Wheeler Wildlife Refuge

Sandhill Cranes at Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama

Carroll and I met in the parking lot of Decatur's Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Headquarters.  We hugged and laughed, excited to see each other after such a long time.  Our mission - to see the sandhill cranes before they fly northward for the summer.  Although it's still February, our weather has been very warm and wet this year which has altered many bird migration patterns.  Two weeks ago I was surrounded by 50 gazillion cedar waxwings.  Normally, they arrive in late March thru April.  But this many?  Now?  It's kinda weird. 

There they go...

These photos were taken in the fields on the drive in toward the headquarters building.  I didn't even get out of my car - just rolled down the window and fired off a few frames.  They didn't like it.  The squirrelly one in the center, above, spooked everyone else and all they flew.  These fields aren't normally this green in February. 

Northern Shovelers circling and eating...

After our hugging dancing jig in the parking we were surprised by the Operation Migration van! So surprised that we didn't even get a photo of it.  We'd heard that 7-9 whooping cranes were at WWR and were hoping to see them.  Clearly, the van's appearance meant they were there, somewhere in the vast acreage along the Tennessee River.  We later discovered that they were still contained in a "safe spot."  These whooping cranes had ample protection provided by law enforcement vehicles, or so we think because we spied 4 officer vehicles nearby. 

American Wigeon

Trudging silently through the pathway toward the observation building, we noted just how quiet it was.  No sandhills flew overhead.  No trumpeting off in the distance.  Nothing but the scritches and scratches of songbirds in the brush, and the quacking of all manner of ducks.  Okay, technically that's not "nothing," but ..... no sandhills. 

WWR Observation Blind - by reservation only

From our perch in the observation building we could see the observation blind across the wetland.  Scads of waterfowl and a few Canada geese.  The northern shovelers were circling and eating something beneath them - the water was very low.  No sandhills.  I've never been there when it was so quiet. 

Take a bow!

As the northern shovelers take a bow we shoulder our cameras and head for the cars.  This quick trip was fabulous in that we got in a nice visit in a beautiful locale.  I traveled a new path on my way home and made a discovery, which will be saved for the next post.  Sorry that I've been MIA.  Simply no adventures to share, but that will be changing....soon!  Stand by...

More Cranes

You know how it is. After painstakingly processing hundreds of images, and narrowing down your blogging choices to a precious few, ya go back and fall in love with some images all over again. This morning in our quiet house, everyone (dogs and hubs) sleeping but me, the smoky flavor of coffee steaming around my face, I revisited our trip to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge to see the cranes. Words of wisdom aren't forming this morning so I'll share instead words from other like minds. The link to the quote page can be found at the bottom of this post.

"I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?"

~Robert Redford, 1985

"There must be a better way to make the things we want, a way that doesn't spoil the sky, or the rain or the land".

~Sir Paul McCartney

"Sustainability is a condition of existence which enables the present generation of humans and other species to enjoy social wellbeing, a vibrant economy, and a healthy environment, and to experience fulfillment, beauty and joy, without compromising the ability of future generations of humans and other species to enjoy the same."

~Guy Dauncey

"The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future."

~Marya Mannes, More in Anger, 1958

"The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river."

~Ross Perot

"Those who wish to pet and baby wild animals "love" them. But those who respect their natures and wish to let them live normal lives, love them more."

~Edwin Way Teale, Circle of the Seasons, 1953

These and more Sustainability Quotes can be found at the Drury University website. Just click the link if you're interested.

Cranes

Carroll and I met in the middle to see the sandhill cranes. We hoped to see some whooping cranes as well. The volunteer manning the desk said there are an estimated 7,000 sandhill cranes at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge this winter. She also said there are a "hand full" of whooping cranes. Whooping cranes are a bucket bird for me and Carroll, and our spirits were high.


We arrived at 9am and followed a volunteer in who opened the refuge gate. Sandhills were flying all around us, trumpeting their holiday greetings. I spotted one whooper nestled in with the flying sandhills, but it was a brief glimpse only. Once settled in the observation building we watched sandhills come and go amid a great amount and variety of ducks.

Lots of courtin' going on.

Sandhills flying and sandhills foraging.

Great flocks of sandhills flew right past our windows.

Sweet, soft morning with the cranes.

They flew right over the building, which has a speaker system installed. Inside, you can hear every trumpet call, every quack, every birdsong. The experience is complete.

As the sandhills fly past I spot two brighter cranes off in the distance. Could it be...?

Yes, the mated pair of whoopers our volunteer told us to be on the lookout for.

We watched the soar and ride the currents up and up and up, then down, down, down, like a slow aerial ballet. Finally, they began their landing approach.

In concert.

