Drive the Refuge

Come along as I drive the Duck River Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, a birder's paradise. Here's a collection of images as I made my way into and out of the refuge.

The refuge is home to birds in all shapes and sizes and colors and in all the varying habitats within the refuge. A twist in the road and you scare up a large wading bird who takes flight from the intrusion. You don't mean to intrude, but with the grasses along the road obscuring what lay on the other side, and the swamps adjacent to the road much lower, it is inevitable. A few of the birds I encountered:

Great Blue Heron, Great White Egret, Mallard Ducks,
Eastern Kingbird, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Bobolink, Yellow Headed Blackbird

I hope you enjoyed the drive and would love to know if you have a favorite photo.

If you are in the Eastern United States, we're in the throws of a full blown heat wave, so be careful out of doors. Have an enjoyable weekend all. ENJOY!

Dickcissel, Duck River, TN National Wildlife Refuge

Say hello to the Dickcissel. He is a life bird for me. I hadn't anticipated finding a new species today on my visit to the wildlife refuge. I visited the Duck River Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge today. This little bird kept flying from stalk to stalk. When he got close enough, I stopped to snap these images. All the while I sat and snapped away he sang to me a beautiful song.

Dickcissels migrate from the Deep South north and and generally breed in the Midwest. With the many grasslands in the Duck River Unit, I venture to guess this little fella could make this his home. Many of the roads were closed for the season, in late 2016 when I last visited here, but they were open today, so I was able to drive deep into the refuge.

I encountered many species of birds today including Great Blue Herons, Great White Egrets and Cormorants. I'm fairly certain I even caught a glimpse of a Yellow Headed Blackbird before he flew away.

We are in the throws of a heat wave here in Tennessee and the South. The next three days will be sweltering and will no doubt reach the 90's. I had planned to travel to Gibbs Gardens this weekend in northern Georgia. I opted out of that trip as the heat wave isn't conducive for walking two or three hours in the hot sun taking in the gardens. Perhaps it will cool off in a few weeks and I can get there. Stay cool out there. ENJOY!

Dragonfly Snaps

After my Sunflower photo session, I drove to Murfree Springs Wetlands in Murfreesboro. In spite of harsh light and heat, I walked around the boardwalk. Not much was stirring except an abundance of Dragonflies. I 'think' this is a Blue Dasher resting on a plant near the edge of the boardwalk. His wings are so beautiful glistening in the sunlight.

I eyed the edge of the boardwalk and spotted what I believe is an Eastern Pondhawk perched on a plant. I am not an expert when it comes to Dragonflies, but I do enjoy photographing them. I thought I would share one of the explanations I found for the origin of how the Dragonfly got it's name.

In old Romanian folklore, the dragonfly was actually a horse ridden by Saint George. St. George rid the mythical town of Silence of the dragon that lived in the town’s pond and poisoned the town. After wounding the dragon, he leashed the dragon and gave it to the town’s princess. Saint George’s horse became a giant flying insect when cursed by the devil. In the Romanian language, the word for dragonfly translates into Devil’s Horse or Devil’s fly. The Romanian word for devil is drac, which can also indicate dragon. In English, it translated to dragonfly.

The weekend is upon us and with yet more days of high heat and humidity. Today was 97 and I'm sure the heat index was in triple digits. There's no relief in sight either. Am I allowed to say I'm almost ready for Fall. Did I actually say that? Oops. Stay cool all. ENJOY!

Bird Behavior

This was the perfect weekend to visit Murfree Spring Wetlands. Blue skies, bright sunshine, no humidity. I usually walk along the boardwalk shifting from one side of the walkway to the other while scouring the swamp for any sign of movement.

What I wasn't expecting was to find a Yellow Crowned Night Heron fishing in the middle of the swamp in the back of the wetland. He was very intent on the task at hand and didn't mind one bit that I stood on the boardwalk and took photos. He would stand straight up, then lean over. Then he would lift up one foot and take a step. Then he would lift up another and drop it. Then ..... pounce!

He was in and out of the water so fast, I couldn't even get a decent image. Yet, there he was hanging on to a crayfish.

