Isaiah 45:18 -- For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other. Saturday, 7:17 PM - Birding again almost exactly 12 hours later. A few crows were sitting high atop the Loblolly Pine. As they made strange sounding croaks, I was reminded of my reading the other week on what differentiates the Fish Crow and the American Crow. Were the odd sounds coming from this trio denoting a Fish Crow ID? Can the other birders who list daily Fish Crows really tell the difference? Clarke County, Georgia
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Psalms 104:24 -- O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions; Monday, 7:30 AM - so much activity in the brush along the firing range berm. Mockingbird juveniles everywhere! Pewees, Phoebes and Grosbeaks too! Walton County, GA Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. Sunday, 7:07 AM - I love Sunday mornings on my back patio. All the regular birds appear quickly, but the longer you sit, the more you can see.Now that I recognize the Eastern Wood Pewee’s call, I hear them up in the woods and drew one closer with some playback. A little bit later, a White-breasted Nuthatch appears. They are supposedly here all year, but I don’t see them too often at the feeders. Next, a Black-and-white Warbler pops in. He is strangely tailing a Tufted Titmouse all through the yard. The normally solo Red-bellied Woodpecker is followed in to the feeder by two others this morning. It appears the young have fledged and now have to learn to come steal suet on their own. And the backyard is now full of Chipping Sparrows having produced another successful brood of young. Clarke County, Georgia Colossians 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Saturday, 7:17 AM - a full and busy day ahead, but still a short chance to BYOB (Birding Your Own Backyard) before the day starts. New yard sightings this morning: Eastern Wood Pewee and Orchard Oriole. Clarke County, GA 1 Chronicles 16:11 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Friday, 10:30 AM - As a high-schooler, I occasionally ‘played hookie’ to go off and do what I wanted to do. I suppose some of that rebellious curiosity hangs around in us as adults. Being a slow week, I left work early on Friday morning (at least I had permission, contrary to my high school days) and drove 45 minutes away to Dyar Pasture Wildlife Management Area in Greene County, Georgia. My mission: Roseate Spoonbills. Another eBird user posted several photos of these beautiful pink birds at the waterfowl impound. This would be another Life Bird photograph for me. And not only did I capture the Spoonbills, but I also nabbed a Yellow-crowned Night-heron. Although not a great photo, still another life bird shot. Dyar Pasture Wildlife Management Area Tree Frog hiding in tree bark at Dyar Pasture Wildlife Preserve, Georgia. The American green tree frog Hyla cinerea is a common backyard species, it is popular as a pet, and is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana. These frogs are found in the central and southeastern United States. Photographed at Dyar Pasture waterfowl preserve on Lake Oconee, GA, USA Proverbs 26:1 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. Thursday, 7:35 AM - What do you do on a totally overcast morning with light rain? Put a rain cover on your camera and go out any! The humid days bring stormy nights here in the southeastern United States. The rainfall from last evening has held on through the night into this morning. But I’ve made a personal challenge to go birding and shooting (photographs) every day throughout the month. So what do I do facing the light rain? Get out there anyway! I haven’t spent the money on a commercial rain cover yet. There are some real fancy ones out there that totally cover your camera but still allow you to look through the viewfinder. Some even have an opening for your hand to access the shutter button and controls! But I have found a simple grocery bag is good enough for the light rain. The other option is to use an umbrella. But if wildlife photography is your gig, like birding is mine, umbrellas and animal spotting don’t go together too well. And with an umbrella in one hand, you only have one hand to shoot. Again, wildlife shooting with a long lens probably won’t work well while holding an umbrella! So for me, the plastic bag will work for now. For some reason, as I take this expensive electronic equipment out into the rain, the song “The Fool on the Hill” by The Beatles is repeating in my mind. Perhaps it is a self-commentary as I foolishly wander in the rain with a camera looking for birds. But I'm not the only one out here. A juvenile Great Blue Heron, a bright white Great Egret, and a pretty Whitetailed doe are out enjoying the light rainfall. I got the shot and kept to my August goal of shooting every day! Walton County, Georgia What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. James 4:1-2 Thursday, 6:30 PM - August has arrived and the entire hoard of hummingbirds has as well! There were no less than five fiesty hummers buzzing the feeder and warring with each other this evening. Our one dominant female, "Myrtle", still strives to chase all the others away. The action is such a blur to the human eye, but a quick shutter speed reveals some brilliant fencing! Clarke County, GA Job 9:4 For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully? Wednesday, 8:01 AM - It’s a foggy, grey, overcast start to a new month. Last month‘s personal birding goal to have at least one eBird list per day with at least one photo per list was a fun challenge, however it left me with hundreds of low resolution “photos of record” not good for much else. It also left me with days and days of photographs without