 Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  “Richie” was a short-legged mixed breed that was turned in to the Walton County Animal Control shelter by a citizen on February 19, 2018. His compact size and short legs made him quite adorable. Richie’s short-legged self was really a cute boy. But like some people who are camera shy or don’t photograph well, he too didn’t takewell to his photo session. Richie was a challenge to photograph since he wasn’t at all leash broken. After a loooong slooooow walk out of the shelter, all the while coaxing him along so he wouldn’t choke himself, Richie just sat in the grass and said “Enough!” But the good news, after his strolls too and from the shelter, he quickly realized that it was a much more pleasant process if he were to cooperate with the leash. He was walking at a near perfect heel on the way back in! Richie was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter on February 20, 2018 and placed on the shelter’s adoption website www.waltonpets.net. Richie was adopted on February 22, 2018.
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 Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Tuesday, 9:49 AM – “Chet” was a stray Beagle picked up by an animal control officer on February 16, 2018. Wandering Beagles isn’t to uncommon an occurrence in rural Walton County. Some may get distracted and fail to return to their owner’s while out hunting, or others may leave the yard when they smell something afar off! This stumpy, plump bellied boy was as cute and personable as all the Beagles that come through the shelter. Unfortunately, he tested heartworm positive. Although it wouldn’t make it impossible, it would be a bit more difficult to get him re-homed. Other than the baying which some may tend to do, Beagles are awesome house pets! They are just the right size for an apartment or small home. And they always have a great personality that fits in along with families and kids. “Chet” was a little reluctant to walk on leash inside the shelter, but was much more accustomed to the outdoors. He struck some great “rabbit dog” poses for me. After a few minutes, he decided he really needed a back rub. Since I hadn’t obliged, he simple rolled over on his back and twisted back and forth for several minutes. Ahhh, the simple pleasures in life! “Chet” was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia on February 20, 2018 and put on the shelter’s adoption website, www.waltonpets.net. He was rescued on February 24, 2018 by Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue! His rescue was made possible with donations to the rescue from Alice, Blan, Anne and Elizabeth.        Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Mugging - to stare at someone in a menacing or threatening way. “That dude's mugging, I think he wants to fight.” - Urban Dictionary Tuesday, 10:28 AM – Dewey was muggin’! He was a cute and playful puppy that immediately turned on a tough guy look each time I’d lift my lens. He wouldn’t even look at the camera! But as soon as I put it down, all happy tail wagging! Dewey was turned in stray to the Walton County Animal Control shelter by a citizen on February 20, 2018. He was found on Highway 20… not a safe place for a little guy to be roaming! Because I was on a roll and my other duties were caught up, he got a photo session on his very first day in the shelter. “Dewey” was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia on February 20, 2018 and placed on the shelter’s adoption website, www.waltonpets.net, to find him a new home. Dewey was rescued on February 23 by Leica's Saving Paws Rescue! His rescue was sponsored by generous donations to the rescue from Lane, Anne & Hilary!       Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Tuesday, 10:43 AM – “Lula” was a gentle and calm German Shepherd that was turned in to the Walton County Animal Control shelter by a citizen on February 19, 2018. She was microchipped to someone in another city, but the phone number on file wasn’t current. This older girl was heartworm positive and had a few minor health issues, but probably only needed some flea treatment and better nutrition. She may not have been the best bred German Shepherd, but really, what does it matter? Even without papers she’d be a wonderful companion! She was a sweet girl and deserving of a new home if her owner was not located. “Lula” was photographed for Walton County Animal Control in Monroe, Georgia on February 20, 2018 and placed on the shelter’s adoption website www.waltonpets.net. She was rescued on February 24 by Atlanta Canine Adoption Project!       William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Psalm 78:27 He rained down birds as thick as dust, clouds of them like sands along the shore! Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time. Now, more than 160,000 people of all ages and walks of life worldwide join the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds. For at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, February 16-19, 2018, simply tally the numbers and kinds of birds you see. Scientists use information from the Great Backyard Bird Count, along with observations from other citizen-science projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and eBird, to get the “big picture” about what is happening to bird populations. http://gbbc.birdcount.org/about/ DAY 1 - Friday, February 16, 2018Patchy morning fog, 30% chance of showers, high 74° This was my first time participating in the GBBC. Wandering the grounds, parking lots and buildings around the animal shelter on breaks throughout the day, I was able to list twenty one species on day 1! https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42837801  "Drink-your-tea!" - - Eastern Towhee songbird singing on brotographed on four days of birding in Clarke and Walton County during the February 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Species checklists are entered on ebird during the event.  