Photo by Capt. Wild Bill
 White Ibis Over The Marsh - Photo by Capt. Wild Bill I’ve been mesmerized by what seems like thousands of white ibis flocking to the marsh over the weekend. I’ve stood on the bluff watching. I’ve stood on the dock “oohing and ahhing” over the sheer numbers of the magnificent birds. Most of them have stayed at a distance. But a few ventured closer to Ashley Creek to feed. A few soared overhead. Five or six roosted in the tree near the oyster shells. But most of them have congregated in the marsh, creating a massive white blanket across the vibrant green marsh. Occasionally, they’d flutter up above the marsh, almost like a wave building, cresting, and then crashing back to the water. It has been a lyrical dance of white magic over the marsh. A special thank you to Capt. Wild Bill who captured the scene that he describes as ”a flock of mature white ibis bursting above the emerald green spartina marsh grass.”  Birds Over Marsh I grew up in North Georgia with stately pines, red clay, rolling hills, sweet ice tea, and a relaxed way of life (or so it seemed as a child). I guess that’s why I feel comfortable when we leave our daughter each fall at her NC college (that has a similar landscape), just as we did last weekend. She’s going into her third year so she definitely doesn’t need anyone to go with her. But Allen and I have gotten into the routine of packing 2 vehicles and enjoying that last weekend with her of what seems like the end of our summer. I asked her about it on Saturday, and she said, “It helps me transition back into college life after spending the summer at home.” Meredith loves the coast and everything about it. I agree. Though I enjoy traveling and seeing new things, I am drawn to our Georgia coast. I feel at home when I breathe in the salt marsh, teeming with life. Even now, the seabirds wheel and squawk overhead. White birds hover over and in the marsh. The brisk breeze cools the land and air and teases the gray-green Spanish moss on the ancient live oaks. St. Catherine’s and Ossabaw, almost mystical as they rise from the water in the near distance, constantly change from the forces of the wind, ocean currents, tides, and storms. But still these barrier islands seem to stand as protectors from the storms that often travel up to the N.C. coast. There’s a sense of wonder on the coast … if you take the time to savor the experience. Early on, I loved the beach. But when I lived in Charleston after college, I also fell in love with the salt marsh, the meandering creeks, and “whiling the day away” with friends on a small boat, crabbing. You have to understand that at the time, I was driven … corporate all the way, working on my MBA, a golden girl moving up. But when I was on the water, everything stressful slipped away. My good friends always reminded me that life had a lot of different sides. Work was just one of them. It is a balance I’ve struggled with most of my life. But at Yellow Bluff, I am reminded by the minute that life is precious. Birds twitter in the trees. Crickets hum. White puffy clouds against a background of darker storm clouds paint ever-changing pictures of animals over St. Catherine’s. I’m hopeful that the dolphins will surprise me at the dock (as they did a few days ago) when they resurface long enough to delight, and then slip back to their watery world. It’s peaceful. Miss Goldie, the Yellow Bluff cat, cracks one eye, stretches on the porch, and then sighs as she drifts to sleep again. All is good. It’s home. Our Friends at Coastal WildScapes and The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve
“As gardeners and stewards of our land, we have never been so empowered to help save biodiversity from extinction, and the need to do so has never been so great. All we need to do is plant native plants!” (Doug Tallamy; Bringing Nature Home) Coastal WildScapes would like to thank Sapelo Island Estuarine Research Reserve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division and our members and volunteers for supporting these events. Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Open the Garden Gate; Open Your World to Native Communities Presentations:10 A.M. till 4 P.M. Registration: 9:30 A.M. Native Plant Sale and Garden Venders: all day Book Signing with Doug TallamySaturday’s speakers will cover a variety of topics that will guide and inspire the enhancement of biodiversity in coastal gardens and landscapes. Keynote Speaker: Douglas W. Tallamy: Bringing Nature Home - How You Can Sustain Wildlife With Native Plants Chair of the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware with: Jon Ambrose: Georgia’s Coastal Region: A Hotspot of Biodiversity
Assistant Chief of Nongame Conservation Section, Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
David Moulder: Landscaping for Beauty: Native Plants for the Coastal Garden
University of Arkansas Agricultural Division & Coastal Naturalist
Georgann Schmalz: Native Plants are for the Birds
Ornithologist & Producer of “Bird Songs of Georgia”
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Open the Community Gate; Planting Habitats for Local Landscapes
Registration: 8:30
Remarks and Panel Discussion: 9 A.M. till 1 P.M.
