 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  A large, vibrantly blue bunting with an enormous silver bill and chestnut wingbars. The male Blue Grosbeak sings a rich, warbling song from trees and roadside wires. He and his cinnamon-colored mate often raise two broods of nestlings in a single breeding season. They are widespread but not abundant across the southern U.S., and are expanding their range. Blue Grosbeaks are heavily parasitized by cowbirds, which lay their own eggs in the grosbeak’s nests. Saturday, 8:01 AM – A gray, but brightening sky. A layer of lowering fog has filtered the sunrise. It’s a little damp, but 66°. Having a pre-run cup of coffee on my back patio. An Eastern Phoebe takes a bath in the dew-laden grass. Some of the usual birds are at the feeders: chickadees, cardinals, titmice… but a few unusual visitors have passed through this morning as well. First, a pale gray Opossum, his fine fur damp from the morning dew, ambles across the backyard. He trotted from near the firewood stack, off to the right and out into the woods behind my shed. Next, a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird stops for a quick drink at the nectar feeder. The last several years, the female hummers were “regular” visitors. But not so this year. I’ve only seen this male make occasional visits, such as this morning. And the last uncommon visitors were a pair of Blue Groskbeaks. My wife joined me with a cup of coffee when I saw some blue at the seed feeder. I quickly went inside for my telephoto and confirmed the sighting. I tried to tiptoe through the wet grass for a closer shot, but spooked them both off. Athens, Georgia  Female Blue Grosbeak; Clarke County, Georgia 
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 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 Carolina Anole. Other common names American green anole and red-throated anole. Athens, Georgia. USA Saturday, 4:21 PM - The day started off damp and gray after the thunderstorms last night. Although it was 65 degrees, it felt a tad cool on my back patio this morning. Still not seeing any regular appearances by the female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds this year; just an occasional male. The Chipping Sparrows have begun building a nest in Crepe Myrtle tree by my grill. My regular Anoles scurry around. How many green Carolina Anoles can I photograph on my back patio? As many as I want! Just because something is common, doesn't mean it isn't intriquing and wonderful to behold! I had fun watching this one. Instead of scurrying away from me, He kept doing his "push-ups" and enlarging his pink dewlap. It is obvious my back patio is his territory to protect. I'm glad he allows me some time to relax out here every once in a while! Athens, Georgia  Small green Carolina Anole. Other common names American green anole and red-throated anole. Athens, Georgia. USA  Small green Carolina Anole. Other common names American green anole and red-throated anole. Athens, Georgia. USA  Small green Carolina Anole. Other common names American green anole and red-throated anole. Athens, 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 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised. In many of my nature journal blog entries from Walton County I refer to the "upper pond." This is a smaller, more secluded pond that lies a few hundred yards past the main retention pond behind my office. Some of the more skittish birds are seen on this pond as it is less frequently disturbed by people.  Sunrise over one of my main birding spots behind my office in Walton County, Georgia. Friday, 7:38 AM.  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  Fox Squirrel; Oconee County, Georgia. Friday, 4:10 PM - While passing through Watkinsville on my back-roads drive home from work, another black squirrel caught my eye. I am used to only seeing the Eastern Gray Squirrels in my area. On my last encounter, I wasn’t quite ready and only managed some blurry shots. But this guy was different. He was standing on his rear legs under an oak tree on the right hand side of the road as I passed by. Wanting a better shot, I turned the truck around and headed back. Upon returning, he had crossed the road into the front yard of a nice, rustic, country home.  Black Fox Squirrel, Watkinsville, Georgia, USA. Surprisingly, he didn’t take off when I pulled into the gravel driveway. I fired a few shots from the open truck window. I didn’t want to push my luck, but I put it in park and opened my door. Still, he didn’t take off! I was then able to come around the front of the truck. He stood posed with an acorn in his mouth! This guy was so compliant I was able to pull use two lenses! He watched and waited while I switched to my 300mm lens. I really didn’t want to miss documenting this encounter! Not seeing many Fox Squirrels in my area, I thought my last encounter was a melanistic Eastern Gray. But after sharing my encounter on iNaturalist, I found that Fox Squirrels aren’t too rare for this area. Watkinsville, Oconee County, Georgia  Black squirrel with acorn in mouth. The black squirrel occurs as a melanistic subgroup of both the eastern gray squirrel and the fox squirrel. Watkinsville, GA, 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  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; Georgia birding. Life bird.
 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  Two Common Grackles involved in a territorial fight. Walton County, GA. Monday, 10:09 AM - Long, strong pointed weapons engaged in battle... scrapping, grabbing, pinning to the ground... exertions of force and dominance. No, this wasn’t the inside of the Amphitheatrum Flavium in Rome, but the grass just outside the back door of my office. Two Common Grackles engaged in combat, hardly noticing my appearance. One source states, “Dominance disputes may be resolved by physical combat including bill-fencing, pecking and clawing.” That is putting it mildly! Just after they flew off, a coworker observing the battle along with me said, “You don’t see that every day.” 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  Blue Jay songbird perched on railroad ties. Cyanocitta cristata. Blue and gray feathers. Walton County, Monroe, Georgia. USA A very bright, warm, sunny afternoon just before quitting time. I took a walk up to the Sheriff's firing range for some quick birding. A mockingbird stood panting in the heat on a dirt pile, and hopping around on the pile of railroad ties was a beautiful Blue Jay. Many birders consider these guys to be bullies or pests because they may eat the eggs of other birds. This particular individual seemed more content to spy out insects in the grass from a perch, hop down for a bite, then hop back up to scan the green blades for more. I sat a couple of minutes and watched him forage. -Walton County, Georgia  Northern Mockingbird songbird, Mimus polyglottos, on grassy hill, Walton County, Monroe, 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  Green Anole lizard; Clarke County, Georgia. The Green Anoles uses the pink dewlap in establishing territory. He will also bob up and down, or do push-ups, as part of this territorial display.
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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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