I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders.  William Wise Photography’s Creation Speaks is a Biblical teaching ministry that uses nature writing and photography to glorify our Creator and teach the truth of 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 “I feel like I’m beating my head against the wall.” Obviously, that’s an expression we use to describe a pointless pursuit that accomplishes nothing but pain. However, it is an action that a woodpecker does on purpose… and apparently by design!  Red-headed Woodpecker; Greene County, Georgia. June 13, 2020. “God’s plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.” Psalm 33:12, The Message Sitting on my parent's back patio this afternoon, I marveled to watch two Red-headed Woodpeckers hammer away… chunks of bark and wood flying everywhere. I could only imagine how much my brain would be rattled if I were to try it myself. With all the concerns about concussions in high school and college athletes, it is clearly something humans weren’t designed to do. But that is not true of the woodpeckers. The ability to hammer on hard objects with the front of their face is undoubtedly designed by a Creator. In Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation, Dennis Peterson writes, “The woodpecker is totally different from other birds. Every part of his body is especially fitted for drilling into wood.” The woodpecker’s beak alone is designed for the job. It is harder than that of other birds, and the base of the bill is fitted with a shock-absorbing tissue not found in some other species. To go along with a beak designed for drilling, the woodpecker has a specialized tongue. Fashioned to fit into those freshly drilled holes, the woodpecker’s tongue is four times longer than the beak and wraps around the back of the bird’s skull!
The tail, legs and claws are also specialized designs to help the woodpecker hold in place during his jack-hammer feeding sessions. And a keen sense of smell helps the woodpecker determine the precise drilling point to maximize the chance of excavating an insect. All these wonderfully engineered traits could only come about by design. Partially evolved traits in a primitive ancestor would only result in broken beaks and a lot of headaches! These features are obviously designed to the woodpecker’s advantage and keep it from pointlessly beating his head against the wall!
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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  Female nesting Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta, laying eggs. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 12, 2020. On a mid-morning walk I came across a beautiful Painted Turtle in the midst of digging a nest to lay her eggs. She was up on some dryer ground at the edge of the beaver wetlands. Her mud-covered, brown shell blended in so well with the dirt and leaf litter that I nearly stepped on her. Chrysemys picta digs her nest with her rear feet while moistening the ground with water from her bladder. The entire process of digging and laying the eggs reportedly can up to four hours. I backed off a bit and used my long lens in order to not disturb her long labor. - Walton County, Georgia   Female nesting Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta, laying eggs. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 12, 2020.   Cute fluffy female gray tabby kitten with long whiskers, four months old. Humane society animal shelter pet adoption photo. Cat rescue. Stock sales support animal adoption website. Summertime is upon us and kitten season is in full swing. In just a matter of hours the shelter can receive well over 15 kittens. Finding homes for them all is always a challenge. But thankfully there are a few local rescues that are bailing out the shelter kitties. "KitKat" and "Kelly" were from a litter of five that were rescued by Altered Feral State rescue on June 12, 2020.  Male brown tabby striped kitten, four months old. Humane society animal shelter pet adoption photo. Cat rescue. Stock sales support animal adoption website. 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  Least Tern; Walton County, Georgia. It certainly seems like summer on the pond here in Walton County. Dragonflies, turtles, and terns… Wait? Did you say tern? There aren’t any terns this far inland. That’s what I thought until I saw a long-winged bird lapping over the retention pond! Right away I knew I was seeing something different. I dumped my coffee and ran back to my office for my camera. I spent 45 minutes photographing it, attempting to get a few dive shots. At my current tern identification skill level (or lack thereof), I knew I'd need some help with its identification. I posted it on iNaturalist and emailed a prominant birder in the area. It was identified as a Least Tern and all were just as startled to see one so far inland... perhaps a Walton County record! I sat for 45 minutes watching and photographing. I made sure to get some landmark shots and video too! It got some real interesting comments and observations on iNaturalist too. - 81°F, Humidity 61%. Sunny, with a high near 87. West wind around 5 mph. 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  Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, is found in eastern North America. Lucanidae have large mandibles that resemble deer antlers. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 9, 2020. “I’m not much of a bug guy.” Yep, I said that. A few months back I made that statement when emailing a photographer friend. And he throws it back in my face in jest each time I post a new insect shot! However, I really can’t help it when these bugs keep crawling, flying or landing right in front of my lens! But what’s really bugging me is how much a new photography interest can cost.  Beautiful Widow Skimmer Dragonfly, Libellula luctuosa, near a pond in Walton County, Georgia. A common king skimmer found throughout the United States. June 5, 2020. I started off in the ‘90s as a reptile fanatic, mostly snakes and alligators. My 300mm lens was just fine for many years. Then in 2015, my eyes were opened to the world of birds. And, of course, I had to buy more equipment! I had to get that super-telephoto to give me the reach. And certainly I had to have more frames-per-second, so a higher end DSLR was “needed”.  