Tuesday’s introductory remarks and panel discussion will focus on establishing and implementing connectivity among our gardens, landscapes and native habitats in the coastal region. Keynote Speaker: Douglas W. Tallamy: Landscaping Alternatives with Native Plants: Chair of the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware with : Jon Ambrose: Conservation of Coastal Resources: Using the Entire Toolset Assistant Chief of Nongame Conservation, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Thomas Angell: Designing with Indigenous Plant Material Owner and Principal Landscape Architect at Verdant Enterprises, LLC specializing in sustainable environmental design with native plants in the South Eastern United States. Panel Discussion
Moderator:
Daniel J. Nadenicek
Dean, College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia
Panel Members
Douglas W. Tallamy
Jon Ambrose
Thomas Angell
Gregg Bayard:
Principle for Salt Creek, LLC and the founder and Co-Executive Director of Parallel Housing, Inc. (a non-profit supporting the development of Sustainable Fellwood), specializing in sustainable and conservation oriented residential, commercial and mixed use properties, with operations focused in Coastal Georgia.
Costs and Registration
(including lunch and refreshments)
Register for Saturday, September 25th, 2010 $40
Open the Garden Gate; Open Your World to Native Communities
Presentations and discussions to guide the use of native plants in coastal gardens and landscapes.
Register for Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 $30
Open the Community Gate; Planting Habitats for Local Landscapes
Introductory remarks and panel discussions to examine the process of establishing connectivity among our gardens, landscapes and native habitats in our coastal region.
Register for Both Events: $60
Today started like any other day except that Mom, my husband Allen, Meredith and I confirmed plans to go to the movie later in the afternoon. “I’ll be home before it’s time to go to the seven o’clock show,” I assured them. I’ve been known to let time get away from me when working, but I was determined to make the show. “I won’t be late,” I said. “God willing.” I had been looking forward to seeing “Eat, Pray, Love,” especially after Meredith and I had spent time in Italy over the summer. We’d both felt the need to get away and “heal ourselves” after a too hectic lifestyle. We were in search of exotic places to visit and “marvel at” for our mother-daughter excursion. But today, the vacation seemed months in the past. At the office, the rain spattered the window. Thunder rumbled in the distance. I had a lot to accomplish before I met everyone for an early dinner and then on to see the movie. I focused on my laptop at the conference table, and Joyce stood behind me as we looked at the photos of Gene and Zennie Hall’s new garage carriage house that she had taken for me the day before. “That’s a great shot of the living space,” I said to Joyce. She leaned closer over my shoulder. I rested my hand on the metal and clicked on the next photo. In an instant, the air sizzled. A loud pop and a flash of light at my desk , a few feet from us, caught me by surprise. My hair seemed to stand on end. Another flash ”boomed”right in front of us as a shock of electricity zapped through my body. Joyce hit the floor. A picture crashed against the wood floor. The lights popped off. Ren rushed from his office. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” Joyce said. “I got on the floor to get away from it.” She pulled herself up, and looked at me. “I think I’m okay, too,” I said, still stunned from what had happened, as I stood and shook my hands. “My right hand and foot are numb … tingly.” In fact, the right side of my body ached like I had worked out way too much. We were shocked to find that 2 fuses had been blown from the fuse box. Lightning had hit a large pine tree right outside the office. “My mom will freak,” I said to them. “Her father was struck with lightning and killed. She was holding his hand.” I thought of the details she’d shared with me of the tragedy — how they’d waited at church for the storm to move on before going outside. “He was forty.” And that’s when I was reminded that life is so short. It could be over in a flash. That’s why it is so important to find time to “marvel” at the things around you … to eat, pray, and love. There’s no better time than now. There’s no better place than Yellow Bluff. *** Reports show that Americans are twice as likely to die from lightning than from a hurricane, tornado or flood. Who’s At Risk?  Photo by Yellow Bluff resident Joyce Jarrell, Joyful Moments Photography
Yellow Bluff had 300 to 400 early morning visitors before most residents arose. But not our early riser, Coastal photographer extraordinnaire, Joyce Jarrell. Enjoy Joyce’s recap over morning coffee about the White Ibis (a species of wading bird) that caught her attention … “This morning at about 7:40, I looked out my window and saw something white moving on the grass between the cottages and the townhomes at Yellow Bluff. I moved to get a closer look and realized it was a HUGE flock of birds. I jumped up, threw on some clothes, and grabbed my camera. When I got closer I could see it was a flock of White Ibis. I was trying to count as I crept closer. My best guess was well over 300 and some had already flown away on my way over. It was AMAZING!!!” “The heavy humidity was fogging my camera lens, and I knew my time was short, so I just kept clicking. I was able to get within 30-40 feet of the birds before they flew off toward the marsh.” *** Joyce has the photos to prove it. Note: The younger ibis have the dark on the neck which sometimes confuses them as wood storks, a bird that we see often at Yellow Bluff. Okay, it’s a common occurrance for people who’ve lived on the coast all their lives … maybe not at this magnitude. But for me, it is UNBELIEVABLE. What a sight to behold. By the way, did anyone hear the “hunk, hunk, hunk” of the male? Or the squealing of the female? You can often hear the “croo, croo, croo” when they are foraging. – Capt. Wild Bill , Yellow Bluff’s certified Master Naturalist, with his patience and attempt to teach me a few things about birds always encourages me to look and listen to learn. What a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to enjoy this morning visit. Joyce, thanks so much for sharing! Enjoy and be amazed.
I’ve loved walking on the beach my entire life. As a child, Mom and I rose with the sun and hit the beach early on our summer vacation. She toted our beach paraphenalia. I hurried a few steps ahead in search of the perfect spot. Once there, Mom plopped the bag on the sand and spread our striped towels – not that I ever intended for either of us to stretch out and relax. Instead, I kicked off my flip-flops and raced toward the water with Mom close behind. Seabirds wheeled overhead. A dog barked in the distance. Salt air, white sand, and roaring surf dominated the senses as the sun peeked through the clouds and lit the beach. All the while, the tide rolled in and back out.
Once again, we stopped at the high-water mark. I dug my toes in as water splashed against my legs, and then pulled water, sand, shells and me with a fierce tug. Everything, but me, rushed with a whoosh back out to sea. I grabbed Momma’s hand and braced against the outgoing tide as sand and salt sprayed and dotted my skin. As I got braver, I scooped water into my hands. With a whoop, I sent clouds of water into the late morning air. “Ooooww, that’s cold,” Mom cried and darted away, then rushed back to my side. I giggled. “I’m going to get you!” I shot the water higher and higher until she’d run back and forth. But soon, the breeze caressed my wet skin. “Look at those chill bumps,” Mom said. I turned my hands toward the sun and showed her my wrinkled fingertips. She wrapped me in a towel warmed by the sun. That’s when we turned our attention to shell hunting. In no time, I tossed the towel aside.
