Okefenokee Swamp

When planning a visit, there is a sweet spot between the end of winter (when the nights are not bitter cold) and early spring (before the mosquitoes take hold).

You have to leave early, if you want to get on the water in time.

 The water barely moves. So, if you want to move, you better paddle!

 There are not many people, but there are other sights and sounds.

The Barred Owls (Strix varia)sang every day we were there!

Even the view from the 'bathroom' is cool!

Water Lily leaves (Nymphaea odorata) slowly bounce after paddles push the water past them.

This little frog was scooped up next to the platform at Canal Run. I still need to identify this one to species.

Golden Club (Orontium aquaticum) was everywhere!

No motors allowed!

 

The reddish sticks are all Yellow-eyed Grass (Xyris sp.).

 

 This is a view I can get lost in.

A Stroll around Stone Moutain

Stone Mountain, located east of Atlanta, Georgia, is an igneous rock monadnock (isolated mountain), that was formed around the same time as the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Although there have been some really cold snaps this winter, there is still life just underground working its way to the surface. As early as mid-February, signs of life are easy to find.

Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor)

This might be the largest patch of Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor) that I have come across. These leaves are easy to identify by peeking underneath.

Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Pow! Look at that purple color! Even though I know it's there, I am surprised by that color every time!

Southern Grape fern (Botrychium biternatum) is looking tall and healthy, a midst the old and dry leaf litter. These fronds (leaves) appear in the summer, but will hang on all year long.

Southern Grape fern (Botrychium biternatum)

We were just a tad early to see Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) blooming. This spring wildlflower is blooming in south Georgia already. But, we might still have to wait a week or two to see these flowers near Atlanta. 

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

One flower we did get to see was this violet, with leaves still unfurling. I will need to revisit this site and pay better attention in order to identify this plant to species.

Blooming Violet (Viola sp.)

Walking the trails around the mountain, takes you through some beautiful wooded habitats. 

In the shadow of the mountain.

I hope to return soon so see the wildflowers during their ephemeral display.

Space Coast! Part 2, Viera Wetlands

Later that day, Dave and walked around Viera Wetlands. Typcically, this birding loop is drivable. But, recent rain muddied the roads enough for the wetlands to be closed to cars (thankfully!). The walk combined the tranquility of walking in nature with the excitement of not knowing what you might see next. We chased a sparrow through the grass, searched (unsuccessfully) for the American Bittern that I watched land in the reeds, and waited for Glossy Ibises to cross the road before we continued on.

 From bottom left, going clockwise: Blue-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron, American Alligator, Northern Shrike, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Green Heron (my personal fave), Sandhill Crane, and Common Moorhen

I consider the Green Heron, my gateway bird. While an undergrad, my bedroom window overlooked an area that a Green Heron spent most of it's summer. I was serenaded and have been birding as much as possible ever since. 

Space Coast! Part 1, Merritt Island

The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville, FL is located right next Cape Canaveral (hence the name). The 18th Annual festival was held last weekend. Even though I have lived near Atlanta for over a decade, this was the first time I made the trek. In addition to the great birding Florida has to offer, the festival is chock full of insanely talented and friendly birders. (I suspect we will return.)

Our first morning, we birded Merritt Island with friends. Although windy, there we birds enough to keep a birder busy.

From bottom left, going clockwise: American Avocets in front of a gang of American Coots; a pale and our of focus Reddish Egret; the flock at the beginning of the birding loop (Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Great Egret - not seen: Glossy Ibis, Wood Stork); Lesser Yellowlegs; Great Southern White Butterfly; and my posse for the morning - Michael, Louise, Glen and Dave

A Very Happy Follower

I would follow these folks anywhere. No joke.

Okay, maybe you can't really see who they are or why I'd follow them. Let me clarify. I snapped this shot from the back seat of the Cruz, where I am with car-mates and birding brothers, D & G, on our way to Merritt Island, FL. D&G have have been birding together for more than half of their lives. How cool is that? (I might be a little jealous.)

We three are following our friends and birding celebrities, to a birding hotspot. Why are they celebrities, you ask? Good question! They are celebrities because they have been on the forefront of all things birding for decades. They raise money for research, teach young budding birders, publish books, create breathtaking artwork and graciously teach something to everyone they come in contact with. In case you could not tell by now, they are my heroes. They have taught me so much and I am no where near done learning from them.

Do yourself a favor. Go birding. It makes life happy.

The Trip that Changed My Life (Part 3 of 3)

The sea!! We could see it! There it was, just down the road!

Can you see it? That little speck of blue, way down the road?

Our next home was the Vermillion Sea Research Station. It is a beautiful house on the Sea of Cortez; with a view that will knock your socks off. This is the view from the back door.

You have no socks now. I know it.

Our time here was spend exploring, of course. Traveling by boat, we were introduced to the landscape and animals that called this place home.

This island is completely white, covered with excrement. There are so many Blue-footed boobies that spend there time resting and defecating on this rock, it has turned pure white. Oh, and I know it is too small to tell, but that is a Magnificent Frigatebird on top of the cactus. This totally blew my mind.

Once again, we broke into groups and set out to answers our burning questions. This is my awesome exploration crew gearing up for research.

