 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  Bald Eagle bird with wings spread flying in clear blue sky over the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Haliaeetus leucocephalus is a large raptor bird of prey found in North America. Photographed from the Chesser Island Boardwalk Observation tower in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia on November 14, 2021. I was strolling back down the Chesser Island Boardwalk from the observation tower when I saw a large bird perched faaarrrrrr off in the distance. “Probably just an Anhinga”, I thought. But raising my lens, I saw a brown and white raptor with a brown stripe behind the eye, and so my next thought was “Osprey”. But the more I looked, the more I began to wonder. There was no white on the breast. And as I changed my position, that brown stripe was no longer through the eye, but was a small branch from a limb above the bird. No, it can’t be. A Bald Eagle???
The following morning, before heading back home, I drove back for one more walk on the Boardwalk. As I was up in the observation tower, a large bird began flying right at me as if it were going to perch in or on the observation tower. It was an Eagle! As it neared, it saw me lifting my lens and banked hard to its left, making a fly-by of the tower and giving me some much better shots. I’m not sure if it was the same individual as the day before or not. To add to my excitement, I spotted another later in the afternoon. Leaving Chesser Island, I drove over to The Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area on the western side of the swamp. Again, I thought I was photographing just another vulture flying overhead, but the white patches signaled “juvenile Bald Eagle” in my mind and I kept firing away. After so many trips without spotting a Bald Eagle, I now had three within a two day period! Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.
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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  Young juvenile American Alligator eyes, Alligator mississippiensis, submerged lurking behind White Water Lily pads in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, Swamp Island Wildlife Drive, Okefenokee Adventures. The Swamp Island Drive is a 7-mile driving trail in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. It winds through a typical swamp uplands habitat of tall Slash Pine and a thick understory of Saw Palmetto on Chesser Island. With several wildlife observation openings and a few ponds, it is perfect for the visitor that may not be able to hike on foot. The tendency may be to drive quickly through this upland habitat on the way to the Chesser Island Boardwalk trail at the end. But don’t drive too quickly, or you may pass some sights along the way. Paralleling the roadside, there are many long, narrow drainage ponds called “borrow ditches”. Except in a drought, these small ponds are often filled with lily pads, the occasional pitcher plant, and other semi-aquatic plants. Basking turtles may quickly drop from a log and into the water as your vehicle passes. And if you keep a keen eye, you may see a pair of reptilian eyes peering back at you! Young alligators may use these small ponds as a safe haven. You might even see a “big one” laying alongside the road on a warm day. Swamp Island Drive; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 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  Yellow aster beggartick burr marigold Bidens wildflower in the Okefenokee Swamp in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, Swamp Island Wildlife Drive, Okefenokee Adventures. A slow drive and a few stops along Swamp Island Drive in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Swamp Island Drive and Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Tall Slash Pine plantation and Saw Palmetto reflected in Pond. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, Swamp Island Wildlife Drive, Okefenokee Adventures.  Young juvenile American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, Swamp Island Wildlife Drive, Okefenokee Adventures. 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  Landscape panorama of Cypress Trees, swamp prairie and maidencane marsh from the Observation tower on Chesser Island Wildlife Drive. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Suwannee Canal Recreation Area Like the wide open prairies of the Midwest, the Okefenokee prairies are large, open spaces that are composed of grasses, herbs and shrubs, and are mostly devoid of trees. The biggest difference between the traditional prairies of the Midwest and the prairies of the Okefenokee is water… lots of water! According to A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp, the prairie waters of the Okefenokee are shallow. Taylor Schoettle writes, “Most of the 33,000 acres of prairies vary from 6 to 18 inches deep at normal water levels, and the lakes deeper. The shallowness of much of the Okefenokee is accentuated by thick layer of peat which overlays the sandy bottom. The peat ranges from 5 to 10 feet thick throughout much of the swamp, and is up to 20 feet thick in places.”  Charred black Cypress Tree stump from previous forest wild fire on Chesser Island. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. Fire is an essential part of the southeastern swamp ecosystem. While the Okefenokee Swamp is in a constant succession from prairie toward hardwood forest, it is fire that has maintained the beautiful open prairies in the Okefenokee. Fires, caused primarily by lightning strike, regularly sweep through the Okefenokee, especially in times of drought, and consume the scrub and hardwoods that have taken root on floating peat beds within the prairies. Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 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  Eastern Phoebe bird, Sayornis phoebe, perched on a branch with background of fall colors in the Okefenokee Swamp. Birding photography along Chesser Island Boardwalk trail in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. When most people think of fall foliage, they think of afternoon hikes in the Smokey Mountains or drives on winding roads in New England. While the swamps of the south may not immediately come to mind, Fall in the Okefenokee is a beautiful sight! The needles of the Pond Cyress and Bald Cypress tress turn a rich, rusty brown. They are decorated with green and tan balls of cypress cones, and hung with curtains of tan Spanish Moss. Don’t forget about the swamp when it comes to fall photography! Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Red and brown Cypress Tree leaves, Spanish Moss and Fall colors along the Chesser Island Boardwalk wildlife observation trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. November 13, 2021.  Cypress Tree cones along the Chesser Island Boardwalk wildlife observation trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.  Sunset behind a Cypress Tree and glowing Spanish Moss over the Suwannee River Canal Recreation Area in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.  Female White tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, doe looking at the camera with brown fall background. Wildlife photography at the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area Dam in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.  Poison Ivy in the Fall; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 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  Another photography workshop participant shoots me walking along the Chesser Island Boardwalk trail with my telephoto lens. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. My November trip to the Okefenokee centered around the photography workshop hosted at the Suwannee Canal entrance on the east side of the swamp. Photographer John Reed teaches several workshops in the Okefenokee throughout the year.
Leaving the classroom after an early morning meet-and-greet, we made several stops along Swamp Island Drive, and then all walked together along the Chesser Island Boardwalk. Mr. Reed took the time to provide tips to each of the participants. The best part was the comradery of like-minded photographers within the setting of the wonderful Okefenokee Swamp. Set an unbeatable price point, I’d certainly recommend the classes to any photographer of any level. Unless plans change, there should be another class this March. Plan to attend! 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  Laurel Leaf Greenbrier, Smilax laurifolia, leaves and fruit in the fall in the Okefenokee Swamp. Photographed along the Chesser Island Boardwalk Trail , Suwannee Canal Recreation Area. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. A slow stroll along the Chesser Island visitor center and boardwalk trail in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for some iNaturalist and eBird observations. A collection of photos from Saturday and Sunday, November 13 and 14, 2021. Chesser Island Boardwalk; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Blue Dasher Dragonfly wings spread on a blade of grass in the Suwannee Canal Recreation area of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  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  American Alligator with satellite tracker on its back to study alligator movements within the Okefenokee Swamp. Photographed near Grand Prairie; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Reviewing my photographs from a November, 2021 trip to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, I noticed a large black lump on the back of an alligator. If I had not seen an article on the subject, I would have thought it was a tumor or other growth. But I had read an article from the University of Georgia about the tracking and studying of alligator movements in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Researchers from the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant are using satellite tags to track the movements of adult alligators. Their updates can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/UGACoastalEcologyLab. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  American Alligator with satellite tracker on its back to study alligator movements within the Okefenokee Swamp. Photographed near Grand Prairie; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 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
Beautiful golden sunset with cypress tree silhouettes over Grand Prairie in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.
The main entrance to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is on the eastern side at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area. There is a small interpretive museum, a great concession stand, and a small gift shop. One of the best features is the guided boat tours. This is perfect for those wanting to get a bit out into the swamp on a day trip, or who may not have a canoe or watercraft of their own.