“Wow, that’s beautiful,” Mom said. “A sand dollar.” Even then, I noticed the awe in her eyes and knew it was a prize… one that I treasured for years to come, along with the mother-daughter memories. So thoughts of a trip to Blackbeard Island to look for shells and the chance to actually learn more about them with an expert (Capt. Wild Bill, a UGA certified Master Naturalist, who continues to attend seminars, classes, and whatever piques his fancy to learn everything he can) … well, it takes me back to those early days and the thrill of discovery. My last jaunt to Blackbeard Island with Capt. Wild Bill and Joyce uncovered so many prize-worthy finds. Best of all, the memories of a day spent with good friends and my husband Allen and daughter Meredith will be filed side by side with those memories of early days with Mom on the beach. How can you beat that? You can’t. Note: There are over 30 miles of beaches only accessible by boat from Yellow Bluff. Wish I could. Hope you get the chance to support LeConte-Woodmanston with the 300 cuttings tomorrow. Alas, I have to work. But it is an excellent opportunity to learn and help. Thanks to Mary Beth Evans and her team (staff and volunteers) who provide a wonderful site (plantation and botanical gardens) for us to visit and enjoy. LeConte-Woodmanston is part of the Historic Liberty Trail. Maybe it’s because my daughter Meredith and I share a love of history. Maybe it’s because we spent several weeks immersed in ancient European history. Or maybe it’s because you can’t live in Liberty County and not feel a connection to the past … that our historic sites have such a strong draw. LeConte-Woodmanston is no exception. It is oozes history and prestige and fame because of the LeConte family and their contributions. But it’s not just that. The first home at Woodmanston was burned by the British (1778) because John Eatton LeConte was an American Revolutionary. Louis LeConte moved into the second home (called the hunting lodge) with his wife Anna. Historians believe that it was a raised-basement lowcountry plantation home and fortified by a stockade against Indian attacks. Brick pillars of the home still remain. Today, you can breathe in the past and wonder what it was like to live on an inland swamp rice plantation.  LeConte Watercolor About LeConte -Woodmanston: The site is an 18th -19th century rice plantation located just west of Riceboro in Liberty County, Georgia. The plantation was originally 3300 acres and home to the famous LeConte family. (LeConte and John Muir started The Sierra Club). It is on the National Register of Historic Places. John LeConte (1818-1891) – acknowledged as a naturalist. John Eatton LeConte’s son, John Lawrence LeConte was the most important American entomologist of the 19th century. He named and described about half of insect taxa known in the United States during his lifetime. Joseph LeConte, born in Liberty County of Huguenot descent, he was a founder of the Sierra Club. He was educated at The Franklin College (now University of Georgia). He also practiced medicine in Macon, GA. (More about Joseph). It’s hard not to feel a connection to an earlier time when you pass through a tree canopy in Riceboro over the road or feel the gentle breeze as it rustles the swaying Spanish moss on ancient oak trees. When you visit LeConte-Woodmanston, it is easy to feel a sense of pride in the many accomplishments of the talented, scientific LeConte family with roots in Liberty County, GA. Note: The historic site is closed from July 1 – November 30 except for group tours. However, the Bulltown Swamp nature trails remain open from dawn to dusk with no admission fee. Call 912-884-6500 for information. LeConte Watercolor compliments of LeConte-Woodmanston. |
Check out these Yellow Bluff Links as well:
Captain Wild Bill's Fishing Blog Click Here Yellow Bluff Company.com Click Here Journal Blogs 
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Invite you to experience two informative days with experts on biodiversity, coastal habitats, native plants and wildlife and their place in your garden and landscape. Our keynote speaker, 
The more I think about the upcoming 
Mom and I walked at the water’s edge. Some days, I’d make a friend who’d accompany us. But most times, Mom and I found our fun together … just the two of us. On those days, I alternated gripping her hand and running into the water, stepping high, and splashing water droplets up toward the sky. The stomp, stomp, stomp drowned out my squeals of joy as I’d try to go deeper. Mom would reel me in, urging me closer to the shore. 
“Mom, I found one!” I yelled. It made no difference to me whether it was a piece of a shell or a complete one.