williamwisephoto's Journal

A nature journal entry from May 6, 2013...

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 25631567 - Brown-headed Cowbird; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. May 6, 2013. ©williamwisephoto.com

Saturday, 9:34 AM. Unusually chilly (54°), wet, drizzly, windy and cold for a May morning. Looking out the empty feeders I saw a Blue Jay and Downy Woodpecker. Feeling bad in my warm house, I went to fill the empty feeders. Once out there, I saw 4 small blackbirds. Being relatively bold, they stayed in the tree as I approached. Black bodies, bronze heads. I went and confirmed their call on allaboutbirds.org… Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). They are much smaller than I had thought. When I pointed them out to my young daughter Megan, she asked if they go “Moooooo”. I was able to get their photos two days later when the weather was much more pleasant.

Athens, Georgia; May 6, 2013

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 30031714 - House Finch; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. April 25, 2015. ©williamwisephoto.com

The aptly named House Finches are once again desperately trying to build a nest in the decorative wreath hanging on the front door of our house. Each time my wife hears the tell-tale scratching, she comically runs over from the couch and rapidly swings the door wide open with a shout, sending a flurry of chirping off toward the tree in our front yard.

The House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) is reportedly native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, but has since spread to practically every neighborhood across the United States. If you don’t allow familiarity to breed contempt, the House Finch provides a melodious soundtrack to spring and summer. And the males are an attractive bird with their bright cranberry colored heads and flanks. Sources report that “the coloration varies in intensity with the seasons and is derived from the berries and fruits in its diet.”

The House Finches around our house are year-round, permanent residents. They often nest in the taller decorative shrubs along the side of our house, which we welcome. But when they try to occupy the front porch, my wife’s hospitality ends, knowing the mess the can cause. But hopefully, after enough disturbances from my wife, they elect to relocate to the front porch of a more accommodating neighbor.

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 38374732 - Eastern Phoebe; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. April 9, 2017.

Although it is the Barn Swallows that are busy about the posts on my neighbors’ front porches, it is an Eastern Phoebe that has once again attempted a nest on our front patio. Two years ago, the nest was destroyed before completion. Last year, the attempt appeared to be successful but was blown down by strong winds several weeks later, leaving unhatched eggs to perish under the overturned nest on the ground. This year’s nest seems of fine construction, neatly padded with fresh green moss, and has so far withstood one very windy day.

The Phoebe sits on her nest quite a bit. Perhaps the eggs are already there. She cocks her head as I come out the front door, and usually takes flight quite quickly. Last Saturday, while doing yardwork, I set up my ladder next to the juniper tree to get a higher angle photo into her nest. Each time I climbed the ladder, she would fly off, and all I got was a poor shot with flash. Today I used a longer lens to stay out of her flight zone. I managed a little more naturally lighted photo.

April 9, 2017; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia

Sure enough, the playback worked! He popped up for a few seconds ...

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 204281145 - Black-and-white Warbler; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. March 23, 2024. ©williamwisephoto.com

Enjoying an afternoon of backyard birding, I could hear a Black-and-White Warbler singing in the tangle of vines and downed wood. I brought out my small portable speaker to see if I could get it to make an appearance. Sure enough, the playback worked! He popped up for a few seconds to explore the little speaker, even fluffing up his feathers in agitation at the supposed intruder. I got my photos and then let it be. (Frequent use playback is not recommended, particularly in breeding season.) A very striking bird in the muted earth tones of my small patch of woods. ​
Athens-Clarke County, Georgia USA

• Clouds and wind, 71°F, low 43°F.
• Sunrise 7:32 am; Sunset 7:47 pm
• Daylight Hours: 12 hours, 16 minutes (+2m 7s)
• Moon: 98.0% Waxing Gibbous

At first, I thought this sciurid was coughing his insults towards us, but soon realized its attention was fixed elsewhere...

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 25278067 - Eastern/Gray Ratsnake; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. April 6, 2013. ©williamwisephoto.com

When my daughter was younger and her interest in the natural world was growing, I’d try to take her hiking every weekend. Even on days packed with the other duties in life, we’d take a 20 minute path through the small greenspace of our neighborhood.

One Saturday afternoon as she and I were exploring the green space, an annoyingly persistent Eastern Gray Squirrel was constantly barking out an alarm call. At first, I thought this sciurid was coughing his insults towards us, but soon realized its attention was fixed elsewhere. Not too far from the base of the barking squirrel’s tree was a long, dark snake. This Eastern Gray Squirrel was fixated on an Eastern/Gray Ratsnake!

After getting a few photographs, I wanted my daughter to see the great climbing ability of Ratsnakes so I placed it on the side of a Sweetgum. Up, up, up it went without any problems at all! The alarmed squirrel soon took off, perhaps feeling it lost its previous advantage of possessing the high ground.

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 25278365 - Eastern Gray Squirrel; Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. April 6, 2013. ©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!

© 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.

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!

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

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!