I’m far from an expert on insects, so I can only guess as to the identification of this bee. The best I could come up with is Green-eyed Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica). But beyond that, it gets complicated. I just think it’s a fascinating creature and wanted to share.
The Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) is one of Georgia’s most beautiful butterflies, easily distinguished from other swallowtails by its long greenish-white and black pattern, said to be reminiscent of a zebra. It also has notably longer tails than other swallowtails in Georgia. They can be found in numerous environments, and are occasionally even spotted in yards, but most commonly gather in overgrazed pastures and roadsides. This individual was photographed in August 2009 on Dickson Mill Pond Road, not far from the Ocmulgee River. Someone who knows plants better than I do may be able to confirm, but I believe it’s feeding on a Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis). Swallowtails are known to have an affinity for a variety of milkweeds.
The lower Atlamaha River is home to numerous Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), and Long County is no exception, with Townsend, Morgan Lake, and Griffin Ridge. I spent a couple of days exploring the snowy landscape at Griffin Ridge, which I think is one of the most amazing hidden gems in the area.
Griffin Ridge is characterized by Atlantic coastal plain floodplain forests, oak hammocks, and river dunes. Scrubby would be a good word to describe it, especially the uplands. Palmettos are the dominant shrub of the under story and are often so thick as to be impenetrable.
The early settlers of Southeast Georgia, and specifically the Wiregrass Region, forged a living out of this wild landscape, and Griffin Ridge has always been wild. Within its boundaries today are landmarks once known (and sometimes still known) as Fountain Hole, Back Swamp, Griffin Lake, and Patterson Swamp.
This place is beautiful year round, especially if you grew up in Southern woods and wetlands like I did, but the snow transformed it into something otherworldly. As of this writing, much of the snow in town has melted, but there are still quite a few patches glowing through the trees at Griffin Ridge.
Lichen is abundant here but most was hidden by the snow.
Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), also known as Black Gum and Sour Gum, and Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) can be found in natural ponds and wet spots throughout Griffin Ridge.
As flat as this part of the world is, some might be surprised by the hilly terrain. The flow of the mighty Altamaha cuts into the surrounding earth and creates changes in the elevation. The very name of this place is an acknowledgement of the topography.
I’ve always liked this oak, which sits downhill from the road near the entrance.
This small creek near the eastern entrance was almost completely frozen. I didn’t test it to find out.
The bridge in the western section of Griffin Ridge is perhaps the property’s most recognizable man-made landmark. It crosses a particularly large wetland area that is usually not very inviting to anyone not wearing waders.
This cypress pond was transformed by a thin sheet of ice, and many of the trees were surrounded by a collar of snow.
Just uphill from the pond was an apiary. It’s near an off-limits hunting cabin that is also a Griffin Ridge landmark.
Since most of my visits are photography related, I usually avoid this WMA during deer season, and archery is all that’s still open. Nonetheless, I was surprised to encounter someone on Saturday. He was a hunter but on this trip was just admiring the snow with his grandchildren.
Most of the boundaries of Griffin Ridge are clearly marked, and some roads are open only to foot traffic. It’s easy to wander off course if you aren’t paying attention.
No one had been down this road on foot or by vehicle, and it was particularly nice.
On my drive out of the western section, I stopped at the bridge and wandered around the low wetlands that are normally too muddy to navigate.
I’ve photographed this tree, another favorite, many times, but it has never looked better than it did in the snow. I usually just shoot it from the bridge.
I took over 600 photographs during my two “snow trips” last week, so this is but a small representation of what I saw. I hope some of you will have the opportunity to visit on your own.
These cypress knees may have been my favorites.
Arabia Mountain, like its neighbors, Panola Mountain and Stone Mountain, is one of several prominent monadnocks/plutons in Georgia. Monadnocks are roughly defined as isolated rock hills or small mountains rising prominently from a more gently sloping perimeter. Historically, they have all been mined for their raw material. While Stone Mountain and Panola Mountain are composed of granite, Arabia Mountain is composed of gneiss. This is the view as one begins the short hike to the summit at the Klondike Road trailhead within the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center. There is some confusion as to the name of the summit, as Bradley Peak (954′) and Arabia Mountain (940′) tend to be connected, and some sources note that the actual summit of Arabia Mountain is located near an old quarry, beyond Bradley Peak. Very few maps identify Bradley Peak or Bradley Mountain at all, but it’s a big debate, apparently. Since signage and Department of the Interior identify the site as Arabia Mountain, I’m deferring to those sources in this context.