Song Sparrow in budding Bradford Pear Tree - - I was pleasantly surprised by this shot. Especially since I was just birding and not trying for good shots. I just lifted the camera and shot yet another typical Song Sparrow and moved on. But when I got back to edit, this one really stood out. The dark warm browns and the buds on the Bradford Pear really looked great. I even love the sharp detail of the spider webs if you look closely. And the rusty leaf stands out like a red arrow pointing to the subject. Just goes to show: point and shoot. You never know what turns out!  Red male Northern Cardinal songbird in briars. Photographed on four days of birding in Clarke and Walton County during the February 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Species checklists are entered on ebird during the event.  Eastern Phoebe Flycatcher bird on branch, Georgia, USA  Hybrid mixed mallard drake and hen domestic ducks. Photographed on four days of birding in Clarke and Walton County during the February 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Species checklists are entered on ebird during the event.  Eastern Towhee songbird singing on branch, Georgia, USA  Northern Mockingbird bird on branch, Georgia, USA  Carolina Wren bird on branch singing, Georgia, USA  Carolina Wren songbird. Photographed on four days of birding in Clarke and Walton County during the February 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count DAY 2 - Saturday, February 17, 2018  Sandhill Crane - quite a thrill (yes, I guess I'm now a bird nerd!) to see 9 cranes flying in V-formation over my house! Overcast, high 65° I spent the entire morning from 8:45 to 11:15 AM on my back patio. Within the first hour or so, I had marked down all the usual birds in my backyard and go up to 19 species. But I like round numbers, so I stayed out just a little longer. I had to be at the church at noon, so at 11:15 I was going to wrap it up when I heard a strange croak overhead. Then a group of giant birds flying in V-formation cruised right over my house heading west north-west. Not geese. Too big to be Cormorants. I suspected Sandhill Cranes although I didn’t know they migrated in a V-formation. I’d seen them in Illinois and I’d seen them in Florida. This was my first experience finding one in Georgia… especially right above my very own backyard! I made a second e-bird list while on outreach with my church in the College Circle subdivision. I also spotted a few other species while on a 10 mile run later in the day. Twenty five species for the day! https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42877982 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42883285 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42891476  Red male Northern Cardinal songbird in briars. Photographed on four days of birding in Clarke and Walton County during the February 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count  Female Northern Cardinal  Male Northren Cardinal  Whoops, that's not a bird! -- The eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus is a chipmunk species found in eastern North America. Photographed in Athens, Georgia. DAY 3 - Sunday, February 18, 2018  "Going Dutch" - a White-breasted Nuthatch and a Downy Woodpecker share a suet meal at my backyard feeder. Increasing clouds, high 66° Instead of staying confined to the prayer room before the Sunday morning service, I paced on the sidewalk out front to pray… and to tally another ebird list! Finally spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk mixed in with dozens and dozens of circling vultures. In the afternoon, a long nap interrupted my plan to go birding at Sandy Creek Park. I didn’t expect to see anything different from yesterday sitting on my back porch, but almost immediately found a White-breasted Nuthatch eating suet along with a Downy Woodpecker! I started a new list and took a walk around the block. While on the backside of Hummingbird Trail, I heard the distinct call of a Barred Owl from the woods. https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42920460 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42923446 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42943276 DAY 4 – Monday, February 19, 2018  A Red-shouldered Hawk hunts for rodents over the open field of the Walton County Sherrif's Department firing range. No poaching this hawk! Morning drizzle and fog, mostly cloudy, high 71° I wasn’t expecting to get too much birding in today. I planned to go in to work for two hours, mainly to get the payroll done, and then had to leave for errands in Atlanta with my wife. Before leaving work, I took a quick walk around the ponds and grounds. I was able to add two Killdeer to the tally, bringing my total tally to 39 species. Again, I like round numbers, and wanted one more. Where was the Great Blue Heron or the Kingfisher that regularly visit the pond? But on my way home, I got my desire and spotted an American Kestrel on a telephone wire on Barnett Shoals Road in Oconee County. Forty birds in four days! https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42973803 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42975830  An Eastern Phoebe huddles up on the drizzle and rain.  My four-day species count:
 Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Thursday, 2:48 PM - “Buzz” was a big ol’ bulldog turned in to Walton County Animal Control by a citizen on February 13, 2018. A woman said he had showed up at her house that morning lookin’ for lovin’. “Buzz” got dubbed “The Butterball Bulldog” by the cross-posters, and for obvious reasons. He was a loving fellow with a great personality. But still, it is always a little more difficult to get the bully breeds into new homes and rescues. I tethered “Buzz” to a utility pole on a right-of-way next to the animal shelter. I had to be careful about the background to not have the pole and wires in the picture. After a few minutes of pacing, he realized he wasn’t going anywhere and plopped his big booty down for some great shots and close ups. Buzz was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia on February 15, 2018. He was rescued on February 23 by Pound Puppies N Kittens Rescue and was sponsored with pledges from Anne, Alice, Lane, Cindy & Kay!       Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Thursday, 2:24 PM - “Cleo” was a gorgeous Rottie girl that was picked up by an animal control officer on February 12, 2018. The people that had her said she was found three days earlier but had no luck locating her owner. Cleo could definitely use a little weight on her bones, but was very tall for a Rottweiler. I was pleasantly surprised with her photo session. Her true beauty really showed through! Within just hours of posting her improved photos, Cleo got 3 adoption applications and 1 rescue inquiry. That's the way it is supposed to work!!! Cleo was photographed for the Walton County Animal Control shelter in Monroe, Georgia on February 15, 2018 and put on the adoption website, www.waltonpets.net. She was adopted into a new home on February 17, 2018!         William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Psalms 103:22 -- Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!  Eastern Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta, pond slider river turtle basking on a log on a cloudy day. Photographed on wildlife birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Thursday, 12:19 PM – a gray, cloudy day, but the warm temperature isn’t lost on the turtles. They’ve all climbed out of the mire on the upper pond near the animal shelter. But as I approached… SPLASH! Back into the water. Just to get away for a bit, I sat down upon a log on the bank during lunch break and waited for them to climb back out of the water.  Impressions of coyote and raccoon wildlife tracks left in dirt. Photographed on wildlife birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Not far from the pond, several fresh animal prints were tracked through the mud. Coyote, deer, raccoon, and a cat.  Pond slider river turtle basking on a log on a cloudy day. Photographed on wildlife birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA.  Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta, pond slider river turtle basking on a log on a cloudy day. Photographed on wildlife birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Forecast: overcast, high 73°  William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Colossians 2:2-4 (The Message) "I want you in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ... I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase..."  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks. Wednesday, 2:45 PM – it looks like the last Redhead duck has left at last. The lone male that has remained the last few days was nowhere to be seen this morning or afternoon. However, a pair of Canada Geese have been back on the pond the last few days. I wish I knew if they were the same pair that had goslings on our pond in seasons past. Walton County, Georgia  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen drinking in pond water reflection on small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen drinking in pond water reflection on small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Canada Goose gander or hen calling on water`s edge of small lake in rural Walton County, Georgia. The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks.  Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Tuesday, 3:19 PM - "Melaina" was a sweet, medium-sized hound mix that was turned in to the Walton County Animal Control shelter by her owner on February 13, 2018. They said she was left at their house by a previous owner and could no longer look after her. The impounds finally slowing a bit, and other duties out of the way for the afternoon, I was able to take her out by the pond behind the shelter for some shots. I also got her into a small barn that is used by the Public Works department to store their hay bales. It was quite a fitting photo session for this “country girl” pup from rural Georgia! Melaina was surrendered to Walton County Animal Control shelter on February 13, 2018 and was photographed for the shelter’s website, www.waltonpets.net the same day. She finally got her new home when she was adopted by Rosa on February 17, 2018!        Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains."  Wednesday, 2:48 PM - “Jackie” was a pudgy little JRT girl that was turned in to Walton County Animal Control on February 6, 2018. With her stubby little tail, she looked more like a piglet than a pup! She had a nice, quiet, calm demeanor and was happy to be around people. A break in the rain on this cloudy day allowed some afternoon photography. Jackie was photographed for Walton County Animal Control on February 7, 2018 and placed on the shelter's website, www.waltonpets.net. She was adopted on February 9, 2018!!   William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Revelation 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sunshine, shouting loudly to the birds, “Come! Gather together for the supper of the Great God!  