​Some critters are more accustomed to the presence of people than others. But it always amazes me when I come across an oddly acclimated bird within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. On my Fall 2022 paddling excursion, a curious Snowy Egret played leapfrog with my canoe for almost a mile!

It was a relaxing drift downstream along the Suwannee River heading from Mixon’s Hammock toward the Suwannee River Sill. A little way ahead I first spotted this fishing egret. Thinking it would fly off as soon as it spotted my canoe, I got a few shots from a distance. But surprisingly it stayed in place until I came quite close. Then it lifted off and flew about 100 feet ahead, again waiting for me. It did this leapfrogging several times and followed me nearly a mile back to The Sill.
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All the while it pretended to fish, but also kept a curious eye on me, giving me several great photographic opportunities. I suppose some birds have no reason to fear people. Perhaps others have migrated from a place where humans are a more common sight. I don’t know this Snowy’s story, but it certainly wanted to learn mine! 

One of my goals is to photograph as many different species as I can within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. When threats come against the sanctity of the Okefenokee, such as the current nearby mining efforts, I want my photographs to be a part in showing how many different species rely upon the Refuge.

So through all of my explorations to the Okefenokee, I have kept a species checklist and I’m always hoping to grab a new critter observation on each trip. But even after more than ten trips, some of the “easy” birds still evade my lens. Birds I commonly see everywhere else, such as Canada Geese and Blue Jays, just don’t show up when I’m within Refuge boundaries (although I hear those pesky Jays calling, they don’t come close enough for a photograph).

The Wood Stork, a signature bird of the swamp, had also become a nemesis bird for me within the Okefenokee boundaries. I’ve paddle miles and miles of canoe trails; I’ve taken several guided boat tours, I’ve what the trails and drove the wildlife drives, but no Wood Storks!
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But this was my trip! Before I even launched my canoe from the parking area of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area, a Wood Stork sat regally perched atop a tall Cypress. All those excursions deep into the Okefenokee in years past only to find my first Wood Stork within the Refuge near a parking lot! I also caught a second Stork photograph a little bit up the Suwannee River towards Mixon’s Hammock. I finally got my Stork! Now where are those Jays! Lol 

A few weeks before my October 2022 trip, I was told by a fellow iNaturalist user that the water levels were low in the Okefenokee, but I wasn’t prepared for what I found! When I arrived on in the Refuge on October 25, 2022, my first outing was to be on The Sill Recreation Area on the western side of the swamp just before the Stephen C Foster State Park campground. As soon as I turned the corner and the channel came in sight, I could see the waters were very low. The canal is typically deep and wide, but not now.

Normally it’s a short walk with my canoe from the parking lot to the water’s edge. There are even times where the lower parking lot is totally submerged. But today I had to drag my canoe about eighty feet just to reach the water’s edge! I had a feeling that paddling was going to be difficult and my trolling motor was out of the question in the low waters. 

The low water exposed some of the cypress stumps and debris usually concealed by the dark, tannin-stained blackwaters. I a few places, the pylons of the railroad tracks that once crossed areas of the swamp during the logging days of the early 1900’s were visible.

​My biggest hope upon seeing the low water was that the alligators and birds weren’t spread out through the swamp like they are in times of high water, but would be more concentrated along the lakes and canals for some prime photography. This was certainly the case. I shot twenty gators, a Great Blue Heron and Wood Stork along the Sill before even getting out of my vehicle! 

​My friends at church ask how I could dare to paddle the Okefenokee - especially alone! - with so many "monstrous alligators" lurking about. In my machismo, I'd love to feed the impressions of danger and dread by those not familiar with gators; fantasies conjured by dramatic YouTube videos and sensational news stories. But the truth is, those alligators don't really pose that big a threat!

Thousands upon thousands of alligators live at peace alongside people. The American Alligator can be found in ten states. Kent A. Vliet writes, "In fact, the alligator's range includes four of the top ten most populous states in the United States." Yes, they do congregate in our wildlife refuges and parks, but they can also be found without incident in neighborhood water retention ponds, roadside ditches and at times seem to be quite fond of golf courses! For those who live within the range of the alligator, they aren't the sharp-toothed predators lurking in the dark waters always ready to kill. They are simply another part of the landscape and get about as much notice as a local park Mallard. 