Gotta get this crayfish in just the right position so he can swallow it, no doubt whole.

After several catches, the Heron decides its high time for a preening session which included some 'under the hood' work. Amazing. If I didn't know better I would swear he was trying to play hike and seek with me. Hope you had a great weekend. ENJOY!

Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge

As wildlife refuges go, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge is simply that, a wildlife refuge comprised mostly of swamps and bottom land with Lily Pads and Lotus blooms scattered here and there. The 8,000 acres plus wildlife refuge is situated in northwest Tennessee just west of Clarksville, outside of the town of Dover.

The wildlife refuge runs parallel to the Cumberland River so while you drive the main refuge road and view the refuge on one side, in other parts of the refuge you will find the river on one side and the refuge on the other.

One nice thing about this refuge was how it offered photo ops other than the standard wading birds standing in a swamp. There was one large section of land just as you entered the refuge that was covered with blooming Lotus flowers. Unfortunately, I could not get close enough to take better images.

I did manage to capture this Great Blue Heron on the prowl for a meal standing knee deep in the middle of a cornfield. He looked to be on a serious mission so I moved on after clicking a few frames.

The temperatures here in Middle Tennessee, as the locals call it, have stayed in the low 90's for over a week now and do not appear as though they are going to change any time soon. UGH! All one can do is take cover in the air conditioning. I hope wherever you are, you find it cooler than what I am experiencing. Luckily, we have missed the heavy rainful brought on shore by Tropical Storm Bill. Most of that weather moved farther north before turning east. Back soon. ENJOY!

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Green Frog, Murfree Spring Wetlands

At Murfree Spring Wetlands I happened upon large and small birds, mammals, amphibians and a plethora of marshes, swamps and more pond weeds than I had ever seen in my lifetime. While reading up on Green Frogs, I discovered that pond weeds are also referred to as duck weeds.

Mid way into my first walk, half way back into the wetland, this Green Frog stuck his head up out of the water in a less saturated pond weed area. This little guy is in the perfect habitat what with all of the insects one can find hanging out in the wetland. I discovered upon reading about Green Frogs that this is gal, a female Green Frog. Females have a similar size tympanum, external hearing structure, just behind the eye. The tympanum actually transmits sounds to the inner ear. Males have a much larger tympanum which is the perfect distinguishing characteristic.

At the end of my wetland walk, I lingered to look over the boardwalk into the swamp and up popped another female Green Frog. This gal was almost totally camouflaged by heavy pond weeds. She sat on top of the water while I captured a few images of her.

I plan to venture back to Murfree Spring Wetland often in the near future in hopes of seeing the Beavers and River Otters that reside there. I encountered considerable evidence of the Beavers all along the first half of the boardwalk. Near the back of the wetland sat a very large Beaver lodge out in the swamp. Everyone have a fantastic weekend. Stay dry as there is quite a bit of rain forecast for the midwest, south and eastern United States. ENJOY!

Linking to Saturday Critters

Eastern Phoebe

At Murfree Spring Wetlands I attempted to capture photos of the woodland birds flitting about on the dead branches spread throughout the swamps and marshes. This little bird is an Eastern Phoebe. One of the most familiar of the eastern flycatchers. Phoebes are quite hardy and have a stocky physique and are generally brown and white. If only he would have had a fly or gnat in his beak that would have made for a better image, but I will take what I can get.

Eastern Phoebes generally perch on low hanging branches or low in trees. They form mud-and-grass nests attached to bridges, barns and houses. I can honestly say I have never seen an Eastern Phoebe nest. Eastern Phoebes migrate north and are one of the first birds to migrate back to the south each year. This is a Life List Bird for me. ENJOY!

A SPECIAL NOTE TO MY FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS
Since moving here to Tennessee I have encountered quite a few birds to add to my Life List.

The list is posted on this blog in the right column mid way down if you would like to see just what species of birds
I have encountered throughout my journeys. Thank you for stopping by my blog
and thank you for all of your wonderful comments. I read every single one and cherish all of them.