The boat tours are definitely worth the small fee. The staff always does a great job of pointing out different features of the Okefenokee including the geography, natural history, and the habitats within the refuge. Early morning cruises are probably the best for wildlife viewing, but the sunset cruise shouldn’t be missed! During my November 2021 visit for the photography workshop hosted by the Refuge, I didn’t have time after the class to launch my own canoe, so I took the evening sunset cruise. The guide motored us out to Grand Prairie and parked the boat. It was like watching a Discovery Channel movie at a drive-in iMax theater! The purples and oranges of the skies and lowering sun were so vibrant, while Cypress silhouettes marked the horizon with incredible detail. There was a tangible serenity, like being wrapped in a warm blanket on the somewhat cool evening! Sunset boat tour from the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. 
Beautiful golden sunset at dusk with cypress tree silhouettes over Grand Prairie in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.
Waxing Gibbous Moon craters over the Suwannee River Canal Recreation Area in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA.
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  Yellow-rumped Warbler songbird, Setophaga coronata, perched in the sunlight on a Titi Bush branch, Cyrilla racemiflora, in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Birding photography near Kingfisher Landing canoe launch. When visiting the Okefenokee in the fall and winter, there is one swamp inhabitant that can’t be missed: the Yellow-rumped Warbler. It is a bright and cheery bird that is totally absent in the summer, but can be seen everywhere throughout the fall and winter. Groups of twenty or so are constantly flitting around the Titi and Staggerbush, happily chirping and chipping. As I told a fellow photographer, be careful if you pish, you will practically be mobbed by them! According to sources, Setophaga coronata is “a regular North American bird species that can be commonly observed all across the continent.” Individuals and subspecies can vary considerably in appearance, but one thing remains consistent: their yellow rump. This field mark as earned them the affection name "Butter Butts" from birders. The these yellow tails can be seen all through the woody swamp scrub. According to the eBird frequency charts, the Yellow-rumped Warblers begin showing up in the Okefenokee with the fall migration. They then hang around in great abundance until, on a sudden, they disappear from the swamp by May. As sources state, “Every year, fall migration usually takes place from September to November, spring migration from April to May, and the species known to depart from its winter habitats from March to April.” It amazes me how a bird can be totally absent on one trip, and then practically everywhere just a few months later. Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 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  Lestes vigilax, Swamp Spreadwing damselfly in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Odonata photography near Kingfisher Landing canoe launch. Damselflies have smaller, thinner bodies than dragonflies and are also predatory insects. The Okefenokee Swamp features a variety of habitats within one giant ecosystem. As one paddles, the dark canoe trails through the cypress trees fall off to reveal wide-open, sweeping swamp prairie landscapes. There is never a lack of panoramas for the landscape photographer. But there are areas of the swamp where the runs constrict and the scrubby vegetation of Titi and Fetterbush not only impede passage, but impede the view. While paddling the red trail north of Kingfisher Landing in November 2021, I could only get a view of Double Lakes by standing in my canoe… a tricky position for a photographer! But when the walls close in around you, that doesn’t mean the photography opportunities disappear. If your senses remain alert to the natural world around you, one simply redirects focus and explores the details of some of the smaller plants and critters within the National Wildlife Refuge. If the open views are blocked, its time to switch to a macro lens and explore the smaller, hidden world of the Okefenokee! Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 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  Anhinga darter water bird perched in a cypress tree in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Also called the Snake Bird. Birding conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch. The guidebooks say that the Kingfisher Landing entrance in the Okefenokee Swamp is the least used boat launch for the National Wildlife Refuge. And on my first visit to this eastern access, I found out why… Since it takes up 438,000 acres of the southeastern corner of Georgia (yes, hundreds of thousands of acres), the Okefenokee Swamp is hard to miss. Even on an unmarked aerial photo, the Okefenokee stands out as a giant green swath bordered on the north, south, east and west by four highways. On the ground, three of the four access points are certainly well advertised with billboards, murals and signs, often decorated with alligators and wading herons. These three main entrances are hard to miss, but the Kingfisher Landing entrance is a bit more obscure. One small sign marks the turn off the highway. Immediately after making that turn, you cross the railroad tracks and travel back in time. The plain, dirt road makes one feel like he’s completely lost his way. The shifting sand and ruts could provide a bit of a challenge to those in a compact car! Two dogs even darted out from a small house to chase us a bit. If you follow that dirt road far enough, you come to a small parking lot and one simple kiosk. Kingfisher Landing certainly lacks the fanfare of the Okefenokee Swamp Park or the Suwannee River Recreation Area. But more obscure means less people! On my November visit, mine was the only vehicle in the parking lot upon arrival, and still sat there all alone at the end of a day’s paddling. We travelled north and back on the red trail for five miles, and then a couple of miles south on the green trail. For an entire day we didn’t pass a single soul. Just us and the Okefenokee! Well worth the trouble of finding this lesser-used entrance! Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Anhinga darter water bird perched in a cypress tree in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Also called the Snake Bird. Birding conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch. 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  Guiding a fellow iNaturalist photographer, Dan LaVorgna, along the Kingfisher Landing canoe trails in the Okfenokee National Wildlife Refuge to photograph Hooded Pitcher Plants. Paddling northwest from Kingfisher Landing toward Double Lakes, there were several opportunities to stop and photograph the carnivorous Pitcher Plants that thrive within the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. There are few places that rival the Kingfisher Landing trails when it comes to Pitcher Plants. The canoe trails in this area are lined with some of the tallest, most abundant and easy to photograph pitcher plants. The Hooded Pitcher Plant is more abundant and is easily identified by its curved top, or hood. The variety Hooded Pitcher Plants found within the Okefenokee Swamp can grow up to three feet tall and are given the name Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis. The Trumpet Pitcher, Sarracenia flava, is also tall and tubular, but has a more open cap. Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Hooded Pitcher Plant in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis is a carnivorous plant.  The Golden Trumpet Pitcher plant, Sarracenia flava, is another variety of carnivorous plant found in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA  Large groups of tall Hooded Pitcher Plants line the canoe trails near Kingfisher Landing in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  The Golden Trumpet Pitcher plant, Sarracenia flava, is another variety of carnivorous plant found in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 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
American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, submerged swimming in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch.
Back in the Okefenokee! Although the timed releases of my nature journals make it seem like I'm always in the Okefenokee Swamp, I live five hours away and usually only visit once or twice per year. But I made it back for a third 2021 visit.
This was my first canoe launch from Kingfisher landing and we headed northwest toward Double Lakes on the red trail. Much of this area of the swamp was wide open prairie, with a few cypress ‘houses’ here and there. The swamp scrub of Titi and Fetterbush lined most of the run and at times impeded the view. It seemed the larger wading birds were a bit scarce (perhaps because of the very high water level), and we only saw a few alligators. But that gave us time to explore the details and try some macro-photography of some of the smaller critters within the National Wildlife Refuge. It was great to be back in the Okefenokee once again, and to explore the Kingfisher Landing entrance for the first time. Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. 
Gulf Fritillary Passion Butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, on yellow Bidens Beggartick wildflower in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch.
Green Anole Lizard, Anolis carolinensis, in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch.
Green Anole Lizard, Anolis carolinensis, in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Conservation environmental photography. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch.
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  American Alligator eyes, Alligator mississippiensis, submerged swimming in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Kingfisher Landing canoe trail launch. While we are inspired by an alligator basking in full glory on the bank of a canal or atop a fallen cypress, the more common sight throughout the Okefenokee Swamp, especially in hotter months, is pairs of eyes protruding just above the surface of the slow Okefenokee currents. The American Alligator is perfectly designed for life in the swamp. The eyes, positioned on high atop the head, allow the alligator to see even while the rest of its body is totally submerged in the dark swamp waters. Also, the positioning of the eyes on the side of the head give it a wide field of view to scan for potential threats and prey. Multiple eyelids, including an opaque “third eyelid” called a nictitating membrane, protect the alligator’s eyes during eating and navigating through the swamp habitat. Paddling between Kingfisher Landing and Double Lakes; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. |
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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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