The parking lot is often full at the Nature Center, so it’s probably best to go on a weekday. The trail is clearly marked with these stone cairns.
Several unusual wildflower and native plant species thrive on the mountain. While its fall-blooming yellow daisies may be one of its most iconic symbols, Arabia Mountain is also home to these spring-blooming beauties, tentatively identified as Woolly Groundsel (Packera cana).
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is one of the most colorful and spectacular bloomers at Arabia Mountain.
Springtime brings patches of endangered red plants around the solution pits that dot the landscape of Arabia Mountain.
Historically, they have been known as Diamorpha smallii, or simply Diamorpha, but are now classified as Sedum smallii. During their very brief bloom time, they are covered with tiny white flowers.
The flowers are a great aspect of the mountain, but Arabia’s charm lies in its rocky, other-worldly topography.
Nearly every solution pit and pool, whether filled with water or not, is host to a wide variety of vegetation.
The slope itself, from the Nature Preserve access point, has a low rise and is therefore an enjoyable walk for most people.
Finding this fringe tree near the summit was a surprise. It was quite windblown, as my hike with friends on Saturday was dominated by non-stop 40+mph gusts.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Griffin Ridge Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located between Jesup and Ludowici, includes vibrant examples of Atlantic coastal plain floodplain forests, oak hammocks, and river dunes. It encompasses areas historically known as Fountain Branch (Fountain Hole), Back Swamp, Griffin Lake, and Patterson Swamp. These are part of the larger Altamaha River floodplain.
The site is open to everyone, but you’ll need a lands pass or hunting/fishing license from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) if you visit. If your interest is the natural environment, it’s best to avoid any WMA during hunting season, but that leaves a lot of time to wander the trails the rest of the year. A four-wheel drive vehicle is advisable and bug spray is a necessity.
A nature trail is located here and one of the highlights is the lupine, which usually blooms in April. DNR does a good job of keeping the sandy roads and trails cleared, and signs identifying various plants and wildlife can be found throughout the property.
Palmetto thickets are dominant in much of this xeric environment.
Primitive campsites with minimal amenities can be secured through the DNR if you want to spend the night.
A wooden bridge built by the DNR is a notable feature in the western section of the WMA, which can be accessed near the Tin Man on US 341. This area is closer to the Altamaha and generally lower and swampier than the eastern section.
Native plants are also common in this area of the WMA.
Ever since coming across a small colony of these in a swamp when I was a boy, I have always loved Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis). Their tall scarlet spikes make them one of our most beautiful wildflowers. They grow all over Georgia, in moist, mostly shaded environments.
This little-known native wildflower is one of the prettiest you’ll find in pitcher plant bogs and other wet woodland areas, especially in the longleaf ecosystem. The showy pink and white flowers appear on a single stem, up to a couple of feet high. There are several varieties in Georgia, but I believe these are either Narrow-leaf Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia tenuifolia), which are somewhat rare, or the more common Grass-leaf Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia graminifolia). Interestingly, no one seems to know who “Barbara” was. The first known usage of the common name only dates to 1933. Before then, they were generally referred to by their Latin names.
Several specialty nurseries sell Barbara’s buttons and I’ve actually had good luck growing them in my own yard. If you like native plants, they’d be a worthwhile specimen to try.
Earth Day seems an appropriate time to share this photo of one of our native coneflowers, Rudbeckia laciniata, growing beside Roses Creek in Oconee County. It’s known commonly as cut-leaf, or green-headed coneflower.
For years, when photographing this house, I’ve seen Rain lilies, also known as atamasco or Easter lilies (Zephyranthes atamasca), blooming in a nearby ditch in early spring. They’re one of my favorite Georgia wildflowers.
Brickyard Branch is located on the edge of Ludowici, bordering both sides of US Highway 301. It’s part of the Altamaha River floodplain.
I first thought it was named for the brick and tile yard of the Ludowici Celadon Company which gave the town its name, early in the 20th century, but after discussion with a longtime resident believe there was a brickyard near the creek which was operational before the Celadon Company. It may have been what attracted them to the area.
Branch is another term for swamp [or creek]. A typical Southeast Georgia landscape, reminiscent of the Okefenokee Swamp, it’s characterized by brackish streams, ponds, and prairies.
Though not a publicly accessible area, it can be viewed from the highway right of way in several locations.
No other river in Georgia that I know has floodplains as extensive as the Altamaha, which reach over ten miles from Jesup to Ludowici.
It’s very important for wildlife and native plants, many of which are found in greater numbers here than almost anywhere else.
Most of the area is protected, be it by wildlife management areas or private ownership.
