 William Wise Photo 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, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Wooden boardwalk and deck over the springs at Magnolia Springs State Park in Georgia. The park is well known for this crystal clear springs that are estimated to flow 7 million gallons per day. Wildlife near the springs include alligators, turtles, and a variety of birds and fish. Magnolia Springs State Park in Georgia turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It is the perfect location for a wildlife photographer to bring the family along. For the photographer: Spanish Moss waving in the tall pines, a lake lined with lily pads sporting beautiful large white blooms, alligators, wading birds. For the family: nice campsites, a splash pad for the kids, canoe rentals.  Alligtor basking on bank in Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia Magnolia Springs State Park was a short, 2-night, quickly planned birthday trip to another Georgia State Park; our 21st State Park visit. Because the actual ‘days in the field’ were so short, it really seemed to emphasize the processes of planning, packing, pitching. I believe camping can build life skills in kids if you let them be a part of the process. There is a fine balance of preparation and thought that goes into a multi-day outdoor excursion. Each and every meal requires previous thought, you have to be sure to have enough, and you must even be careful not to over pack.  Panorama Shot of Large Basking Alligator shot in Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia We arrived on my birthday, which happened to be Memorial Day, and the park was packed with picnickers. However, as we entered the campground at the back half of the park, the grounds were now nearly vacated. It seemed everyone else had come for a 3-day weekend, Friday to Monday trip. But rather wishing to skip work than miss church, we took the Monday to Wednesday option and thus missed the crowds. We drove into the four “walk-in” tent sites and set up our solitary campsite. We were the only walk-in campers and had the area to ourselves. It was somewhat back in the woods off RV Central and gave a feeling of secluded camping, but with the amenities of a spigot and fire ring. One of the best parts of our trip was breakfast. Lunch and dinner might be less of an affair than those at home, but not breakfast. Not to be thwarted by a briefly malfunctioning propane canister, the aroma of eggs and bacon were quickly filling our little woodland retreat.  White phase Immature Little Blue Heron Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia The park itself turned out to be a pleasant little park. It isn’t a mountainous woodland retreat like some in north Georgia, but also didn’t have that small city park feel. The area was mainly flat and open with tall, longleaf pines standing throughout. Spanish Moss waved in the trees projecting a Heartland of the South feel. The lake wasn’t too large, but was rimmed with beautiful bright green lily pads with large white blooms that opened and closed corresponding to the heat of the day. Megan couldn’t wait to get into the canoe for a closer look and to hopefully have her daddy pick some of the beautiful blooms. We also had fun exploring the Civil War remnants of Fort Lawton while looking for the geocache coordinates encoded in the educational kiosks.  Young American Alligator basking on bank in Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia Being a somewhat busy state park, the wildlife was somewhat accustomed to humans and thereby made the photography easier. I knew there would be some alligators at the park, but it was better than I expected. They were more numerous, and larger, than I anticipated for a small spring and creek in this part of the state.  Young Alligator basking on bank in Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia The spring for which the park gets its name was truly an awe inspiring spectacle pumping out millions of clean, pure gallons of water each day. The water was so clear and you could clearly see the underwater cave from which the underground spring flowed. And I had probably never seen such a huge concentration of turtles in one small area. Definitely a nice park for a day visit or even a short camping trip.  Wooden sign at the springs at Magnolia Springs State Park in Georgia. The park is well known for this crystal clear springs that are estimated to flow 7 million gallons per day. Wildlife near the springs include alligators, turtles, and a variety of birds and fish.  Alligtor basking on bank in Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia  Large American Alligator swimming in the swamp at Magnolia Springs State Park Georgia
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William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Hosea 2:18 In that day I will also make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, The birds of the sky, And the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, And will make them lie down in safety.  Backyard garden yellow day lily flowers with blue background. Athens, Georgia. 7:53 AM - just enjoying a peaceful, early, Sunday morning cup of coffee on my back patio; my eye caught by a beautiful backlit golden glow of sunrise on the Yuccas and Day Lilies.  Backyard garden green Yucca fronds with blue background. Athens, Georgia.
