God's Beautiful Creatures
Once again, I find myself WAY behind in posting the photos that I enjoy taking and sharing with all of you. I must admit, I was really dejected over the slaughter of the geese (Please see my previous Post). My emotions have run the gamut, from sadness to anger to wondering why even continue photographing and sharing the photos of these beautiful animals, if heartless hunters are just going to slaughter them any chance they get.
I have gone back to my favorite hangout, The Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, several times lately. Still no geese. They are gone. They were slaughtered in acts of selfish, heartless, and yes, Godless endeavors. Yes, God gave us dominion over all the animals. He also gave us dominion over The Earth itself, allowing us to take from it, and them, what we NEED, but not to destroy it, or them, for our own pride and pleasures.
The return visits were therapeutic, because, other than the haunting quietness from the absence of geese, and not getting to see them frolic in the wild, I have seen other wildlife still thriving. I have taken a lot of time reminding myself that these animals (creatures) are indeed God’s artistry and gifts to us, to behold in all their splendor and glory. Many Bible verses come to mind, but Hosea 2:18 is one that drives my thoughts:
“In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.”
I have started to take a stance, a more active stance, against trophy hunting, hunting for “sport” or “pleasure”, poaching, or just plain merciless killing. The people who do this need to have a better understanding of what God expects from us. It’s not about US, it’s about HIM, our Great Protector and Provider.
SO … Here is my latest post. I hadn’t seen Wally and Molly (my favorite alligators) in awhile, so I was thrilled to see them both a few days ago. I was also thrilled to see that The Four Amigos had survived the slaughter. They just make me smile!!
Meanwhile, I have finally been able to get some decent shots of a few Wood Ducks. They are among the most beautiful and colorful animals you’ll ever see!! Now that I know some of their habits better, I should be able to see them and shoot them (with my CAMERA) more often. Stay tuned!!
I have also “discovered” several Northern Flickers – part of the Woodpecker family. They are quite colorful and beautiful themselves. I still wonder what they are doing here in The South – although I can’t blame them for wanting to live here!!
Many of “the usual suspects” are still around, too, although Deer and Duck Hunting Seasons are rapidly approaching. I certainly hope I don’t witness anything like I witnessed a few weeks ago.
One other thing before closing – I met several families recently who had evacuated Florida and The Carolinas, due to Hurricane Ian. Some of them apparently had minor damage, some had major damage, and some were still unsure. It was amazing to witness their spirit and determination to rebuild and get on with their lives. They all still need our prayers and our help. Several of them visited this site, and several signed up to be notified of new posts. I want to welcome them and all other newcomers to this site!! I hope you will enjoy these photos, share the posts with your family and friends across all social media, and take your children and grandchildren out to see God’s Splendor and Beauty yourselves!! You’ll be SO glad you did!!
Thank you, and God bless you all!!
Molly and Wally
I hadn’t seen Molly and Wally in quite awhile, mostly due to the long, hot Georgia Summer. The weather has cooled slightly, and sure enough, they have come out of the woods!! Molly was out in the middle of the pond, while Wally lurked in the marshes nearby. I had taken a few shots of both, and was, admittedly, distracted by a few Wood Storks, when Wally raised his head and tail and let out a ferocious roar!! It was his mating call. The roar is much louder and deeper than that of a Lion. Because I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t get a video of it. He was also looking straight at me (don’t get any ideas!!), so you can only see his head and throat and a few bubbles in the water beside him. It was an incredible experience!! I hope to get better shots and videos in the future.
The Four Amigos
It was so heartwarming to see “The Four Amigos” when I returned to the pond a couple of weeks after the slaughter of the geese. They truly are inseparable, and entertaining. After several hours of research, I have determined that the mostly-white one is a Pekin hybrid, and I don’t know whether it’s a male of female. The one with the brown head is a male Mallard hybrid. Notice the curly tail. That is a trait of male Mallards. The other two are female Mallards. At one point, I thought they were Mottled Ducks, but the Mallard hens have white borders around the black and vivid blue “speculum” feathers in their wings, that Mottled hens don’t have. I want to give them names. I am always open for suggestions. Should we have a contest?
They love to “dabble”, where they submerge their heads, necks, and top halves of their bodies in shallow water, and eat small plant and animal life on the bottom.
I hope y’all enjoy these photos. They are delightful birds!!
Wood Ducks
If I told y’all how many hours, scouting trips and expeditions I had spent searching for the ever-elusive Wood Ducks, you might think I was obsessed. Well, I AM!! They are such BEAUTIFUL creatures. The males (drakes) display every color of the rainbow, and then some!! To me, they are the most colorful, beautiful animals in North America.
The females (hens) have beautiful brown feathers, white “teardrops” around their eyes, and beautiful blue, violet and teal markings in the “speculum” (there’s that word again) of their wings.
