 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  Sunning alligator reflected in blackwater Okefenokee swamp. Billy`s Lake on the Suwannee River canoe kayak trail. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Photographed May 2020. "THE alligator when full grown is a very large and terrible creature, and of prodigous strength, activity and swiftness in the water. I have seen them twenty feet in length, and some are supposed to be twenty-two or twenty-three feet; their body is as large as that of a horse; their shape exactly resembles that of a lizard, except their tail, which is flat or cuniform, being compressed on each side, and gradually diminishing from the abdomen to the extremity, which, with the whole body is covered with horny plates or squammae, impenetrable when on the body of the live animal, even to a rifle ball, except about their head and just behind their fore-legs or arms, where it is said they are only vulnerable. The head of a full grown one is about three feet, and the mouth opens nearly the same length, the eyes are small in proportion and seem sunk deep in the head, by means of the prominency of the brows; the nostrils are large, inflated and prominent on the top, so that the head in the water, resembles, at a distance, a great chunk of wood floating about. Only the upper jaw moves, which they raise almost perpendicular, so as to form a right angle with the lower one. In the fore part of the upper jaw, on each side, just under the nostrils, are two very large, thick, strong teeth or tusks, not very sharp, but rather the shape of a cone, these are as white as the finest polished ivory, and are not covered by any skin or lips, and always in sight, which gives the creature a frightful appearance; in the lower jaw are holes opposite to these teeth, to receive them; when they clap their jaws together it causes a surprising noise, like that which is made by forcing a heavy plank with violence upon the ground, and may be heard at a great distance." -William Bartram's Travels, Part II, Chapter V William Bartram was a botantist, artist, and nature writer that explored the southeastern United States around the time of the American Revolution (1773-1776). He was a scientist, creationist and Christian that gave glory to the Author for all the wonderful works he observed and documented in his book, Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. 
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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
Kayak Canoe trail direction sign for River Narrows and Suwannee Sill in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. May 2020.
Between the open skies of Billy’s Lake and the prairie landscape of Mixon’s Hammock lies a twisting, constricted canoe trail called The Narrows. The sky overhead is darkened by Black Gum, Cypress, Bay, Red Maple and Dahoon Holly. The eye-level view left and right is overcrowded by Titi, Hurrah Bush and other shrubs. Unless the refuge cutter boats have recently passed through, sharp sticks and twigs stab toward the narrow channel hoping to impale the unskilled kayaker.
The current flows westward from Billy’s Lake toward the Sill. This seems like an advantage to the westbound paddler, but don’t be deceived. The current can carry you along so quickly that steering becomes difficult and pushes you into the scratchy shrubs lining the narrow channel. Many of these protruding limbs are tipped with spiders, and even snakes, to jump aboard the canoe. Even though the current is against you heading back to Billy’s Lake, I have found it a much more enjoyable journey with time as the steering is much more manageable. 
A Brown Watersnake overhangs the canoe trail along The Narrows. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. May 2, 2020.
A medium-sized American Alligator basks on a downed Cypress log at the east entrance of The Narrows canoe trail; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. May 2, 2020.
 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  Spotted Sandpiper shorebird, Actitis macularius, standing on a log in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. May 2020. Widespread in North America and common on shores, beaches, rivers, lakes and streams. Scanning the shore binoculars as my daughter piloted our canoe around Billy's lake, I was a bit startled when I saw a small group of four plump sandpiper birds gathered on a downed cypress tree. Sandpipers in the Okefenokee? This was definitely a first for me. About an hour later, near the entrance of The Narrows, I saw another group of 9 standing on a log in the shade. Apparently, I wasn't the first person to be surprised at seeing them. In 1913, Albert Wright and Francis Harper explored the Okefenokee for the American Ornithological Society. In the society's scientific journal and official publication, The Auk, they wrote of the delight in finding the Spotted Sandpiper within the great Swamp: "The Spotted Sandpiper was a distinct surprise as a summer resident of the swamp. Not only is this several hundred miles south of its known breeding range, but one would not expect it to find a suitable haunt in the Oke-finokee. The lakes and runs are practically shoreless; they are simply open spaces in the otherwise continuous cypress swamps. However, the logs and driftwood near the edges of Billy's Lake serve as teetering stands; half a dozen were seen here on May 11, one on June 5, and still another a few days later. Earlier in the spring one or two were reported from the canal. The species probably does not breed in this latitude." According to www.allaboutbirds.com, Spotted Sandpipers are "the most widespread sandpiper in North America, and they are common near most kinds of freshwater, including rivers and streams, as well as near the sea coast"... and apparantly blackwater swamps as well! Looking at eBird's illustrated checklist for Charlton County, the Spotted Sandpipers are most commonly observed in the Okefenokee in April and May. So I was happy to be able to make a May visit to the swamp (thanks COVID19!) and spot this Sandpiper!  