The Hidden Green

This isn't where I was going. There was a specific destination in mind when the cameras were loaded into my car. However, there wasn't a level of excitement deep within me as I'd been to my intended destination many times before. Time hasn't been on my side of late and there was simply a deep need to get away - go outside - breathe some country air - dust off the camera and shoot something - anything -besides the backyard. Off I went, unsure but needy.

About 45 minutes from home I pull off the highway heading to my target spot. Rolling slowly through narrow roads framed by huge trees, covered in dappled lighting I'm uneasy. This just feels too .... I dunno .... planned? Safe? Ordinary? Non-adventurous? Yeah, all the above.

Restless, a little irritated and antsy it's clear my calling isn't here in this safe, albeit beautiful, place. I leave.

Instead of turning back to the highway my car is pointed west down a long abandoned roadway. Formerly a major highway, the road has been overshadowed by the newer interstate spur that parallels it. This 5 lane road is still used by fishermen and bird watchers and nature-loving men and women as it contains small dirt roads that leads you back to the Tennessee River deep into Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.


I'm not sure why I turned left because my iCar (Yaris) can't take those small offshoot roads. I'm just searching, seeking, and a little melancholy. Even my music was depressing me (NOT NORMAL!) so I turned it off and opened the windows wide, letting in bird calls and the sounds of the forest that's beginning to close in around me.

That the road goes over a waterway is barely noticeable as the area hasn't been kept up and is sorta overgrown, the road all weedy and cracked.

What made me look to the right just as I was going over the water I'll never know. My eyes were treated to a hidden green world of dark trees, reflections, water and elephant feet. I literally gasped. Or made some little sound. Thankfully, no one was around to hear it.

I shot and shot and shot, various angles both close and wide. Running across the street to see the other side I was dumbfounded at the different kinds of greens that were waiting for me. The sunlight was shifting and rays were coming through the trees at points, the color of the water changing.

This is a place of hobbits and elves and fairies and sprites.

And elephant feet.

Downloading the images at home it took me hours to decide which ones to process. They are all decent and/or good shots because the area was so beautiful. How do YOU decide which to process, which to print and which to put on a website? Any slight change in composition simply created a different look that was equally as good - imho - as the previous image. So how do you decide?

Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Finis

Transitioning from the Cypress Trail to Observation Building

I do apologize in advance for the number of photos in this post. I got carried away. They're not the best photos in the world but I had such fun taking them! Leaving the Atkeson Cypress Swamp I slogged through a boggy spot (thanks to recent rains) to check out the reed beds and grain fields before hiking the short trail to the Visitor Center's Observation Building. By the way, this is Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.

Two Northern Shovelers are lazily negotiating a path through some cool looking reeds.

You must know how captivating these reeds are. Almost hypnotic in their appeal.

I confess such patterns in nature grab my attention. I forgot all about the Shovelers for a spell.

How pretty they look with the grain field in the background.

I just like this shot. Time to move on towards the Observation Building.

The Visitor's Center has a buffet all laid out for area songbirds and squirrels, who both flew and scurried off as I approached ... except this one lone, brave, cocky Tufted Titmouse.

American Coots, Northern Shovelers and Ring-Necked Ducks

One travels down a gravel pathway a short distance toward a building that's completely hidden by forest and planned growth. The last few yards I'm surrounded by a tall fence and bamboo, no doubt to keep noises down so as to not scare off the birds. Entering the building there are glassed walls that give you the perfect vantage point for bird watching. Off in the distance I see a gaggle of some small waterfowl. Upon later inspection (thanks to Photoshop) I see some Northern Shovelers, American Coots and ... Ring-necked Ducks. I thought they were Scaups until I got a close look at my images at home. Clearly, these are Ring-necked Ducks.

Male Wood Duck

Walking to the other side of the building I spy a pair of Wood Ducks. As many times as I've been here, all along the Refuge, I've never seen Wood Ducks up close and personal. These were paddling away from me, grazing among the reeds, but the light was so beautiful as were their colors.

Ring-Neck Ducks and the cool-o reeds

Juvenile male Mallard and a female Mallard - NOT!
I've learned these are Gadwalls! E-GADS! GAD-Zooks!
(Thanks birding buddy, Eve!)

A pair of Canada Geese

A lone female Red-Breasted Merganser paddle by while Mr. Northern Shoveler ducked down for a treat. I saw two female Red-Breasted Mergansers this morning - no males, and no other mergansers. I sorta felt sorry for them. Where were their little merganser buddies?


Back to the other side of the building where the light directionality made the water glow a rose color. There were my Wood Ducks again.

A pretty shot of more reed beds.

As I was leaving Mr. Wood Duck floated by to bid me adieu. As primitive as the Cypress Trail was, my visit with the waterfowl was peaceful and serene.