Camping and Birding at Black Rock Mountain State Park

The view in front of our camp side

We just completed a second camping trip at Black Rock Mountain SP.  We enjoyed a pleasant weather in the middle of August up in the mountains.  The nights were cool, and the days were in the 70s (degrees Fahrenheit).  We even used blankets at night.

Debbie was not the only happy camper.  We both were.  Fresh air, serenity with very few other campers around, birds waking us up in the morning with their songs...Heavenly!

The whole area is beautiful with nature trails.  An added bonus for birders is that you can encounter bird species that are usually not found anywhere else in Georgia except in the high elevations and bird migration periods.

One of the trails lead to a waterfall.  Other trails will take you deep in the woods with tapestries of ferns on the grounds and tall old trees with high canopies of foliage.

Andre and Debbie

Debbie on a trail

One reason we like to come back to this State Park is because the winding steep road leading to the campgrounds make it difficult to the big RVs and motorhomes to make it there.  As a result, we end up with fewer people in small campers, small RVs, or tents.

Camping in tent doesn't mean you have to sleep in a sleeping bag.  As a matter of fact, we don't even own sleeping bags.  Our queen size air mattress sits up sufficiently off the ground and the comfort is good enough.  

 We can also stand up in the tent and have enough room for our "stuff" including a collapsible shelf.  However, we are getting ready for a small RV.

 Nature has some unexpected beauties!

We've seen these unique snails every time we've camped here.

And butterflies abound this time of year.  Pretty!

A gentle waterfall that sounded so soothing!

Till next time!

A blur of a weekend.

Some weekends are like this past one.  You get up early Saturday morning and get going, going, going with no sense of the passing time.  Late Sunday night, you stop and ask yourself "how many days just passed?".  Answer: only one day, just seemed like 5.

Amerson River Park

 Started Saturday morning birding with some great birding friends.  Paul, Jerry, and another Paul.  This was supposed to be our Audubon monthly field trip.  Instead of a group of 8 to 15, it turned out to be the four of us.  The weather forecast was discouraging to many, I guess.
I need to start doing the weather forecast on future field trip days.  Will go something like this.  "Sunshine and spring like temperature during birding hours, preceded and followed by rain, possibly thunderstorms and heavy clouds".

Though not 100 percent completed yet, the Amerson River Park looks gorgeous.  Paul Johnson and Jerry Amerson are among the best birders we have in Middle Georgia.  And birding with them is always a pleasure.  They're also nice folks! No wonder we observed 69 bird species that morning with some beautiful highlights such as the low flying loons and the singing Rose-breasted Grossbeak.

 There was just enough time to eat lunch with Debbie, my second half, quickly packed a bag for the night on the coast, and headed to Statesboro.  My daughter Leah Coquerel goes to Georgia Southern University and was participating in the Miss Purple Pageant.

We thought we may be late so I drove.  I seem to understand the speed limit better.  It's 70 mph most of the way. No one goes below 70.  That's the speed limit! They never say what the maximum speed is.  Fortunately, I'm not a very fast driver, just a little when needed, and within reason.  Yes, we got there with time to spare and enjoyed the pageant.

My beautiful daughter received a huge trophy for "first runner up" and a plaque for "Miss Congeniality".  Did I say Leah is a sweet and congenial young woman?  Well, she is! And she is graduating next month.  How prouder can a father be?
Six of us, including Kelly my second daughter, met at El Sombrero restaurant for dinner.

Debbie at Marshes of Glynn Park

We arrived in Brunswick a little after midnight.  No room left at the hotel we normally stay in, the Country Inn and Suites.  We usually make reservation.  Not this time.  I called the hotel the day before and checked on room availability and asked if there was any event going on in town.  They assured me they had plenty of rooms available...can just come and check in.  The woman I was talking to did not know I will be arriving after midnight.  I didn't know either.  She didn't know they can get real busy all of the sudden either.  "Mea culpa".
No problem, there were plenty of hotels around that block.  So we just went to the next one.  No room available.  Actually, says the nice lady behind the desk, there is NO room available anywhere around the area. She checked for someone else already.
Oh my oh my! I'm NOT sleeping in the car! I'll drive to Jacksonville if I have to.  I'll sleep in a tent in the woods, happily, but I go fully prepared, with plenty of water, portable toilet, solar hot water bag...the works.  Thanks to smartphones, Google... we both got on the phone and Debbie found a nice hotel 1.7 mile from where we were.  One room left, a suite...was very nice.
I was trying to save a few bucks by checking in to our regular hotel using one of those coupons you get at rest areas (but you have to check-in in person!).  I ended up paying more, but stayed in a nice suite...  for just a few hours.  I'll go back making reservations, for sure.

After a good night sleep and a good breakfast, compliment of the hotel, we hit the birding hotspots, non-stop, the rest of the day.  Tell me about the adrenaline rush! Birding, birding, birding! Oh, life is good!