Since mid December I have at least 25 new followers to my blog from all over the globe. 
I want to thank each and every one of you for following my posts and if you haven't left me
a note or a comment, I hope you will soon. I love to hear your thoughts on my outings to capture
images of our beautiful planet. I translate any comments that aren't in English. 
So never fear, I'm reading your comments no matter the language. Thank you for following!

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

As I was about to end my walk around Murfree Spring Wetlands Sunday, I turned the corner toward the entrance and saw this beautiful creature standing in the middle of the large swamp. This is a Yellow Crowned Night Heron and a Life List bird for me. Isn't he gorgeous. I had never laid eyes on one before. Quite honestly, I didn't even know there was such a thing. The only thing I knew for certain was this was not a Black Crowned Night Heron.

It didn't take long for me to identify this bird as I knew it was some sort of crowned Heron. Yellow Crowned Night Herons are nocturnal birds that reside mainly in southern swamps and along southern coastlines. The yellow crown is their distinctive feature which is what they are named for although they do have yellow legs as well. These Herons are stockier than the Great Blue Heron, the Little Blue Heron or the Tri-Colored Heron.

A juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron has a longer neck and sports a grayer toned body. Actually, the juvenile doesn't really resemble the adult all that much when I looked them up online. I thought perhaps I would see a Black Crowned Night Heron at the wetlands as I had seen photos online that mentioned sightings, but no dice.

The entire time I photographed this Heron he was very intent stalking about in search of a snack. Finally, a lady with two young boys approached and off he flew. I knew he wouldn't stay long with young children chatting away. It has rained off and on since yesterday, but hopefully we won't have the drenching rain that Texas and Oklahoma are getting. Such tragedy in Texas from the floodwaters and on Memorial Day no less. My heart goes out to everyone there. Back soon with more images from my walk on the wild side. ENJOY!

Wood Ducks, Murfree Spring Wetlands

Murfree Spring Wetlands is a remarkable place to visit and to think that it is right in the middle of a large town is even more remarkable. I decided to visit here as it called for a shorter drive than the refuge I had planned on visiting.

The iridescent green and purple of the male Wood Duck are gorgeous, not to mention its red eyes, beautiful flare down its neck and multi colored bill. Both the male and the female share crested heads. This species is akin to the Asian Mandarin Duck.

The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a perching Duck known throughout North America. These Ducks prefer wooded habitats such as wooded swamps which is exactly what Murfree Spring Wetlands is known for. You can find the Wood Duck female's nest in wood boxes and tree cavities.

I tried to see if I could locate where this pair of Wood Ducks may have nested, but the swamp and its marshes were so dense it was difficult.

Another remarkable thing about these Ducks is that in the eastern and western United States 75% of Wood Ducks are permanent residents. Generally, the eastern Wood Ducks use the Atlantic Flyway while the western use the Pacific if they are not permanent, but are migratory.

I wanted to mark this Memorial Day by mentioning that I think often about those who gave their lives for our country,

as my Father did having suffered from PTSD, which ended his life at the young age of 52.

My heart goes out to those of you who are and those of you who have served for our country, 

living or dead, so America can be free. As I often see and hear 'Freedom is not Free'. God Bless America!

Linking to Saturday Critters

Muskrats, Murfree Spring Wetlands

Today was the perfect day for an outing. The temperature was in the mid eighties with an abundance of sunshine peeking through the clouds and at times a nice breeze would blow through to cool things off. I decided to visit Murfree Spring Wetlands in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, southeast of Nashville. The wetland is situated next to the Discovery Center which is a children's venue accompanied by a museum. The wetlands is about 25 acres and is home to mammals, amphibians, birds, waterfowl and obviously thousands of insects. The definition of a wetland follows . . .

Wetlands are land areas that are saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, 

such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Wetlands include swamps, marshes

and bogs. Wetlands vary widely because of  differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology,

water chemistry, vegetation, and other factors. Wetlands are economic drivers because of 

their key role in fishing, hunting, agriculture and recreation. 