Big brown Carolina Grasshopper, Dissosteira carolina, is one of the largest grasshoppers in North America. Also called Carolina Locust, Black-winged grasshopper, or Road Duster. Grasshoppers and locusts may cause farm crop damage and impact agricultural industry. Photographed in Georgia USA. So I’m sure if this “bug photography” stuff continues, I’ll be looking to buy more macro-lenses and whatever else might go along with insect photography. Then what’s next? Drones? Camera traps? But hey, other hobbies can be just as expensive, right?!  Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, is found in eastern North America. Lucanidae have large mandibles that resemble deer antlers. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 9, 2020.  Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, is found in eastern North America. Lucanidae have large mandibles that resemble deer antlers. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 9, 2020.  Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, is found in eastern North America. Lucanidae have large mandibles that resemble deer antlers. Photographed in Walton County, Georgia, United States; June 9, 2020.  Waltonpets Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dog photography and cat photography at the Walton County Animal Control Shelter in Monroe, Georgia.  Happy brindle Dutch Shepherd and Akita mix breed dog. Adoption rescue photography for humane society animal shelter. Please don't steal my images. Stock photo sales support waltonpets.net adoption website annual fees. ©www.williamwisephoto.com "Amber" was a happy Akita and Ductch Shepherd mix (that's a guess!) that was brought to the animal shelter as a stray on June 2, 2020. No owner came to claim her and she was adopted into a new home on June 9. Her wonderful adopter sent an update: Hey there, thought y’all might like to see how this girl is doing. She's been great! My little boy loves her and she is very good with him. We will be working on socializing her with other dogs. Took her to the vet only thing wrong was she has a pretty bad ear infection. But no worries, with some medicine she will be just fine. Thank y’all again. Crystal  Happy brindle Dutch Shepherd and Akita mix breed dog. Adoption rescue photography for humane society animal shelter. Please don't steal my images. Stock photo sales support waltonpets.net adoption website annual fees. ©www.williamwisephoto.com I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders. Creation Speaks is a Biblical teaching ministry that uses nature writing and photography to glorify our Creator and teach the truth of 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  The Gambel`s quail, Callipepla gambelii, is a small ground-dwelling bird. It inhabits the desert regions of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Sonora. Photographed in Sweetwater Wetlands Park, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona. It is a stream riparian oasis in the southwestern desert. Photographed in June 2018. Isaiah 35:5-7 “Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song. Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain. Even lowly jackals will have water to drink, and barren grasslands flourish richly.” In the midst of dry, heat-baked Tucson, Arizona there is a lush, green, water-filled oasis. This birding and wildlife hotspot is called Sweetwater Wetlands. Over 300 species of birds have been listed in this riparian paradise. Having visited three times, I was amazed at the number of birds and other critters that can be spotted in under an hour. It is a place of refuge and provision, even as the Arizona heat soars above 100 degrees. Sweetwater Wetlands is a man-made wetland created from reclaimed waste water that is pumped into a series of pools and streams. Willows and Cottonwoods provide shade and perches; a thick green, organic covering lies over the water’s surface; gravel paths circumnavigate the cattail, bulrush and willow lined ponds. Based upon the number of bird species, and the number of birders that visit the park, it is a welcoming habitat for all.  American Coot, Fulica americana, on nest in cattail and duckweed pond. Also known as a mud hen. Though commonly mistaken to be ducks, American coots belong to a distinct order. Sweetwater Wetlands is a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona. Photographed in June 2018. Even we humans need a welcoming refuge! History has always had its ups and downs; from times of prosperity to periods of drought and devastation. The United States alone, in its relatively brief history of existence, has fought in over 120 wars! And on the personal level, our lives can be filled with the vacillations of economic hardships, medical issues, and relationship dramas. It is for this reason that Jesus spoke the words, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
But just like the man-made desert oasis provided by Sweetwater Wetlands, there is a God-made oasis in the parched desert of this world: that oasis is the church! Through all the riot and uproar of the centuries, the church has always stood as a beacon and refuge for ailing humanity. Like the reclaimed wastewater of Sweetwater, the church is filled with men and women whose once wasted lives have been redeemed, repurposed, and renewed by the blood of the Lamb! As the nations rage and people plot in vain (Psalms 2), the church cannot be silent. We must stand together, as the church as has always stood, and welcome the weary into the refuge of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can quench the thirst of hurting man in this world, and in the world to come. 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 bright blue male Blue Grosbeak songbird, Passerina caerulea, perched in a plant in Walton County, Georgia. June 8, 2020. A migratory bird found in the southern half of the United States. At this point, “the quarantine blues” has almost become an overused cliché. But being a bit of a self-isolationist even before coronavirus swept the world, there were days I didn’t mind the peace and solitude away from the hectic life. I was still able to keep my morning and evening appointments with nature, and some days those meanderings kept me a little bit longer, and took me a little bit further with some of the extra time on my hands. But on my birding walk this morning, I was seeing blue! Not that melancholy mood that inspired an entire genre of music, but literally seeing some beautiful, vibrant blues in nature! The azure dawn set the backdrop. My attention was first drawn by several Blue Grosbeak’s calling. The males, as the name indicates, are a deep blue. A bit further down the graven road, a Blue-gray Gnatacther frolicked while a Great Blue Heron took flight, passing right before my lens! An Eastern Bluebird was hawking insects while an Indigo Bunting sang in the tall pines. Blue bird blues! Walton County, Georgia  A large Great Blue Heron wading bird flying with wings flapping over a Walton County, Georgia pond. The great blue heron, Ardea herodias, is a large wading bird found fishing in ponds, lakes and wetlands over most of North America. June 8, 2020.  