captainmantis37's Favorites

In wet peaty longleaf pine savanna (location: last 2 photos), petiolate leaves held at ground level; considered an annual, it can grow through the winter (once the plant blooms, it will die or decline)... in full sun, the plant appears red; however, with less sunlight, leaves are greenish with red stalked mucilaginous 'tentacles' glands

Two males fought for control of my pool deck. The greener one ended up winning when it successfully shoved the other off the edge. I made a short video about it if you'd like to see more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDKqu1oqkjY

©williamwisephoto.com Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 26, 2022.

• Orange trail between Billy's Lake and Canal Run N30.82583° W82.30293°
• Cloudy early, then clearing with high near 83.
• Sunrise 7:40 AM; Sunset 6:46 PM
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 6 minutes (-1m 43s)
• Moon 1% Waxing Crescent

See and learn more about the great Okefenokee Swamp at www.okefenokee.photography

©williamwisephoto.com Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 26, 2022.

• Orange trail between Billy's Lake and Canal Run N30.83371° W82.31678°
• Cloudy early, then clearing with high near 83.
• Sunrise 7:40 AM; Sunset 6:46 PM
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 6 minutes (-1m 43s)
• Moon 1% Waxing Crescent

See and learn more about the great Okefenokee Swamp at www.okefenokee.photography

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 26, 2022.

• Billy's Lake N30.83324° W82.33680°
• Cloudy early, then clearing with high near 83.
• Sunrise 7:40 AM; Sunset 6:46 PM
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 6 minutes (-1m 43s)
• Moon 1% Waxing Crescent

See and learn more about the great Okefenokee Swamp at www.okefenokee.photography

See it breathe (3 good photos)! "On the first day of Christmas", of the 12 days that begin Christmas Day, December 25, "my True Love gave to me: a Partridge in a Pear Tree", plus: 'a snail in a Christmas Fern frond'!

For the Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), cf. inaturalist.org/observations/145061884

I don't think I've ever captured this angle of an Anhinga before!

Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 25, 2022.

• Location: Suwannee River (brown canoe trail) N30.81525° W82.38693°
• Mostly sunny with high near 83.
• Sunrise 7:39 AM; Sunset 6:46 PM
• Daylight hours: 11 hours 7 minutes (-1m 44s)

See and learn more about the incredible Okefenokee at www.okefenokee.photography

©williamwisephoto.com October Big Day birding at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Richmond County, Georgia. October 8, 2022.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
• Sunrise 7:27 am; Sunset 7:03 pm
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 36 minutes (-2m 1s)
• Moon: 98.1% Waxing Gibbous
• Fifty-two bird species in one location! https://ebird.org/checklist/S120404524

The Osprey dove and caught a fish. Almost immediately the Bald Eagle materialized and pursued the Osprey (Osprey Observation here). I didn't see the outcome because almost simultaneously, a Least Bittern flushed near my feet. The bittern was a lifer so I had to get it! This was all within a few minutes of leaving my car, so I knew it would be a good day!

October Big Day birding at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Richmond County, Georgia. October 8, 2022.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
• Sunrise 7:27 am; Sunset 7:03 pm
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 36 minutes (-2m 1s)
• Moon: 98.1% Waxing Gibbous
• Fifty-two bird species in one location! https://ebird.org/checklist/S120404524

October Big Day birding at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Richmond County, Georgia. October 8, 2022.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
• Sunrise 7:27 am; Sunset 7:03 pm
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 36 minutes (-2m 1s)
• Moon: 98.1% Waxing Gibbous
• Fifty-two bird species in one location! https://ebird.org/checklist/S120404524

Walton County, Georgia. September 30, 2022.

• Partly sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
• Sunrise 7:28 am; Sunset 7:20 pm
• Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 52 minutes (-2m 4s)
• Moon: 23.5% Waxing Crescent

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

Indeed an ancient live oak: "This tree is believed to have been alive in 1585 when the colonists first arrived on Roanoke Island": If a tree survives more than 150 years, it is then considered wild, per iNaturalist's guidelines

First time I've seen one since the colony disappeared once the thistle was demolished. On the goldenrod. Finally it got tired of my moving the goldenrod to get a better shot and HOPPED hard away. Little darlin' all growed up.

©williamwisephoto.com Juvenile Common Snapping Turtle found near the water retention pond behind the animal shelter; Walton County, Georgia.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 104.
• Sunrise 6:30 am; Sunset 8:48 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 18 minutes (-42s)
• Moon: 55.0% Waxing Gibbous
• http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/juvenile-snapping-turtle

Sweetwater Wetlands Park; Tucson, Arizona. June 24, 2022

• Sunny, with a high near 103.
• Sunrise 5:18 am; Sunset 7:34 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 16 minutes (-7s)
• Moon: 15.7% Waning Crescent

Short video of the trails and habitat at Sweetwater Wetlands: Video link https://youtu.be/AVh34UUtZBQ

Growing out of what was a beetle larva, a parasitized insect: the orange/red fruiting bodies grow out of underground pupae; E.J. Dwigans, Educational Ranger, led this year's final summer guided mushroom hike