Spotted Sandpipers; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. May 2, 2020. 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  Nyssa aquatica, called water tupelo, cottongum, wild olive, tupelo gum, or water-gum, is a large tree that grows in swamps and floodplains in the Southeastern United States. Stephen C Foster State Park, Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. In the early 1900’s, the entire Okefenokee Swamp was logged and nearly all the large trees were removed leaving only stumps behind. In addition, annual wildfires kill many of the younger trees throughout the swamp. But each year the growing cycle begins again and many young saplings begin to race toward sky the before the next devastation. Not all new tree growth is from seeds. Many of the trees sprout from the old stumps. In the Okefenokee, one can see an odd growth pattern called coppices. A coppice is a group of several small trees growing from the stump of an older tree. Blackgum coppices are common from the buttresses of former trees destroyed in logging or wildfires. 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 land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. Joel 2:3 As we look about, it can seem all is being laid waste in our society. A virus cancelling church services, political rivalries, racial unrest, lawlessness… all so troubling. But while paddling through the swamp during the coronavirus quarantine, suddenly the Holy Spirit caused hope to spring up in my heart as I watched an Anhinga perched upon a young cypress tree. God’s creation – and God’s Word – restored hope in my heart!  Pond Cypress, Taxodium ascendens, leaves and cones. Cypress is found in blackwater ponds, rivers and swamps. Native to the southeastern United States, from southeastern Virginia to southeastern Louisiana and south into Florida. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. May 4, 2020. There is hope in seeing a young Okefenokee Cypress taking root and reaching toward the sky. The naturalists of old write of towering cypress, some as high as 120 feet tall , standing guard for centuries in the Okefenokee. But all that changed in the early 20th century. All were laid low. The height, girth, straightness and quality of their wood is what no doubt brought the logging companies to the swamp seeking the cypresses. It began in 1909. The pristine Okefenokee began to bustle with activity and industry as logging skidders, sawmills and railroad tracks invaded the Swamp. C.T. Trowell writes, “Systematically, the Hebards extended their logging operations across the Okefenokee. Extending south from Hopkins to Cravens Island in 1912, they reached Pine Island and Mixons Hammock by 1915. Within a year they were cutting the timber between Mixons Hammock and Minnies Island and the railroad was extended across Jones Island to Billys Island. By 1918, the logging camp was established on Billys Island. About two years were required to log the timber around Billys Island. By 1921, the company was building the railroad to Floyds Island. Between 1922 and 1926, they logged the cypress around Floyds Island.” Would the Okefenokee ever recover?  Young Pond Cypress Tree, Taxodium ascendens, in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Photographed in Mixons Hammock prairie swamp. Native to southeastern United States and grows in still blackwater rivers, swamps and ponds. Cypress knees and large buttress are common features. May 2, 2020. Cypress trees grow very slowly. At a reported growth rate of only about a foot per year in their early stages, it could take 300 to 500 years for the Cypresses of the Okefenokee to once again tower over the dark waters as they did prior to 1909. But with the establishment of the Okefenokee as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1937, the healing has begun. Today there are already some scenic waterways through the Okefenokee - tall cypresses mirrored in the tanin-darkened waters - that hint at these former days. And with the ongoing preservation and conservation of the Okefenokee Swamp as a National Wildlife Refuge, perhaps nature enthusiasts many generations from now will be able to once again see the majestic trees that were wiped out in just a single generation. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: So if there is hope of restoration kindled in the heart upon looking at a young Cypress tree, how much more for our society upon looking at God’s Word! There is a hope that things laid bare can one day live again and be renewed to their former glory. If not in this lifetime, certainly in the next. As Christians, we cease not to pray for our nations, nor forget the restoration that awaits in the New Earth for those who trust and hope in Jesus Christ!  Pondcypress tree, Taxodium ascendens, leaves, cones and tassels. Mixon`s Hammock, Suwannee River canoe kayak trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Photographed May 2020.  