corresponding blogs. So what will August’s personal challenge be? Less photos and more blogging! But even though I’ve said that, I find myself out at 7:30 AM on eBird walk behind the office with my camera! And then what else? eBird announces the August contest: optics give-away for users with 50+ media posts. I guess I'll be taking a lot of photos again this month! Walton County, Georgia, USA 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 Large white Great Egret Ardea alba heron on pond in Monroe, Walton County, GA. A large, long-necked and long-legged wading bird with pure white plumage, the Great Egret has a long, yellow bill, and dark legs and feet. The great egret lives along salt and freshwater marshes, marshy ponds and tidal flats. Some Walton County, Georgia birding photography. I was blessed with beautiful lighting and a nice pose from an Orchard Oriole. The Great Egret was in its usual afternoon spot snapping up dragonflies and fish. 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 Shafts of golden light are highlighted and defined as they pass through the trees and cut diagonally across the mist hovering above the ground. The young Great Blue Heron stands pond-side immediately outside the back door on the main shelter pond. In his juvenile naïveté, he not only allowed an approach to within 40 feet, but he continued to walk closer and closer towards me. He got so close his head alone filled my camera frame without even zooming the lens. Walton County, Georgia If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him. Proverbs 17:24 Monday, 7:50 AM - As the fog and mist is beginning to lift at the dawn of a new day, a Great Egret is huddled motionless on the bank of the main pond. Perhaps, like me, he feels reluctant to jump into this Monday morning. Perhaps, like me, he is just a tad annoyed by the other cheery inhabitants that have already sprung into their day, flitting about here and there with their happy songs. But no doubt, as the morning progresses, the Great Egret will begin his full day of fishing. Another cup of coffee and I’ll be at my work too. Currently: Fog/Mist, 68°F. Today: slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. 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 Small Green Anole chameleon lizard in hand to show tiny size. The Carolina anole Anolis carolinensis is an arboreal lizard native to the southeastern United States. Other common names include the American green anole, American anole, and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green. As the sun crests the horizon in the east, golden rays are crashing through the mist and chasing out the damp morning air. A woodpecker's distant drumming upon a hollow snag signals a wake up call and the bird feeder becomes a hub of traffic. The smaller birds are waiting on the larger. A Pileated calls from across the meadow; as is usual, all voice, no sight. But a second calls from a snag in the east, silhouetted against the golden sunrise. A tiny, recently born Green Anole suns itself on the patio chair cushion across from me. Now it’s time to leave for church. Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. Small Green Anole chameleon lizard in hand to show tiny size. The Carolina anole Anolis carolinensis is an arboreal lizard native to the southeastern United States. Other common names include the American green anole, American anole, and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green. Small Green Anole chameleon lizard in hand to show tiny size. The Carolina anole Anolis carolinensis is an arboreal lizard native to the southeastern United States. Other common names include the American green anole, American anole, and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green. 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 Bright red male Northern Cardinal perched on birdseed feeder. Photo taken in summer in Clarke County, Athens, GA. The northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico Heavy rain and lightning ended my birding from 7:50 to 8:55 AM. But birds came back with gusto to the full feeders after the storm. Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Chipping Sparrow songbird perched on black oil sunflower seed bird feeder in backyard. Athens, Clarke County, GA. The chipping sparrow Spizella passerina is a species of American sparrow, a passerine bird in the family Passerellidae. It is widespread, fairly tame, and common across most of its North American range. Great Crested Flycatcher bird perched and singing in a Persimmon Tree. Athens, Clarke County, GA. The great crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus is a large insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. It is widespread in North America, and is found over most of the eastern and mid-western portions of the continent. It dwells mostly in the treetops and rarely is found on the ground. Great Crested Flycatcher bird perched and singing in a Persimmon Tree. Athens, Clarke County, GA. The great crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus is a large insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. It is widespread in North America, and is found over most of the eastern and mid-western portions of the continent. It dwells mostly in the treetops and rarely is found on the ground. 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 The Great Egret is a regular, late-summer visitor on the large pond behind the animal shelter in Monroe, Georgia. 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 The Brown-headed nuthatch is a regular visitor to by backyard bird feeders, whether suet or seed. Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. |
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