A large Great Blue Heron wading bird flying with wings flapping over a Walton County, Georgia pond. The great blue heron, Ardea herodias, is a large wading bird found fishing in ponds, lakes and wetlands over most of North America. June 8, 2020. 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 red male House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, songbird perched on barbed wire. Birding in Walton County, Georgia on June 5, 2020. Common bird in North America.  A red male House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, songbird perched on barbed wire. Birding in Walton County, Georgia on June 5, 2020. Common bird in North America. Vertical composition.  Waltonpets Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dog photography and cat photography at the Walton County Animal Control Shelter in Monroe, Georgia.  Brindle and white eight month old bulldog mix puppy with one floppy ear outside on leash for animal shelter adoption rescue photography. Stock sales support animal adoption website. "Eli" was a happy pitbull puppy, about 8-months old, that was surrendered to the animal shelter on June 3, 2020. At first, the lady said he was a stray dog they had found. But another woman out in the car said he belonged to her brother. I can't figure out why so many people don't tell the full story when surrendering their pets. Perhaps it is to avoid some guilt or accountability. But it really hampers the shelter's efforts to re-home the animals when all the information about a pet isn't given at intake. "Eli" proved to be a sweet pup and it showed in his video. He was adopted the day after being surrendered!  Brindle and white eight month old bulldog mix puppy with one floppy ear outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption rescue photography. Stock sales support pet adoption website.  Brindle and white eight month old bulldog mix puppy canine dog with one floppy ear, one erect ear, and pink nose outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption rescue photography. Stock sales support pet adoption website.  Happy panting brindle and white eight month old bulldog mix puppy canine dog with one floppy ear, one erect ear, and pink nose outside on leash for humane society animal shelter adoption rescue photography. Stock sales support pet adoption website. I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for guest posting this blog! Lee's website is about birding from a Christian perspective and has years of articles and content from Lee and other creationists and birders. William Wise Photography’s Creation Speaks is a Biblical teaching ministry that uses nature writing and photography to glorify our Creator and teach the truth of 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  White Winged Zenaida asiatica Dove in Driftwood, Texas. June 21, 2012. “What kind of bird is that?” my young daughter asked, pointing up into the tree. “It’s a White-winged Dove.” After giving a short species account, I went on to explain, “For many, the dove represents peace. And in the Bible it often represents the Holy Spirit.” “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him...” - Luke 3:22 When she asked what kind it was, I knew what she meant: she was asking what species of bird sat perched before us. But being a Christian that believes in the six-day creation account of Genesis, her use of the word “kind” brought another thought to my mind. The Bible reveals that on Days Five and Six of the creation week, God created all the living creatures. The text of Genesis one divides them into groups, or kinds, such as sea creatures, winged creatures, cattle, and beasts. And within those broad groups were a further breakdown of kinds. In other words, within the winged fowl, the birds could be categorized into smaller groups. “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind:” - Genesis 1:21 While Baraminologists (scientists that study created kinds) aren’t sure of the specific groupings, perhaps the kinds of birds are similar to what you find the index of your favorite Field Guide: long-legged waders, ducks, seabirds and gulls, raptors, passerines, etc. Modern day science labels them by genus and species. The Bible calls them kinds. But when it came to the creation account of mankind, the language of the Bible makes a change. As Adam awoke from the dust of the earth, the repeated phrase “after his kind” did not appear. Instead, we read, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). From the very beginning, we can see the truth that humans are not broken down into different kinds, but all mankind is one kind! There was only one man in the beginning, and all others have descended from Adam. Grouping people into kinds, or races as we call them today, is purely a human invention. And racism is most certainly a human invention! The Bible is quite clear that all humans are related; all are of one blood. “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). While most people know Charles Darwin’s book is titled, The Origin of Species, many do not know the full title: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.” It was evolutionary theory that propelled the idea to divide human beings into races. Evolution teaches that the different “races” of people evolved at different times and rates, so some groups are more like their ape-like ancestors than others. That is man’s system of taxonomy. But in God’s system, all men and women are of the same kind; all are of the same standing and worth no matter the differences in appearance. No single people group is better than another. All are equal. In fact, the value of something is based upon the price someone is willing to pay for it. Jesus Christ paid the price of His life and blood equally for all human beings. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” -1 John 3:16 Race is purely a discriminatory classification system concocted by humans themselves. In God’s order, there is no such thing as race, and therefore absolutely no grounds for racism! “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12-13).