So while I'd love to tell folks some heart-pounding stories of my adventures through the Okefenokee Swamp while being assailed by fierce crocodilians, that just has never been the case. Most of the time, if they are brave enough to even stay in sight, they simply watch me drift by as I watch them. But that doesn't make a good story! 

​It’s time for a fall trip to my favorite destination: the Okefenokee Swamp! It’s been a long, busy summer so I’m happy to get away for a few days of absolute peace. I’ll be making a solo trip and hitting a few of the canoe trails that I haven’t covered yet. 

I plan to leave around 4 AM and make the drive down to arrive at the Stephen C Foster State Park and launch by 10 AM. I have a wilderness permit reserved for the Canal Run platorm the first night. I’ll be able to hit a section of the orange trail I haven’t yet explored (between Floyd's Island and the Suwannee Canal).
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After a night in the swamp, I’ll paddle back to Stephen C Foster State Park, load up and drive around the swamp to the eastern entrance at the Suwannee Canal Recreation area where I have a cabin rented at Okefenokee Pastimes for two nights. I’ll spend the next two days paddling an out-and-back down the pink trail to Monkey lake and then the green trail from Kingfisher Landing to Bluff Lake and back.

​My current species count (see https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/www-okefenokee-photography-by-william-wise) within the refuge stands at 266. It will be difficult to increase that count too much, but I’ll certainly be able to reach over 2,000 photographed observations within the great Okefenokee on this trip. Looking forward to it! 

I decided to spend eBird's October Big at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park in Augusta, Georgia. Not far from my vehicle, a spectacle played out overhead and a surprise appeared at my feet.  

I had just walked to the first wetland cell and an Osprey successfully dove for a fish. Almost immediately, a Bald Eagle materialized, swooping and diving after the Osprey's meal. Simultaneously while attempting to record this aerial battle, a Least Bittern flushed from the reeds near my feet. Being a life bird, I had to go after the bittern as well! I never saw how the eagle-osprey scene played out, but I did get some good shots of all. All this within the first 20 minutes. I knew it would be a good day! 

By the end of my 6 hour visit, I had logged 52 bird species, a dozen or more alligators, a Greensnake and a Ribbonsnake. Great day! 

"Maple" was a playful blue Pitbull puppy that was brought to the animal shelter as a stray. I had the pleasure of doing her adoption photography session on September 28, 2022 and she was saved by a rescue on October 5, 2022!

Other than a few birding trips, I haven't concentrated on backyard birding for the last few months. Late summer can be a bit unproductive, and way too hot, for birding to be enjoyable. But the mornings have cooled down and the fall migration has begun! ​

The Joro Spiders have begun to hatch and once again invade Georgia. Their large, strong, sticky three-dimensional webs have been going up on every power line, bush and tree throughout northeast Georgia over the last few weeks. 

First arriving in 2018, this invasive species has continued to spread throughout Georgia. iNaturalist spottings have now spread to Tennessee and the Carolinas. The single observations posted this year in outlying states will no doubt continue to spread over the next few years, unless something happens to control this invader.  

"Duke" was a handsome male Bluetick Coonhound mix that was picked up by an animal control officer on September 13, 2022. "Duke" and I had a Pet Rescue Furtography session on September 15, 2022. Coonhounds are always so photogenic and make my job much easier. No owner came to look for him and he was rescued by Atlanta Lab Rescue on September 20, 2022!

"Skipper" was a sweet female Beagle and hound mix that was surrendered to the animal shelter by her owner on September 14, 2022. I did her Furtography session on September 15 and she was rescued by MACS Friends the next day!

"Elmer" was a big male Pitbull Terrier dog that was picked up stray by an animal control officer on August 1, 2022. We had an outdoor pet adoption photography session on August 3 and he was rescued on August 12, 2022!

After a full week in the mountains of Park City, Utah, it was time to head back home to Georgia. On our way to the airport, we decided to stop in Salt Lake City; for how could we come to Utah and not see the Great Salt Lake? 

I suppose it is my fault for never studying the Great Salt Lake, or even looking at photos before, but I must admit that I was a bit let down. It certainly wasn't the most attractive landscape I've looked upon. Perhaps it was just the time I was visiting, but the water was low, stagnant and smelled pretty bad. Besides gulls, the only other abundant wildlife were thousands upon thousands of brine flies. 

Maybe I'm not being fair, and maybe I'll be back again on a better day, but I'm quite glad we chose Park City over Salt Lake City for our weeklong vacation!