Eyes

Just past eight o’clock in the morning, my boots hit the gravel in Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge (SMNWR). A mist hung low over the wetlands and the call of the various frogs and the Red Winged Black Birds had begun the morning chorus. It was muggy as the sun began to rise in earnest above the various bodies of water within the refuge and there was little moving as far as I could discern. I walked slowly allowing my eyes to adjust to the wilderness and my body to adjust to the weight of my camera and binoculars. My footfalls in the long grass were muted on account of the dew and on account of my intentionally soft paces. After a few minutes of listening to the wetland chorus, I came across a dam familiar to me and found three alligators soaking in the morning sun. The largest one retreated into a sizable crack in the dam as I approached like a reptilian Jack In The Box. Creepy for sure.

As I continued, a welcome breeze picked up from the east. It whispered through the pines and gently rattled the palmettos adding to the wetland chorus and providing relief from the already stifling morning heat and humidity. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed a gallery of wading birds watching from trees. Most followed me with their heads as I passed and paid little more attention to me once I had passed them. Some (like a Green Heron) ruffled its feathers indignantly and flew away to another tree perch further away from my prying eyes and lens.

As the wind continued to whisper through the pines and palmettos, two young Whitetail bucks magically appeared in front of me from one of the canal sides of the levy. I was surprised to see them as they had come from a place where I have seen alligators (including the one I photographed and shared in the last post) who could kill and consume these gentle creatures and although I have seen many does in the SMNWR, I’ve never seen a buck. Their expressions were placid, curious and sweet before they trotted off. IT got me thinking. All this wildlife, even the small birds had been watching me.

As it turned out, the larger birds were watching too. I noticed a very large (hence likely female) Osprey in a pine tree on my way out. She appeared unamused but unfazed by my presence. High up on her perch, preening and drying in the intense morning sun, her gaze followed me as I passed.

As a wildlife photographer I am focused (pun intended) on watching for the wildlife, watching the environment, watching what the wildlife does, waiting for “the moment” and looking for the next. I tread lightly in the environment, never causing damage, never intentionally startling or scaring wildlife for the purpose of a picture. But I’ve been so focused on them, on refining my craft, on capturing a better image that I have forgotten one basic fact that I was reminded of on this peaceful hike. I am a guest in their house.

As an advocate for wellness I have repeatedly urged the readers of this blog to find some sort of outdoors, some small wilderness to immerse yourselves in. What I have failed to do, is to remind everyone to tread lightly while you are there. Stay on marked trails. Pack out what you pack in. Keep noise to a minimum (this is something we humans really struggle with) in the wilderness. Scaring the crap out of the animals with our boisterous loud talking, music etc. is obviously not good for them and if you expect to have any chance of seeing wildlife, shut up. Please recall that if you see wild animals, they are WILD ANIMALS not stuffed child’s toys. Approaching them or attempting to interact with them can be dangerous or lead to loss of life.

NOTE-We never know what is going on with our fellow human beings. We live in a busy world where some of the niceties of days gone by have faded. But, YOU can be a change agent. You can speak to someone even when you are busy. You can ask someone how they are doing if they look down and then listen if they want to talk. You can call an old friend. You can forgive. If you are a regular reader of this blog then you are aware that I believe that active duty military, veterans, and first responders have some of the most difficult lives and adjustments post career. But, they aren’t the only ones. Compassion costs nothing. I have advocated for compassion for wildlife in their environment above and our fellow humans here. Be that change agent.

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