Rescue Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dogs and cats photography for adoption at the animal control shelter.
Happy tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix breed dog outside on leash wagging tail. Canine pet rescue photo for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
"Copper" was turned in stray to the animal shelter on May 27, 2020. He didn't have a tag or microchip, but his owner called after seeing him on the adoption website. He was reunited with his family on June 2, 2020.
Happy tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix breed dog laying down outside on leash. Canine pet rescue photo for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
Happy tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix breed dog laying down outside on leash. Canine pet rescue photo for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
Happy tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix breed dog outside on leash with panting tongue. Canine pet rescue photo for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
Happy tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix breed dog outside on leash wagging tail. Negative copy space. Canine pet rescue photo for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
Tan male Shepherd Pitbull mix dog outside on collar and leash wagging tail for rescue adoption pet photo blog. Stock sales support humane society adoption website.
 Waltonpets Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dog photography and cat photography at the Walton County Animal Control Shelter in Monroe, Georgia.  Gorgeous eight month old young female German Shepherd Dog with erect ears and panting tongue outside on leash, sit on command. Stock sales support humane society adoption website. "Blaze" was a beautiful, young German Shepherd puppy that came into the animal shelter as a stray on May 28, 2020. I knew she would be popular, but wasn't prepared for the 30 adoption applications that were submitted in just a few days. And I was again shocked that no owner came forward to claim her. She made one lucky family very happy when she was adopted into their home on June 1, 2020.  Gorgeous eight month old young female German Shepherd Dog with erect ears and panting tongue outside on leash, sit on command. Stock sales support humane society adoption website.  Gorgeous eight month old young female German Shepherd Dog with erect ears and panting tongue outside on leash, sit on command. Stock sales support humane society adoption website.  Gorgeous eight month old young female German Shepherd Dog with erect ears and panting tongue outside on leash, sit on command. Stock sales support humane society adoption website. 
Rescue Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dogs and cats photography for adoption at the animal control shelter.
Bluenose gray and white neutered male pit bull terrier dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photograph for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support animal adoption website.
They say every dog has his day, and Murry finally got his! Murry was picked up stray on May 22, 2020. He was already neutered, but no owner ever came looking for him. Things were looking bleak because Murry needed to go to a home without other pets, and that severely limits things. But he finally found a match when a couple spotted his post in the internet and came to meet him. They didn't have any other pets at home, so Murry would have their undivided attention! He was adopted on June 1, 2020.
Bluenose gray and white neutered male pit bull terrier dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photograph for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support animal adoption website.
Bluenose gray and white neutered male pit bull terrier dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photograph for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support animal adoption website.
Bluenose gray and white neutered male pit bull terrier dog outside on leash. Dog rescue pet adoption photograph for humane society animal shelter. Stock sales support animal adoption website.
Rescue Furtography Blog is an animal shelter pet photography blog of dogs and cats photography for adoption at the animal control shelter.
Spayed female blue Pitbull Terrier bulldog named Sky outside on leash for waltonpets dog rescue pet adoption photo. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
"Sky" was a pretty spayed blue Pitbull dog that was surrendered to the animal shelter on May 27, 2020. Her owner was being deployed by the military and couldn't take her along. She was adopted by a wonderful family the following day before I had a chance to even edit and post her glamour photos and video!
Spayed female gray and white Pitbull Terrier dog outside on leash. Pet adoption dog rescue photo for humane society animal control shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
Spayed female gray and white Pitbull Terrier dog outside on leash. Pet adoption dog rescue photo for humane society animal control shelter. Stock sales support pet adoption website.
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 All content is ©williamwisephoto.com. Please don't steal images. My images are available at dreamstime.com. Stock sales go into the shelter photography program.
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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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Donations help support the animal shelter adoption photography equipment and adoption website hosting and domain fees. Thanks for your support!
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