williamwisephoto's Journal

Nature Journal entry from Friday, March 24, 2017, 12:39 PM. Walton County, Georgia...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 35869014 - Mourning Dove; Walton County, Georgia. March 24, 2017.

There are days when human-to-human interactions are welcomed and pleasant, and there are days when a little solitude is the best prescription. I often take brief birding strolls during my lunch break to keep the kettle from boiling over. After last week’s hail and dip into frosty overnight temps, today is a beautiful, blue, sunny, 70 degree sky. A lone Mourning Dove sat peacefully perched on a budding Bradford Pear tree. Take a deep breath. It’s Friday! Matthew 10:16 “…be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

Nature Journal from March 26, 2018, Walton County, Georgia...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 17335960 - Canada Goose; Walton County, Georgia. March 26, 2018.

The Canada Geese have laid their eggs and now begin their defense vigil until their hatchlings emerge. I dare not approach any closer than with with a 600mm lens... they can be quite fierce. This individual arrived on the retention pond in January. Audubon states, "Nest site chosen by female is usually on slightly elevated dry ground near water, with good visibility." As most of the pond perimeter is regularly mowed, she chose a somewhat secluded spot among the uncut reeds to nest. Since egg incubation is less than 30 days, I look forward to seeing the bright yellow chick soon!

Spring has arrived! It is one of my favorite seasons, not because of the change in weather, but because of the emergence of our reptilian neighbors...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 74289588 - Eastern/Gray Ratsnake (Complex Pantherophis alleghaniensis); Walton County, Georgia. March 26, 2021.

I’d been waiting for our first animal control snake call to come over the radio from 911, ready to spring into action. Although I'm not an officer and work in the shelter, I'm able to go on a few snake calls from time to time. Toward the end of March, it came. “Meet complainant in Loganville reference six foot snake in the garage.” Upon arrival, I was met by a gentleman that signaled me toward his neighbor’s house with a greeting of, “I think it’s a King Snake!” My excitement level was raised at the prospect.

Entering the garage, an elderly gentleman and his wife pointed toward a five-gallon bucket in the corning. Wrapped around the edge was a nice Eastern/Gray Ratsnake (Complex Pantherophis alleghaniensis. Hanging down from my hand, the homeowner took a photo and heaped all sorts of blessings upon me and my family. It was probably just over four-feet long.
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Ratsnakes are the most common snakes I pick up on animal control calls in Walton County, Georgia. This caller’s home was surrounded by beautiful woods and natural landscaping. No wonder this Ratsnake wanted to live there! We have a brief photo session before releasing him to a less inhabited area.

Walton County, Georgia. March 26, 2021.

• Mostly cloudy, light showers, with a high near 80.
• Sunrise 7:30 am; Sunset 7:51
• Daylight Hours: 12 hours, 21 minutes (+2m 6s)
• Moon: 94.7% Waxing Gibbous
• Video footage: https://youtu.be/L_s9T5eWp9I

An animal control journal from March 27, 2019...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 22319239 - Common Raccoon; Walton County, Georgia. March 27, 2019.

The proverb “There is no such thing as a free lunch” just isn’t true… especially if you’re an opportunistic raccoon without a picky palate! Raccoons have a way of capitalizing on human wastefulness! ​I can’t really find fault with his opportunism, but this roving raccoon left a big mess of overturned trash cans in an office complex for three nights in a row. Even with secured lids, this guy was quite crafty and determined to get his free meal. So, capitalizing on his insatiable appetite, some irresistible delicacies were placed in a humane trap and he was successfully moved down the road a bit. I'm sure they wouldn’t have minded his after-hours visits if he would have cleaned up after himself!

When one says, “swamp”, one of the first images related to the flora and vegetation of the habitat is, of course, the towering Cypress trees and flowing curtains of Spanish Moss. The next most common image of swamp vegetation is that of the “lily pad”...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 35934505 - American White Waterlily; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 5, 2017.

