Wildlife – Page 3 – Wandering Dawgs

Sea Otter Awareness Week

September 23, 2024September 23, 2024Posted in Alaska, Nature, WildlifeTagged sea otter awareness week, Sea Otters12 Comments

This year Sea Otter Awareness Week is from September 22 – 28, 2024. In the 1800’s these animals were prized for their fur and by the early early 1900’s they were nearing extinction because of the over hunting. Hunting bans and conservation efforts have helped the population rebound but in some areas their population is declining. Some aquariums and zoos are offering special programs this week to celebrate the sea otters.

I fell in love with these adorable animals when I first saw them on a wildlife cruise in Seward, Alaska in 2013. They are so fun to see floating on their backs. Sometimes they hold on to each other to stay together. A mother otter will often float on her back with the baby otter on her stomach.

Sunday Stills: Peach and Orange

September 15, 2024Posted in Butterflies, Flowers, Nature, WildlifeTagged autumn, Color, Color Challenge, Georgia Peach, Gulf Fritillary, Mexican Sunflower, Orange Blooms, Peach and Orange, Sunday Stills26 Comments

Terri’s latest color challenge is peach and orange. When I think of these colors I think of autumn leaves and pumpkin patches. Here in coastal Georgia our leaves don’t change colors and I don’t see many pumpkin patches.

My home state of Georgia is known as the Peach State so my first two images feature delicious Georgia peaches. Their season is short and is over for this year. I really wish I had some fresh Georgia peaches to enjoy right now.

I don’t have any images of orange leaves or pumpkins but I found these orange flowers and butterflies in my garden this month.

Happy Fall, Y’all!

Shared with Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge Peach and Orange

Sunday Stills: Insects in the Garden

September 1, 2024Posted in Butterflies, Flowers, WildlifeTagged Bugs, Creepy Crawly Insects, garden, Insects, Sunday Stills23 Comments

I often see insects on garden flowers but it is a challenge to get them to stay still long enough for a photo. Here are a few insects I managed to capture through the years.

Shared with Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge Insects

Sunday Stills – On the Wing

July 22, 2024Posted in Birds, Photography, WildlifeTagged Photo Challenge, Sunday Stills, Wings25 Comments

Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge is On the Wing. I enjoy bird photography and have thousands of bird photos in my archives. I browsed through some of them and included a few favorites for this challenge.

I am the daughter of a United States Air Force pilot and I can’t do a post about wings without including wings of the USAF Thunderbirds.

Thanks to Terri for her Sunday Stills monthly challenge – On the Wing

Sunday Stills – State and Local Parks

July 18, 2024Posted in Photography, WildlifeTagged Custer State Park, Silver Springs State Park, State and Local Parks, Stephen C. Foster State Park, Sunday Stills13 Comments

Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge of State and Local Parks reminded me of some of the wonderful state parks where we have camped on our many RV travels over the years. I had a hard time choosing which parks to feature for this post but I narrowed it down to three of my favorites. These parks are great for a day trip as well as for tent or RV camping.

Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia

We love this park so much we camped here many times through the years. We enjoyed stopping here on our trips to and from Florida. The park is located in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 17 miles from the nearest highway. There is a small marina with a boat launch as well as canoe and kayak rentals and ranger guided boat trips into the swamp. It’s quiet and off the beaten track.

Silver Springs State Park, Florida

Silver Springs is another state park we visited many times on our RV trips to Florida. Tourists began visiting Silver Springs in late 1800s. The first glass bottom boat tours started taking visitors for rides over the crystal clear springs in the 1870’s. Today Silver Springs is a state park which still operates the famous glass bottom boats. The park also has several hiking and biking nature trails, a museum, a replica of a 19th century settlement called the Cracker Village, and a very nice campground.

Custer State Park, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument attract many visitors to the Black Hills of South Dakota each year. Another great place to explore is nearby Custer State Park. Visitors can spend a day taking scenic drives on the Wildlife Loop Drive, Iron Mountain Road, and the Needles Highway. The park is also a popular place to camp with several campgrounds to choose from.