This being my first visit I was surprised to find a large Muskrat sitting on top of marsh weeds and grasses munching on pond weeds. Pond weeds are the tiny green weeds you see in the water all around the Muskrat. This Muskrat looked to be an adult and wasn't the least bit concerned at my presence nearby on the boardwalk. So I gingerly snapped a few images of him having a midday snack. After a few minutes and having gotten his fill, he disappeared into the water never to be seen again.

After my initial walk around the parameter of the wetland, I headed back to my car for a quick drink of water. The sun was coming down pretty good at times making for a warm walk. Back to the boardwalk for a second lap around, I just happened upon several smaller Muskrat feeding on pond weeds right inside the wetland entrance. Muskrats in residential environments can be a nuisance, but these little guys were in the perfect environment in the swamps and, needless to say, there was plenty of food to be had.

My visit was packed full of sightings of all types of species from mammals to waterfowl. Along the boardwalk I happened upon large Turtles basking in the sun covered in pond weeds, Eastern Pondhawk Dragonflies, Green Frogs and, of course, the Muskrats. The birds I encountered were the Yellow Crowned Night Heron, a pair of mated Wood Ducks, a Grackle, several Eastern Kingbirds, countless Robins, and the Red Winged Blackbird which are plentiful around swamps and marshes. There was a virtual plethora of wildlife to be seen and enjoyed. I hope your Memorial Day holiday has been enjoyable and I promise I will be back in a day or two with more images from my visit. We have rain on the horizon for tomorrow. Apparently that front that has caused major flooding and storms in Texas and Oklahoma is headed my way. Although I don't think we are supposed to get quite as much rain as the Midwest has gotten. ENJOY!

Green Heron, Mustatatuck NWR

In all of the years I have been visiting Mustatatuck, I had never laid eyes on a Green Heron. Never. I'm sure there were Green Herons present there, but I never saw one. I'd seen many a Great Blue Heron and Great White Egrets, but no Green Heron. I read on one of the birding websites that someone spotted one yesterday so I was looking for him when I drove the auto tour route. And sure enough, there he was in the main marsh along the auto tour standing knee deep in the green swamp water. It was as though he were waiting for me to come along so I could photograph him.

He was a busy guy too. He crept up on quite a few frogs and downed each one quickly only to move on to the next. I was a far distance from him on the road so not all of my images were sharp. These were some of the best ones.

I was amazed at how easy this Green Heron captured each frog time and time again in the short time I sat and watched him from my car. Much more frequently than a Great Blue Heron catches his prey. I suppose being small has its advantages.

There were several Plovers hanging out in the adjacent swamp that I captured some images of which I'll save for another post. It was cooler today and while heavy rain drenched parts of Louisville including around my house, I managed to miss it. As I drove home from southern Indiana today, it was obvious Fall isn't too far around the bend. I got the sense from scanning the landscape from the tiniest hint in the change of colors. Hope your weekend was great. ENJOY!

Swamps and Lake, Mustatatuck NWR

After you enter Mustatatuck, you'll make a few turns on the road and then come to Reichart Lake. Where normally there aren't much in the way of herons and geese, they seemed to mostly congregate in the lake this visit. The lilypads are really robust along the banks of the lake. As you drive the car route through the refuge, you pass many marshes and swamplands until you finally come to the two largest marshes. I always feel compelled to photograph these same two trees nearly every time I visit the refuge. They just seem to beckon to be photographed so I ablige. Upon leaving the refuge, I encountered several large deer along the road and one eating along the side of the road. I guess all this rain we've had has left them with food aplenty. Enjoy!

Paradise Found!

This gorgeous area of Illinois is known as Horseshoe Lake. With it's swamps, cypress knobs and tupelo trees dominating the landscape, southern Illinois is truly a nature lover's paradise. It's been called the Ohio River Bayou. There are close to 15 bald eagles who winter here each season. While this area is very remote, it is truly beautiful and virtually unspoiled. I was lucky enough to visit when a group of nature lovers were launching their canoes off a nearby boatramp. Watching them row out into the lake, one by one, in this backdrop really was a treat. Nearby also was a small grove of bamboo shoots or is that bamboo trees. Something you won't see often in the United States, not to my knowledge. Enjoy!
http://www.southernmostillinois.com/