William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- Isaiah 24:1-6 The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.  American Crow against blue sky and clouds in Monroe Georgia While visiting my brother-in-laws house in Lawrenceville, I decided to take a walk after a large lunch. From over my shoulder I heard loud, disturbing screeching and squawking from a young bird. As I turned, coming up over my head was a large American Crow flying with two screeching Mockingbirds in pursuit. Hanging from the Crows beak were the long, dangling legs of a baby Mockingbird. I had read that Crows and Jays would raid other birds’ nests and make meals of their young, but this was the first time I had directly observed it. All flew out of site and I never saw the end of the spectacle. Lawrenceville, Georgia  William Wise Photo 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  Photo #201505061 5:11 PM - While driving home from work this afternoon I spotted a strange creature at the 1 mile marker east of Good Hope on Highway 186. Just along the road’s edge on that wooded stretch of pavement was a small black critter. Going too fast for a clear look, I thought it may be a skunk and decided to turn around for a photo. As I re-approached, the long, slender critter was sitting up on its haunches. A weasel? An otter? A ferret? As I slowed and raised my lens, it bounded back to the woods with the characteristic movements of a Gray Squirrel…. only it was black! I was only able to fire some quick shots while raising the camera. My movement, and his quick scuttle away made for some poor quality shots. But it is evident that I saw a black squirrel! Was it a Fox Squirrel? A melanistic Eastern Gray Squirrel? A hybrid of both? Walton County, Georgia  Photo #201505062  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s 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  Mallard; photo #201505059 12:39 PM - During lunch break at work, I made more attempts at some flight shots of the shelter pond Mallards. The best I could manage was a few “coming-in-for-landing” shots. I managed one nice photo as a Mallard flew off. I love the combined blue hues of wings and water. Walton County, Georgia Amanda and I took out the canoe for its first voyage under our ownership. We bought it from the Braswell's during the neighborhood garage sale. It was just a short trial, for we did not want to miss outreach. Lifting it to the top of the Acadia proved harder than I had imagined. Nevertheless, we got it up there and made our way to Sandy Creek Park. We paddled Lake Chapman from the boat launch and headed up the lake. We passed several herons, including on gliding gracefully just above the water’s surface, his wing tips producing small circles in the glasslike surface of the calm water. A Green Heron flew by at a distance, and an Osprey patrolled briefly overhead. We spotted three ducks that from a distance looked like Ruddy Ducks. We also came upon a mother duck with at least 10 small ducklings in tow as we reached the more secluded far end of the lake. As we sat in the shade of overhanging boughs, a river otter swam back and forth with a mouthful of vegetation. All these critters made their appearance because they somehow knew I didn’t bring my camera!
William Wise Photo 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, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  One of the animal control officers brought me a young Copperhead they picked up on a 911 call. I'll have to grow this guy and use him in my Creation Speaks talks! Walton County, Georgia  William Wise Photo 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, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Summer Tanager; photo #201505063 Almost mistaking it for just another Cardinal, I nearly missed the appearance of a Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) to our backyard oasis. It sat in the “climbing pine” for just a moment and flew off, not stopping at the feeders. I spotted it again after work on May 12 at 6:19 PM and only managed to get a poor photo.
Athens-Clarke County, Georgia 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.”  Brightly colored male House Finch. Backyard Garden birding in Athens , Georgia. The House Finches have grown quite common and numerous around our house. One pair was desperately trying to build a nest in the decorative wreath hanging on our front door. Each time Lidia would hear the tell-tale scratching on the door, she would swing it wide open with a hiss. After enough of these disturbances, they finally elected to relocate and placed their nest atop one of the front porch pillars. However, within a few weeks the next was blown down from the windy springtime storms.  'Pencil Sketch' rendering in Photoshop of a nesting House Finch Photo |
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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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