Marshes of Glynn Park, Jekyll Island Causeway, twice, Jekyll Island... We spent some time at Jekyll, in spite of constantly saying "we've got to go, we've to go".  Got a look at some pretty songbirds.  Yellow-throated Warblers, Northern Parulas, Yellow-throated Vireo, Indigo Bunting.  Also saw Terns, Gulls, lots and lots of shorebirds, a Bald Eagle.

From Jekyll Island, we went to the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area. Saw 46 Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, close up enough without scarring them, 8 Black-necked Stilts, male Bobolinks, a gorgeous Prothonotary Warbler, and many more birds.  All the birds I just mentioned are beautiful birds.  Actually, very beautiful, especially when viewed through binoculars.
We rushed out of the Altamaha with the dark clouds behind us.

 We made our final stop at Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge.  The rain came shortly after we got there.  We continued birding in the rain with ponchos, or in the car.  The rain did not last too long.  (The heavy rain stayed mainly west of us).
Enjoyed even more birds at Harris Neck including a large rookery of Wood Storks.  Stayed till almost dark.  Then it was time to get head back home.
On the way home, Debbie asked "how long have we been gone?" Only one day, I replied.  Seemed like several days!

Harris Neck NWR

A week on the Ichetucknee River in Florida

At the Ichetucknee Springs State Park.

We spent last week in a house we've rented on the Ichetucknee River in North Florida.  This is a "crystal clear", spring fed river.  The house is located on the river with a dock going into it.

We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the spring like weather.  The dock was always inviting.  We swam in the water a bit and went up and down the river in kayaks.

Debbie after a little swim.

Debbie was the first brave soul to jump in the cold water.

Connie and Duane

We were together with Connie and Duane.  We brought Mama (Debbie's Mom) also.  We rented a four bedroom house, so there were even one unused room.  Connie and Duane are always great company.

Manatee! swam right beside the kayak.

We saw a manatee from the dock and when were kayaking on the river.  Our first time to see a manatee in the wild. Very docile animal.  We also saw an otter from the dock.

Debbie

We explore the area birding at leisure and enjoying the very beautiful surroundings.  We saw a Coral Snake one day and a Northern Bobwhite the same day.  Not to mention all the birds.  

At the State Park

The Ichetucknee State Park was across the street from where we were staying.

Because of the time year, the State Park and the river were not busy at all.  

Since the water was so clear, we were able to see lots of fishes in it.  The natural verdant environment was rich with birds including owls that would start hooting in the crepuscular hours.

Isn't interesting that we were not in the busy Orlando or Miami areas, did not go to any amusement parks, just stayed around the river and checked out the surrounding areas, and still had so much fun in a very relaxed fashion.

Bye Florida!...we're already planning our next vacation.

Camping and Birding in South Florida

Collier-Seminole State Park

It's time for a break.  Camping and birding will be good.  Except we are in January and it's freezing temperature at night in Georgia now.  Florida is calling! South Florida to be exact.

Setting up camp only takes about an hour!

We left Georgia before dawn and were able to set up camp by early afternoon in South Florida, Collier-Seminole SP, not too far from the Everglades but closer to Naples. 

This waterway is in the State Park.  The trip through the canals was peaceful and serene but did not yield a lot of bird species.  We did have some interesting encounters with Ibises and Yellow-crowned Night Herons among other birds. 

Juvenile White Ibis. 

Debbie paddling

Ten Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge

We saw a life bird the next day at the Ten Thousand Island Wildlife Refuge, a Mangrove Cuckoo.  We felt we never fully explored this hidden gem! 

Andre on a birding trail

Debbie at a Wildlife Refuge

Debbie relaxing, I think. 

There were many quiet and peaceful moment as well.  

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve

At the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve, we enjoyed seeing a Great Horned Owl sitting on a nest and a pair of Bald Eagles, also nesting.  Not a sight you see every day.  We picked up another life bird nearby, a Snail Kite.  This Preserve is just ...wonderful! Will take a whole blog post just to share the uniqueness of it.

Some trees are so beautiful, men have to build the boardwalk around them!

Lowdermilk Park Beach in Naples

Willet

Sitting on a pretty beach is also birding.  Lowdermilk Park Beach was beautiful but a bit crowded. The whole city of Naples is a bit ritzy but folks are friendly enough.  We left after a couple of hours and headed to the Corkscrew Audubon Sanctuary.  

This may be Debbie's favorite birding spot, the beach. 

We spent a couple of hours at the Corkscrew Audubon Sanctuary.  A great place that we could have enjoyed better if our feet haven't started hurting after all the walking the previous days.  It's still a gorgeous place.  It will take a whole blog post about this unique place too.  Just the old trees will take your breath away! I saw a pretty snake (non-venomous) and almost reached out to pick him up for a minute or two!

Green moss on the water making a tapestry 

Great Egret

Mute Swan

We made stops on the way back home and picked up two more life birds.  Nanday Parakeets, and Mute Swans. 

It's been a great camping and birding trip and we're already looking forward to the next one!