And this is my snorkel partner, James. We are snorkeling around an island recording the number and locations of schools of fish. He kept our underwater records. Thanks, James!

Our docking station. Not too shabby, eh?

We swam with dolphins. We swam with sea lions. We swam with stinging nettles and sea jellies. Okay, those last two were not so awesome. But, swimming in the Sea of Cortez is never less than awesome. Look at all of those happy feet.

We also saw manta rays jumping out of the water; common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and pilot whales, all from our boat! Once we got in the water, we were treated to animals like sea cucumbers, rays, octopus, and all kinds of fish! This is a chocolate chip sea star; one of the many super cool animals we got to see.

Again, we slept under the stars, but this time with a slightly different view.

On our last full day, we were taught the code of conduct for viewing WHALE SHARKS! We were setting out in search of these gentle giants. No promises were made. But, we were taught the rules, just in case we did find them. Rule # 1, Do not mount the whale shark! That one is kind of a joke. I mean, it is a real rule, but who would think you could? The other rules detail how far you should be from the animal and how many people can be near the animal at one time.

We set off in search of these incredibly large and docile beauties. And only 15 minutes later, WE SAW A WHALE SHARK!!

We gently slipped into the water. I looked back at the boat captain and he pointed at a classmate, Kristen, and said "Follow her. That one is closer." That one? How many are there? I put my head down and swam toward Kristen. When I reached her, I stopped, caught my breath and put my mask in the water. This is what I saw.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. It started to get hard to breathe. My whole body started to shake. I could hear myself thinking very clearly, "Calm down. Breath. Everything is cool. Breath. Even thought this shark is HUGE, you are totally safe. Breath." My whole body tingled. I gathered myself together enough to take some pictures and shoot. It was absolutely amazing.

Our home at the Sea of Cortez, the Vermillion Sea Research Station is filled with the artwork of the previous classes that have stayed and learned here.

We were invited to add to the collection. Brad created an amazing compilation of our experiences with the help of Lis and Elaine. It was amazing how quickly magic happened.

 Here is the mark our class left behind. We truly felt lucky each and every minute of this trip.

When our trip came to a close, we finally all realized how tired we were. This was the first van ride where people slept. And sleep they did. Well, expect for Megan.

This place will always be in our hearts.We learned to push our limits, open ourselves to new experiences and share ourselves with each other. We will never be the same. We are better and stronger and primed to face the next new challenge. Thank you, Baja! Thank you, Earth Expeditions! Thank you, Rafael, Esmeralda, Lalo, Alex, Andreas, Jasmine! Thank you, Robyn, Elizabeth, Meghann! Thank you, Lauren, Jay, Cece, Dez, Erin, Bekki, Laura, Elaine, Lily, Megan, James, Michelle, Mohammed, Kristen, Lis, Brad, Scott, Sarah, and Jody!

The Trip that Changed My Life (Part 2 of 3)

After a long and bumpy (emphasis on bumpy!) drive, we reached our new home!

Rancho San Gregorio! Little did we know how deeply our hearts would connect to this unfamiliar place. This ranch has been managed by a single family for many generations. The current patriarch, Rafael, guided us around the ranch, teaching us the benefits of using native plants in foods and medicines.

In addition to teaching us the survival skills of knowing which plants can help us and which can harm us, Rafael shared the beautiful and personal story of his family's history on this land. This is Rafael at the old home site, where he used to play with his cousins as a child.

The home was nestled among the surrounding desert mesas.

In addition to Rafael's extensive knowledge, we also learned through experience. Watch where you put your head! Everything is pokey.

At the ranch, we ate together as a family. The amazing food was cooked by Rafael's wife, Esmeralda and children, Lalo, Alex, Andreas and Jasmine.

We drank tea boiled from the branches of the trees on the ranch.

And we slept under the stars. Life was good. Life was very good.

Our time on the ranch was jam-packed with lessons, collaboration and exploration. We learned about each other, we learned about our surroundings and we learned about ourselves.

We broke into groups, created mini research projects and set out to collect data; which we organized and presented to the class. 

We reflected on what we discovered and recorded our lessons in our journals. Sometimes we got a little help from the local fauna.

Everything we did was as a team. We all came with different strengths and were given so many opportunities to share what we knew with each other.  It is amazing how fun it is to teach and learn at the same time.

After our lessons were over, we were invited to find a way to give back to the ranch in our own small way. Some of us chose to assist in the harvest of Ejoton pods, which are ground and made into tea or serums that help support the immune system. Rafael offers it to many people who come to him seeking help with ailments.

The bushes were rather spikey, so it took some finesse to reach the pods without scraping your hands or dropping the pod out of reach. But, we stayed focused and picked as many as we possibly could.
Lily and I were quite pleased with our haul.

We also helped fill capsules that can be used to treat folks who were not well. We were happy helpers!

On our last morning at the ranch we hiked up the mesa before the sun came up. It was a hard climb, but oh so exhilarating. Everyone was panting and grinning. The view was simply amazing.

As usual, we explored along the way. Here is a barrel cactus that has been nibbled by a hungry animal. By looking at all of the available evidence, we deduced that only the bottom of the cactus was nibbled, because this was the only place where there were areas free from spines. Mmm, tasty.

We said our goodbyes and hit the road, heading for the coast.