Tag Archives: Nature Photography

Gatorland Again – February 2021

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Me Showing What A Gator Will Do To You – Chomp -Gatorland

Today was a beautiful day for another trip over to Gatorland in Orlando, Florida. [About a 50 mile ride] It is still a bit early for the chicks to arrive, but some Great Egrets were nesting. It was a cloudless day, and from the next photo, you can see that there are plenty of birds in the distance on nest. Unfortunately, you cannot get very close to those.

Gatorland Feb 25, 2021 by Lee

Gatorland Feb 25, 2021 by Lee

Zoomed in – Gatorland

After we enter toward the bottom left of the park [see map], we proceed to the boardwalk where we take most of our photos [#24 and #25]. We come back to the front and usually stop by #39 and #40 where we take the photos of the Flamingos and the “taxi rides.” Stay tuned, I took some good videos today. [Later post]

Map of Gatorland Showing Boardwalk

By the time we make that loop, we have been there a couple of hours. Today I walked with my walker instead of renting electric wheels. Whew! Two hours was enough. It is over a mile around that loop. [I stopped to take lots of photos :) ] By the way, in a week, Dan and I will be getting our second Covid vaccine shot. Yeah! I’m tired of wearing masks! And not going birding very often.

While the photos and videos are being sorted and made ready, here is a new critter that has been added to the displays along the front of the park. It is a Serval Wild Cat. I have never seen it here, but it is a beautiful wild cat that comes from Africa. Serval – Wikipedia

Jabari the Serval - Gatorland 02252021 by Lee

Jabari the Serval – Gatorland 02252021 by Lee

Jabari the Serval - Gatorland 02252021 by Lee

Jabari the Serval

Jabari the Serval - Gatorland 02252021 by Lee

Jabari the Serval

What a creation from the Creator!

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:24-25 KJV)

If you missed the December trip to Gatorland posts, check these out:

Wordless Birds

Fighting the Reflection

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Like a bird fighting its reflection in a window, we too can fight our true reflection as revealed by the Word of God…

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” James 1:23-24

Tufted Titmouse; Walton County, Georgia. September 2, 2020. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Please don’t steal my images. Legally download this image here.

As I sit listening to the Sunday morning sermon, I’m distracted by a feisty little Tufted Titmouse flying up to the window attacking his reflection. He believes the image in the glass to be a rival interloper invading his territory. Because the bird doesn’t like what he sees, he decides to fight the reflection.

While I watched this aggravated avian, my pastor continued to preach from the book of James. In the letter, James describes the Word of God as a mirror that reflects what manner of men we are. We have our own self-image, but our image of ourselves is always quite different than how God sees us. And the Bible has a way of revealing who we really are; a true reflection, as in a mirror.

Tufted Titmouse fighting its reflection; Athens, Georgia. www.williamwisephoto.com.

Often, as the mirror’s image comes into clear focus, we don’t like the image that we see, and like the Titmouse, we fight against that reflection.

  • When the mirror of the Word reflects our true, impatient self (James 1:4), we fight against the reflection and declare ourselves to have “the patience of Job.”
  • When the mirror reflects our poor decisions and “lack of wisdom” (James 1:5), we fight the reflection and declare the Bible outdated.
  • When the mirror of the Word reflects our true, double-minded nature (James 1:8), we fight the reflection and posit our focused faithfulness to God alone.
  • When the mirror of the Word reflects our own sinful nature as the fault of our falling to temptation (James 1:13), we fight the reflection declaring “this is how God created me.”
  • When the mirror of the Word of God reflects our hot temper (James 1:19), we fight the reflection, take up a rock and smash the mirror!

When we see our true reflection in the mirror of the Word of God, let us not fight against it as the church Titmouse. Let us not walk away and “forget what manner of men we are.” But let us be doers of the Word, and as Today’s English Version translates, let us “submit to God and accept the Word that He plants in our hearts” (James 1:21 TEV). Another lesson learned if we will listen to what creation speaks!

Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation.  — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.

Wild Glory

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What a gift the Creator has given us! The world and all its psychologists wring their hands looking for relief from distress and anxiety. They drown their fears in medications. But the child of God need not do so. For a simple walk out the door to behold the “Wild Glory” of the Lord brings comfort and peace.

“They looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared.” Exodus 16:10

Great Egret; birding photography in Walton County, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com.

In his autobiography, W. Phillip Keller, author of the popular A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23, describes a troublesome period in his youth when he is separated from his family, his home, and even his God. Yet it was brief escapes into the wild that renewed his faith. He writes, “In the outdoor world my heavenly Father had supplied a sweet solace for a struggling soul like mine. There was healing for my inner hurts in the quietness of the woods and fields. There was a consolation for my spirit in the wild glory of grass and birds.”

Great Egret fishing behind my office in Walton County, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com.

When the phone rings off the hook and workplace stress builds, I too need some “wild glory.” And thankfully, the Creator sends it! Each year in late July, a Great Egret returns to the pond behind my office in Georgia. And right on schedule, I saw him out there fishing this week. Standing still and erect, his head cocked to peer into the shimmering water under his long legs, he slowly coils his long neck to finally unleash a quick thrust for a small minnow or larger bream. His appearance isn’t just on schedule with the calendar, but on schedule with my need for some calming from this hectic life.

What soothing; what peace; what intimacy with the Savior can be achieved just by beholding the creation of God! The psychologists can keep their prescriptions. I’ll dose myself with Wild Glory!

Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation.  — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.