I hope to get even better shots soon, and hopefully a video or two. They. Are. Splendid!!
Northern Flickers
I always like to get out on the water, in my little boat, before the sun comes up, so I can be in position to get good photos of any wildlife as they awake and begin their morning routines. I had positioned myself in a spot where I was hoping to observe some Wood Ducks flying in and hiding in the woods (hence their name), when I started seeing what I thought were Red-Bellied Woodpeckers flying all around me, putting on a show. I took many photos, but when I got home to process them, I noticed they were a lot more colorful than Red-Bellies, and had many more speckles on their own bellies. As I’ve told y’all many times, I’m certainly no expert. I depend upon my friends and the internet to learn more about the animals I encounter. It was pretty easy to determine that these Woodpeckers were Northern Flickers. As I stated earlier, I wonder what they are doing here in The South, but I want them to feel welcome!!
They are beautiful creatures, with red “hearts” on their napes. Their heads have a blend of tan and grey feathers, while their bodies are a beautiful golden-brown. They have a black band at the base of their throats. The males have additional black stripes (“mustaches”) on their cheeks.
I hope to see them and get even better shots soon. They are SO beautiful!!
Other Ducks, Woodpeckers, Storks, etc.
The pond I like to frequent at The Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (one of 22 at the site) is teeming with Woodpeckers of several varieties. In addition to the Northern Flickers shown above, I often see Pileateds, Red-Bellies and Red-Headeds, among others. I hope to get better shots and a few videos soon. You can actually identify them by the sound of their pecking, as well, of course, as their calls.
Meanwhile, the Wood Storks are still hanging out in the same swamp pond where Molly and Wally hang out. An occasional Ibis joins the fray on occasion.
There are also a few random shots of some Mallards I have seen lately, a few beautiful Hawks, a few Kingfishers, and a beautiful Cardinal off in the distance.
Like I keep saying, we are surrounded by so much of God’s Splendor!!
Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets
Last, But Not Least ...
More from Madelyn!!
In this episode, Madelyn is introducing us to Helen the Beaver. Helen washed up on a bank near Athens (Georgia, for those of you who “ain’t from around here”). Her rescuers took care of her, and tried several times to release her in the wild, but she kept returning to her new “home”. About four months ago, Madelyn and the good folks at Dauset Trails provided her with her new home. I love how they rehabilitate and provide a home for wild animals who need help. I also love that Dauset Trails is open to the public, free of charge. They have lots of wildlife to observe, and they even have a playground and picnic area. They are good people!!
Helen loves to snack on sweet potatoes, carrots, romaine lettuce (iceberg must be too ordinary), grapes, apples, corn cabbage and peanuts. Madelyn has recently convinced Helen that she loves to eat leaves as well!! I love seeing Madelyn’s smile as she’s caring for the animals. It shows just how much she loves them, and loves her job. That is SO heartwarming!!
Here are several photos of Helen, enjoying life (and leaves) in her new home.
Please check out Madelyn’s profile toward the bottom of the Home Page!
How about Abigail and Amelia, Uncle Waldo and Thomas O’Malley from the AristoCats for the four Amigos names? They are such happy birds in the movie, though only three of them so I threw in the Lead Hip Cats name for the fourth amigo. Our kids loved that movie and them just like I enjoy all your pictures and posts Danny!
Those are great names, Kevin!! So shall it be!! Of course, the two Mallard hens will be Abigail and Amelia. I think the hybrid Mallard Drake needs to be Uncle Waldo, leaving Thomas O’Malley for the white and tan Pekin. Such a formal name!!
I hope all is well with you and your family and puppy dogs!!
Thank you Danny for your beautiful pictures. What talent you have.. can’t wait to see Molly and Wally as I have not seen them in a while.
And thanks Madelyn for the work you do at Dauset trail
Hey Yvette!! It’s great hearing from you!! I haven’t seen you in awhile. I hope you’re doing well. Thank you, as always, for your kind words!! I love having Madelyn here to share her work and her love for animals and wildlife, as well!!
Hi! It’s Melissa and I met you on the Circle B trail in Lakeland🙂. Hope you had a great time and meeting! Awesome to share alligator sightings with you. I signed up for notifications so post and post! 🙂
Hey Melissa! It was a pleasure meeting you as well! I apologize for being so late replying. The symposium I was attending in Orlando took up a lot of my time and both of my computers! I finally got home (Middle Georgia) Friday night, and have been trying to catch up with work and processing my photos ever since!
Thank you for signing up for post notifications! I hope you will enjoy them. I should be posting the ones from my Florida trip by the end of this week. I thought the Circle B Bar Reserve was amazing!! I will be visiting it again in the future!!
Meanwhile, I hope you have a very nice week!! Thank you again!!
Danny D.