Young Cypress Tree Leaves 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  Panorama of Mixon`s Hammock prairie in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Cypress trees, Spanish Moss, Maidencane prairie, Suwannee River, Bidens wildflowers. May 2020. "These floating islands present a very entertaining prospect; for although we behold an assemblage of the primary productions of nature only, yet the imagination seems to remain in suspence and doubt; as in order to enliven the delusion and form a most picturesque appearance, we see not only flowery plants, clumps of shrubs, old weather-beaten trees, hoary and barbed, with the long moss waving from their snags, but we also see them compleatly inhabited, and alive, with crocodiles, serpents, frogs, otters, crows, herons, curlews, jackdaws, &c. there seems, in short, nothing wanted but the appearance of a wigwam and a canoe to complete the scene." - Excerpt from William Bartram's Travels, Part II, Chapter III William Bartram was a botantist, artist, and nature writer that explored the southeastern United States around the time of the American Revolution (1773-1776). He was a Christian creationist and gave glory to the Author for all the wonderful works he observed and documented in his book, Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. 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  Pond Cypress Trees, Taxodium ascendens, and Spanish Moss in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Suwannee River canoe kayal trail. Photographed in Mixons Hammock prairie swamp. Native to southeastern United States and grows in still blackwater rivers, swamps and ponds Excerpt from William Bartram's Travels, Part II, Chapter III:
William Bartram was a botantist, artist, and nature writer that explored the southeastern United States around the time of the American Revolution (1773-1776). He was a scientist, creationist and Christian that gave glory to the Author for all the wonderful works he observed and documented in his book, Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. 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  Red Pyrenula lichen looks like a spray painted blaze along a canoe kayak trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Throughout the Okefenokee grows all manner of lichens and mosses. These scaly fungi add texture and color to the swamp scenery. However, the colorful blotches of lichen can cause confusion along the canoe and kayak trails. Some species of lichen are bright red, like the Pyrenula or Herpothallon (Christmas Lichen), and appear as if spray-painted upon the trees, possibly mistaken as trail blazes! Other lichen patches are white, like the blazes I’ve seen along the Appalachian Trail.  Canoe paddle with Okefenokee Swamp Stephen C Foster State Park stickers. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  Not my area of expertise, but I believe this is Whitewash Lichen, Phlyctis argena. 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  Oak Mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, is a hemiparasitic plant native to the United States and Mexico that lives in the branches of trees. Mistletoe is used as a Christmas decoration. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Mixon`s Hammock on Suwannee River. May 2020. A large clump of thick green leaves sits high in otherwise bare tree. The thick glossy leaves growing are completely unlike the normal foliage furled out by that tree in the spring. This makes Mistletoe easy to spot, especially in the winter. Its parasitic nature - stealing water and nutrients from its host – is what earned phoradendron (literally, tree thief) its scientific name. So what made a parasite become a Christmas decoration? Internet stories about, but the underlying theme is that mistletoe was hung in the house as an icon of good luck. The superstitious belief that it fosters love and friendship may have led to the tradition of kissing beneath the mistletoe. Each December, my coworker’s children collected mistletoe, tied a red ribbon around small bundles, and sold them to friends, family, coworkers and at Christmas craft fairs to have a bit of Christmas pocket cash. Since the clumps of mistletoe are often high within the trees, I had to inquire where his teenage boys learned how to climb so high. I was then schooled on how southerners in Georgia collected mistletoe: shoot it out of the tree with a shotgun!  Oak Mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, is a hemiparasitic plant native to the United States and Mexico that lives in the branches of trees. Mistletoe is used as a Christmas decoration. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Mixon`s Hammock on Suwannee River. May 2020. 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  Burned cypress tree stump in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. May, 2020. Fire is an important part of swamp habitat ecology. Okefenokee wildfires are typically caused by lightning strikes and burn thousands of acres of dry peat during drought. Fire sets back hardwood succession and keep open prairies. Long, hot summers… extended periods of drought… plenty of exposed organic peat material… and a random but well-placed lightning strike; all these ingredients cook up to make large fires. South Georgia, and especially the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, face this imminent threat every year. Often, hundreds upon hundreds of square miles burn for several days at a time. But is fire bad? In reality, wildfires actually are what keep the Okefenokee Swamp a swamp. As the fires sweep the prairies of the refuge, the shrubs and young hardwoods are killed back. The large cypress and Long-leaf pines tolerate the flames and thus the characteristic open habitats of the Okefenokee remain. According to the Georgia Wildlife Federation, “Fire is a necessary part of the swamp ecosystem. When it burns the swamp, usual plant succession is interrupted, preventing swamp prairies from filling with cypresses, black gums, and bays and becoming Woodland.” Source: Georgia Wildlife: The Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia Wildlife, Volume 6, Number 1, from Georgia Wildlife Press; 1997. 
