. Tringa semipalmata is a large shorebird sandpiper.  Willet shorebird wading in a salt marsh lagoon habitat on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Ripples and reflection on the water. Tringa semipalmata is a large shorebird sandpiper. William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  Sanderling wading shore bird on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina. The sanderling, Calidris alba, is a long distance migrant Arctic breeder. Blue water beach of the Atlantic Ocean. While I didn't get to participate in an official Christmas Bird Count, I did to a lot of birding on the beach during the week of Christmas! My parents brought my family and my brother's family from Chicago all together on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. We had a great time together, and I still did manage to get away at least once a day to scan the shores, dunes and trees of the Atlantic Ocean coast on this beautiful island.  Saturday, December 21, 2019. Just after arriving, I ran down to the beach between rain showers. Royal Tern bird Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Thalasseus maximus lives on the coast and is only found near salt water. They tend to feed near the shore.  Semipalmated Plover shorebird on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Charadrius semipalmatus is a small plover that migrate in winter to coastal areas of the southern United States. Sand dune, beach, coastal habitat.  Piping Plover, Charadrius melodus, feeding in the sand on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. Coastal shorebird sand dune habitat. Piping Plovers are on the U.S. endangered species list. They are endangered due to habitat loss.  Piping Plover shorebird on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA “The country abounds with grapes, large figs and peaches, the wood with deer, conies, turkeys, quails, curlues, plovers, teile, herons… swans, geese, cranes, duck and mallard and innumerable waterfowl…”  Sanderling wading shore bird on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina. The sanderling, Calidris alba, is a long distance migrant Arctic breeder. Blue water beach of the Atlantic Ocean.  Sanderling, Calidris alba, is a small sandpiper shore bird. Long distance migrant Arctic breeder. Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina USA in winter, December 2019. Grey sand and water reflection.  I like this shot as it shows the relative sizes of the gulls that loiter on the beach and the "peeps" that run the beach under them, almost between their legs! Sanderling, Calidris alba, is a small sandpiper shore bird. Two sleeping Ring-billed Gulls, Larus delawarensis. Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina USA in winter, December 2019. Ash-throated FlycatcherI was following a Cooper's Hawk down the peach when up popped a flycatcher into a pine tree along the sand dunes. My first thought was Great-crested Flycatcher, for that is what I've seen here in the southeast... but only in the summer. When the Merlin app wouldn't pull up any flycatchers as likely for this time of year, I began to wonder. I posted it up on iNaturalist and soon began to get some more experienced folks to weigh in. Turns out is a vagrant Ash-throated Flycatcher. There was a nice discussion thread here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36889389. From Cornell: "The Ash-throated Flycatcher is a rare but regular vagrant to the East Coast. Individuals turn up nearly every year across the U.S. and they have been found in all coastal states and provinces. See where they have been seen at eBird." And one not quite a bird... American Alligator at a small inland pond near Harbourtown on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. December 27, 2019.  Sanderling, Calidris alba, is a small sandpiper shore bird. Long distance migrant Arctic breeder. Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina USA in winter, December 2019. Grey sand and water reflection.  Royal Tern bird standing on the beach near other seagulls. Royal Tern is in the family of seabirds, gulls and terns. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, profile portrait showing ringed bill and feathers on face. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Since my trips to the coast are infrequent, I'm not too well versed in my gull identification. When I first stepped out on the beach and scanned the shore, I thought, like most people would, that there were just a bunch of "seagulls" standing around. But like walking into a dark room from the bright outdoors, my eyes slowly began to adjust and these "bunches of seagulls" began to differentiate! Once your "eyes adjust", you begin to notice the relatives sizes of the birds compared to each other. Then even the finer details tell the species apart: leg color, beak shape and size.  Laughing Gull, Bonapartes Gull and Forsters Tern standing on the beach in front of ocean waves on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in December. One gull on December 23 stood out from all the others, for it was huge. In comparison to the small Bonaparte's Gulls, this thing looked like a giant turkey. It was big and bold in its attitude too. I walked within 15 feet of it and it just stood there, staring at me, almost daring me to try something. It was a Great Black-backed Gull!  Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, is the largest seagull. Juvenile plumage. Standing on the sand on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Large Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, is the largest seagull. Juvenile plumage. Standing on the sand on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Bonaparte`s gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia, standing on the island beach at low tide in winter. It is one of the smallest species of gull. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA. The Ring-billed gulls were plenteous and cooperative photo subjects. But even among this one species there was huge variety of color and plumage. Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, standing on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, standing on the sand beach reflection on blue water. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, standing on the sand beach reflection on blue water. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, flying over the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Bonaparte's Gull, preening on the sand on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Bonaparte's Gull, preening on the sand on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019.  Ring billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, resting sitting on the sand in the cold wind on the Atlantic ocean beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA in winter, December 2019. William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  A flock of Forster`s Terns in flight on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Sterna forsteri breeds inland in North America and winters south to the Caribbean and northern Central America.  A flock of Forster`s Terns facing into the wind on Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Sterna forsteri breeds inland in North America and winters south to the Caribbean and northern Central America. I spent Christmas week on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina with my family and parents. I made several walks each day to shoot and identify the various gulls, terns and shorebirds. I am glad for the help of the Merlin bird ID app and the people on iNaturalist.  December 21, 2019 - A flock of Forster`s Terns Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Sterna forsteri breeds inland in North America and winters south to the Caribbean and northern Central America.  Forster`s Tern, Sterna forsteri, breeds inland in North America and winters south to the Caribbean and northern Central America. Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. These Forster's Terns were not to be confused with another tern species also on the beach at this time. Although fewer, the Royal Terns were still abundant enough to be noticed. But they were a bit bigger than the Forster's Terns and had completely orange bills.  Royal Tern bird Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina USA in winter. Thalasseus maximus lives on the coast and is only found near salt water. They tend to feed near the shore. Williamwisephoto 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  The wheel bug, Arilus cristatus, is a species of large assassin bug with a wheel shaped pronotal armor common in eastern North America. Often mistaken for a stink bug or kissing bug which can carry the deadly Chagas disease. Some people think I’m dumb, but I’m just that kind of person. When there is something cool looking out in nature, I’m going to mess with it, examine it, photograph it and identify it. A coworker pointed out this strange looking insect crawling up the window screen and so I had to check it out. As it was crawling on my hand and I was shooting it with my macro lens, she began reading from the internet… “The deadly Kissing Bug has been confirmed in Georgia. This bloodsucking parasite carries an inflammatory infectious disease. Chagas disease is transmitted to humans by the bug, which typically bites people in the face around the area of the mouth, causing fever, fatigue, headache and in some severe cases, stroke or heart failure.” Great! That was dumb! I didn’t kiss him, but probably shouldn’t have had him on my finger either!  The wheel bug, Arilus cristatus, is a species of large assassin bug with a wheel shaped pronotal armor common in eastern North America. Often mistaken for a stink bug or kissing bug which can carry the deadly Chagas disease. I finished my photo session with the little killer and brought the jpegs back to my computer for closer examination. As I began to research the spikey circular-saw-looking crest on his back, I soon found he wasn’t a Kissing Bug at all, but a harmless Wheel Bug in the same family. Dummy me: I should have known it was a false alarm. Working with animals and wildlife my entire life, I’m fully aware that people are quite prone to dumb exaggerations when it comes to animal stories. “Once a dog gets the taste of blood he'll always be a killer"... “Cats will steal your breath when you’re sleeping”... “Its called a Coachwhip snake because it will wrap your feet, knock you down and whip you to death.” Dumb! Even in the case of the Kissing Bug, the stories are a bit blown out of proportion. Perhaps they are more of an issue in other places, but Chagas disease is quite a rarity in my area of the country. So, false alarm. But perhaps I should use some caution before making a dumb mistake and grabbing something truly deadly one day!  The wheel bug, Arilus cristatus, is a species of large assassin bug with a wheel shaped pronotal armor common in eastern North America. Often mistaken for a stink bug or kissing bug which can carry the deadly Chagas disease. |
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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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