Eastern cottontail, Egan’s Creek Greenway, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida
This is a wildlife wrap-up of my trip back east since my next trip to Mongolia is coming up in three weeks and I’ve got posts coming about that. I was going to do a short post about the wildlife that I saw in Georgia, a bit of Florida and New York state. Instead it took me almost all of yesterday to pick out one of each of as many critters as I had decent photos of and make any adjustments necessary. Turns out I saw a LOT. I’m going to start with mammals, then birds, reptiles and finally insects. It’s a long post, but I wanted everything in one place for future reference. Hope you enjoy this wildlife trip!
MAMMALS
White-tailed deer, Okefenokee NWR. Stephen C. Foster State Park, GeorgiaEastern grey squirrel, Okefenokee NWR, Stephen C. Foster State Park, GeorgiaEastern grey squirrel and red squirrel, Hudson River Valley, New York State (red squirrel was a new species for me)Eastern chipmunk, Hudson River Valley, New York StateMuskrat, pond in the Hudson River Valley, New York (seen while out painting on location with Jim Coe; first muskrat I had ever seen, so had to post a photo even though it’s not a good one; for the record)
BIRDS
Wood stork, Harris Neck NWRWhite ibis, Okefenokee NWR, Stephen C. Foster State Park, GeorgiaGlossy ibis, Savannah NWR, South CarolinaAnhinga, Okefenokee NWR, GeorgiaTricolor heron, Okefenokee NWR, GeorgiaGreat blue heron Egan’s Creek Greeway, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida (notice the turtles off to the right)Great egret, Egan’s Creek Greenway, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FloridaLittle blue heron, Turtle River area, GeorgiaGreen heron, Harris Neck NWR, GeorgiaRing-necked ducks, Hudson River Valley, New York stateBlue-winged teal; American alligator, Savannah NWRCommon moorhen (juvenile), Harris Neck NWRTurkey vultures, Hudson River Valley, New York stateTurkey, Hudson River Valley, New York statePileated woodpecker, Okefenokee NWRHairy woodpecker, Hudson River Valley, New York stateRed-bellied woodpecker, Hudson River Valley, New York stateWhite-breasted nuthatch, Hudson River Valley, New York stateBlue jay, Hudson River Valley, New York statePurple finch and goldfinches, Hudson River Valley, New York stateTufted titmouse, Hudson River Valley, New York stateCardinal, near Harris Neck NWRMourning dove, near Turtle River, GeorgiaMockingbird, near Turtle River, GeorgiaBlue-grey gnatcatcher, near Turtle River, GeorgiaWarbler, Okefenokee NWR, Stephen C. Foster State Park, GeorgiaPalm warbler, Egan’s Creek Greemway, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FloridaSlate-colored junco, Hudson River Valley, New York stateBoat-tailed grackle, Savannah NWR
Birds I saw but did not get photos of or don’t have good ones include: swallowtail kite (no photo), cormorants, various ducks, a belted kingfisher, cowbird, snowy egret, and gallinule.
REPTILES
American alligator, Okefenokee NWR, Okefenokee Swamp Park ( The park people named him”Crazy” because he is very aggressive and is the current dominant bull gator; 12′ long, 800-900 lbs.)American alligator, Okefenokee NWRRiver cooters, Egan’s Creek Greenway, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FloridaSoft-shelled turtle, Okefenokee NWRBanded water snakes, Okefenokee NWRMidland water snake, Okefenokee NWRMidland water snake, Okefenokee NWRPenninsula ribbon snake, Okefenokee NWRWater moccasin/cottonmouth, Okefenokee NWRWater moccasin/cottonmouth (I was told by a local who works in the woods, so has to know snakes, that this was the biggest one he’d ever seen and, from the bulge, it looked like the snake had a “belly full of frogs). This species is extremely venomous)Green anole, Okefenokee NWR
Susan Fox, American Artist 