Like shiny green dinner plates floating upon black water, the white, fragrant American White Waterlily, Nymphaea odorata abounds in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (more abundantly on the eastern side). These verdant saucers are garnished with large, white, sweet-scented flowers. Not only is the American White Waterlily a picturesque part of the swamp, but it is an important part of the ecosystem. Wildlife such as Deer, beaver, and muskrat will eat the leaves and rhizomes; while the seeds are consumed by various waterfowl. The underwater parts of the plant also provide food and habitat for invertebrates, which are also sustenance for reptiles, amphibians and avian life.

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 18865518 - Brown Bear, Ursus arctos; Brasov, Romania. March 29, 2000.

On a visit to Brasov, Romania, in March 2000, some local friends took me for a bike ride to show me “something exciting” that they knew I would love. It was strange enough riding through the dark streets beneath the towering communist apartment blocks, being chased by loose dogs around every turn. We rode our bikes past piles of garbage surrounding rows of nearly full dumpsters until my friend yelled, “There!” and pointed toward a group of dumpsters. Several Brown Bears were feasting from the trash can!

A few months later on another visit to Brasov in August 2000, I went back to the spot with the local pastor, and two visiting American pastors. When we arrived, a mother and two cubs were raiding the trash. An old Romanian man was throwing fire crackers at the bears from out his apartment window to scare the bears off, which they totally ignored.

Being brave (or foolish), we exited the car for a closer look. It didn’t take long and the mother bear, already aroused by the fire crackers, decided we were too close to her cubs and left the dumpster to charge toward us! We went to one side of the car, she came approached the other. She circled to the front of the car, we ran to the back side of the car. As she continued to come at us, we all dove into the little Dacia. Momma jumped up on the back window of the car, tore off the antenna, and began ripping the weather stripping from around the window!
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We were in a state of shock, unsure how to respond. One of the visiting American pastors sat in the back saying to himself, “How stupid! I just risked my family, my church, my life!” I was exhilarated and loved it! But I suppose my background in wildlife and animal control helped.

Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed."

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 66917176 - Wisteria; Walton County, Georgia. March 29, 2018. ©williamwisephoto.com

"What a lovely description of the beauty of the Earth God prepared for mankind. He placed the first couple in the middle of a garden. Our loving Creator gave us everything we see around us to enjoy and provided us with exquisite senses of sight, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling to experience them to the full. Even after they disobeyed, creation did not lose all of its beauty and comfort."

- Excerpt from Exceeding Gratitude for the Creator's Plan by Dr. James P. Gills

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 66917173 - Carolina Wren; Walton County, Georgia. March 29, 2018. ©williamwisephoto.com

“Caw! Caw! Caw!” The sound of the alarm broke the still morning air. I couldn’t help but...

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 66931394 - American Crow; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. March 30, 2018. ©williamwisephoto.com

“Caw! Caw! Caw!” The sound of the alarm broke the still morning air. I couldn’t help but hear the American Crows going at it. Instead of ignoring these nuisance birds, I realized something was up. As I approached, this “murder of crows” (yes, that's what a group of crows is really called!) was mobbing a hawk in a tree, raising the alarm and thereby alerting me a great photo opportunity.

Crows are great for sounding the alarm that an adversary is near. Whenever I hear crows sounding alarm, I take notice and know that a wildlife photo-opportunity may be materializing. If the crows are mobbing in the air, there is probably a raptor nearby; if sounding the alarm on the ground, there might be a snake slithering in the grass.

Listening to the crows’ alarms is no new revelation. I once read the account of a 19th century hunter on the trail of some game when he was alerted to danger by crows. While stalking his prey, the overhead alarms alerted him that he himself, the hunter, had become the hunted. The crows were cawing at a Mountain Lion was tracking the hunter. The hunter had become the prey, but was alerted by listening to the crows!

On another occasion, upon hearing the boisterous crows sounding alarm, I ran over to see them dive-bombing one particular spot in the grass. A distressed Black Racer snake was frantically trying to get away from the pecking cacophony! Again, another wildlife photo opportunity, thanks to the crows!

So when you’re out hunting for that great wildlife photograph, don’t ignore the crows. Their caterwauling and cawing just might lead you to a quality shot! A snake or raptor could be near!