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond with marsh grasses eating a dead bream fish. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Friday, 7:45 AM-I made my morning drive around back to count the Redhead Ducks on the shelter pond. On the first pass I only saw eight. But on my way out there were 16! Half we’re underwater on my first drive-by! At the northern point of the main pond, I saw a fast walking “duck” mixed in with the resident Mallards. Something different here… an American Coot! I spent 15 minutes shooting from my truck and filling an SD card. (Filling an SD card is so much better than the high cost days of shooting off several rolls of film!)  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Going back out at 10:30 AM, the Coot was right outside the shelter back door tearing up a dead bream fish. This bird must have come from an area where it was accustomed to seeing people. It allowed me to approach so closely; I scooted up on my but until I was only 25 - 30 feet away. I fired off another several gigabytes of photos and scored some great shots of the dead fish in its mouth.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond with marsh grasses eating a dead bream fish. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Coots are goofy looking birds - like a cross between a duck and a chicken. Several of my coworkers, having spotted this strange bird, came into my office saying, “there’s a weird looking duck with the pointy white bill on the back pond.“ I have seen many of these birds on the marshes along coastal Georgia. But it was in November, 2012 that I last saw a Coot visit the shelter pond.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond with marsh grasses eating a dead bream fish. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA.  American Coot, Fulica Americana, a duck like marsh bird fishing on pond. The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Common in marshes, reservoirs, lake edges, saltwater inlets or saltmarshes. Photographed on birding hike in Walton County, Georgia, USA. Walton County, Georgia 
Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains." 
Tuesday, 9:27 AM - “Ophelia” was a mixed breed girl that was brought into the shelter as a stray on January 26, 2018. She was a very sweet girl, but no owner ever came to look for her. Ophelia posed some of the problems with animal photography using just my 70-200 mm lens. I love the lens; it is very sharp, but it can play visual tricks.
In person, Ophelia looked like just a smallish-medium sized girl; not big at all. But using a focal length greater than about 40mm can make the dogs look bigger in the photographs. I need to stop being a lazy photographer and utilize at least a couple of lenses during photo shoots. The wider angle lenses can make even a big dog look smaller, especially when shooting from overhead.
She was finally rescued on February 5 by Walton Animal Guild. Her rescue was sponsored by pledged donations to WAG by Alice, Lane, Anne and Audrey!
Do you want to help keep www.waltonpets.net on the internet and support the photography work? We are currently but slowly saving up to replace the aging shelter camera. 100% of donations go to support waltonpets.net hosting fees and shelter photography efforts. 
Psalms 68:6 "God makes homes for those who are abandoned; He makes free those who are bound with chains." 
“JoJo” was a happy boy and it showed in his photos! He was brought into Walton County Animal Control on January 26, 2018 as a stray. Sure, he looked mostly like a Lab, but there was definitely something else mixed in there. He was just a knee-high guy.
Black dogs can slow down your shutter speed to get the right exposure. But it worked for JoJo! The motion blur of his tail in several of the photographs further displayed his happiness, even in still life photography! And just for fun I kept the cute photo of his big pink tongue licking his face! He tested heartworm positive, but his treatment was covered with pledged donations from Lane, Alice, Blan and Anne. He was rescued on January 31 by Lab Friends of the South! 
 William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation. Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.  Monday, 4:57 PM - An ebird.org user posted a group of Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) on a rural cattle pond. And I decided to search them out! I was able to leave the crazy day behind about 15 minutes early so I could drive by Braswell Church Road in Walton County on my way home from work. Arriving on this quiet country road, two cattle ponds set directly off the road on my right. One pond was tiered a bit above the other and both were surrounded by considerable tilled up mud. On my first pass the waters appeared empty… darn. Feeling I may have wasted my time, I turned the truck around to head back. But coming from the other direction, there they were: a dozen or more Northern Shoveler’s busily swimming back-and-forth over the surface of the muddy pond!  This was my first experience seeing these big-billed ducks shoveling away, skimming the water’s surface; sometimes together as a group, sometimes singly, and at times even dabbling butt-up like a Mallard. Several other birds explored the freshly tilled dirt around the ponds: lots of Killdeer and Mourning Doves. I sat and enjoyed their antics for about 15 minutes. As far as I know, I didn't draw any attention or awkward looks from anyone... except for the cows!  Walton County, Georgia |
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In December 1993 I came to know the Designer and Creator of this wonderful planet and its creatures: Jesus Christ.
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