No doubt this gator is watching Professor Berryhill’s series! Photographed March 9, 2020. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Please don’t steal my images. Download and use legally from Dreamstime.com.
The Okefenokee Swamp Park is broadcasting Professor Don Berryhill’s video series, Okefenokeology! Go to their YouTube channel to subscribe and see all the other videos in the series. Below are a few episodes. Enjoy some Okefenokee at home!
“Are you looking for something, anything, to help supplement the online learning resources for you and/or your children’s education with school being closed? Or maybe you just love everything there is to love about the Land of the Trembling Earth? If so, we hope you will enjoy our Okefenokeology Series with Professor Don Berryhill. We will regularly upload each episode onto our YouTube channel (so be sure to subscribe) or just come to our Facebook page for updates.” 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  White-tailed Deer hiding on Billy`s Island in the Okefenokee Swamp behind Spanish Moss, Georgia. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. March 11, 2020. Prior to being set aside as a National Wildlife Refuge, White-tailed Deer were commonly hunted on the open prairies of the Okefenokee Swamp, as described in an excerpt from the 1926 book History of the Okefenokee Swamp: Chase Prairie derives its name from the fact that it was a favorite place to chase down deer that would come out on the space to feed upon the grass and water plants. A number of hunters would gather with dogs around this large Prairie and some would chase the deer from the islands into the Prairie, while others would have boats convenient, and they were so expert with the little narrow boats used in the Swamp that they could propel these boats so swiftly over the water-covered Prairie that a deer would be overtaken before he could cross it. 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  Southern Blue Flag Iris virginica Swamp Iris is a spring wildflower native to the southeastern United States. Light blue to violet flower. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. In the spring, there are splashes of purple and blue along the canoe trails of the Okefenokee Swamp. I have primarily found it along the Suwannee River Middle Fork (red trail) where the channel is still wide, but taller trees provide some shade. The leaves protrude from the water a few feet and the beautiful purple bloom rises just above them. According to a USDA Plant Guide, the Southern Blue Flag swamp iris, Iris virginica, is perfectly suited to the Okefenokee habitat as it prefers wet, acidic, boggy soils. It is native to the coastal plains from Virginia to Louisiana. The source also states that Seminoles may have used this plant to treat shock following an alligator bite.  Southern Blue Flag Iris virginica Swamp Iris is a spring wildflower native to the southeastern United States. Light blue to violet flower. Photographed in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. 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  Huge American Alligator on lily pad peat hammock. Photographed in March 2020 on Billy`s Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. The largest alligators are said to have been from 15 to 19 feet long. I don’t think any of those 19-footers were scientifically verified, but an internet search shows Mandy Stokes’ 15’9” alligator holds the current world record. The largest Georgia alligator was killed in 2019 and measured 14’1”.
I haven’t climbed out of my canoe with a tape measure in the Okefenokee Swamp, but have seen some pretty big ones along the banks of Billy’s Lake and especially up The Sill. It is hard to imagine these gargantuan reptiles can weight up to 1,000 pounds! Once they get up to that size, I don’t think they have any fear of predators… other than during hunting season. But if they remain within the boundaries of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, they are protected for life to grow big and fat! 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  Swallow-tailed Kite soaring in blue sky above the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Elanoides forficatus is a raptor bird of prey in the southeast United States. March 11, 2020. After several trips to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that ended in a bust, I was really hoping this trek would finally result in a decent Swallow-tailed Kite photograph. But once again, it appeared that I was leaving the Okefenokee Swamp disappointed. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is located in Georgia near along the Florida line in the southeastern United States. It is a wonderfully huge wetland that has been protected since the mid-1900s after logging had nearly obliterated the habitat. It is now a refuge for all types of wildlife, including the Swallow-tailed Kite.  Entering National Wilderness Area kayak Canoe trail direction sign Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. May 2020. Swallow-tailed Kites, Elanoides forficatus, are a raptor (bird of prey). They breed in the southeastern United States and according to the eBird illustrated checklist, are found in the Okefenokee from March through August. The Cornell Ornithology website beautifully describes it as, “a graceful, uniquely shaped raptor with long, narrow wings and deeply forked tail.” It favors wet habitats around rivers and ponds and nest in tall pines and cypress, making the Okefenokee Swamp a perfect place to spot them! But once again, another spring excursion ends without a kite photograph. We had even packed up camp, loaded the canoe on the trailer, and were driving the long road out of the refuge when I spotted it! Not far from the boundary of the NWR soared a beautiful kite in the open, blue skies. It was the final photo of our final day on this March 2020 trip to the Okefenokee! iNaturalist observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47757050 |
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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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