Okefenokee Sill Alligators and Birding

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

A Snowy Egret watches a large American Alligator basking in the sun on cypress driftwood at The Sill Recreation Area Dam in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.

 While I thoroughly enjoy any season in the Okefenokee Swamp, I felt as if I had “struck out” with wildlife observations on my November 2021 trip. Particularly with alligators. I had only seen a dozen or so in three days. So before heading home, I knew where to go: The Sill!

Its an 85 mile drive around the Okefenokee to get from the eastern entrance to the Suwannee River Sill on the western side. You head south into Florida, then across the bottom of the Okefenokee along the Georgia/Florida line, and back north to Fargo. The Sill is off Highway 77 just before the Stephen C Foster State Park.

The Sill isn’t very attractive for landscape photography, and isn’t very exciting for swamp exploration. It is a long, straight, manmade canal with little vegetation. But those deep waters and clear banks usually mean alligators basking in the sun. In fact, I’ve seen some of the biggest alligators in all my visits laying out along The Sill.
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My short paddle of almost four hours resulted in more photographs and more diversity than the previous two days. Even though it was a cool fall day, there were plenty of alligators basking and swimming. The Sill never lets me down for alligators... I spotted over thirty! I even got an Okefenokee Lifer, a Southern Ringneck Snake (although DOA on the road). 

Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.
- Sunny, with a high near 66F.
- Sunrise 6:56 AM; Sunset 5:31 PM
- Daylight hours: 10 hours, 35 minutes (-1m 23s)
- Moon 80% Waxing Gibbous

Close up of American Alligator jaw, neck, eye and scales. Wildlife photography in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.