Jekyll Island 2011

Well friends, another great trip to Jekyll Island was taken this past weekend and I must say that place never ceases to amaze me. You would think after living there for 3 years I would have seen it all but it's not possible. We started the first night off by seeing two sets of sea turtle crawl tracks and then we ran up on two guys shark fishing. We watched them catch and release two lemon sharks before we called it a night.

The next day we spent a large portion chilling on the North End, also known as the Boneyard Beach. After bocce and sun we headed to St. Andrews sound for some rope swing fun and a little wading in the intercoastal. It was a nice day and we topped it off with dinner at Bubba Garcia's, the best food on St. Simon's Island. After calamari and shrimp tacos we had some shuffleboard round at Brogen's before calling it a late night.

On Sunday we slept in and then took in the beach at the 4-H Center. It is still my favorite beach on the island. We saw a pod of 20 dolphins swim back and forth as we wiled the day away playing more bocce and just relaxing. It was sad to say goodbye but like an old friend I know I'll see her again. Jekyll, you are so good to me and I miss you more than you know.

South end of Jekyll Island

Cold and overcast but still beautiful and fun.

Emily and I had a great weekend on Jekyll Island. The beaches were littered with Spider Crabs and Moon Snail collars. Jellies and even a few Sea Pork were scattered about. On Saturday night we went down to the beach for some star gazing. The Geminids gave us quite a show and it was nice out due to the lack of wind. Even though this wasn't the most ideal time of year to visit we still had tremendous fun walking around and exploring.

Jekyll Bound

Soon I'll be on Jekyll walking on the North End. The photo above was taken 5 years ago one winter day in December. I hope that this weekend proves as much fun.

Cotton

From the roadside in Georgia.

Birds and Beer

Sometimes you must combine two things that you really like and make it a vacation. Photo was taken by Mo my trusty partner in fun on Jekyll Island, GA, my favorite place in the world!

Skywatch Friday: Jekyll Island Boat Marina, GA

Since college I've lived in four different states, had six different jobs, and despite all my travels I still feel like the only place I can call home, other than my family's farm, is Jekyll Island. When I lived there I didn't spend much time in the historic district where this boat marina is but I went there on occasion. This February sunset took my breath away and made me long to live on the island again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Remember to check out all the other Skywatch Friday posts. Have a great weekend!

Skywatch Friday: Jekyll Island, Georgia

I lived on Jekyll Island for three glorious years of my life right out of college. I forgot how breathtaking it was until I returned last month for a brief stay. If you ever have the chance to visit you should. You may even fall in love with the island like I have.

Don't forget to go enjoy more Skywatch Friday posts from around the world.

Exploring Crooked River State Park

Check out that skull collection! I was very impressed when I walked into Crooked River State Park's Nature Center last week. My friend Hewy is a naturalist there and she had the place looking the best I've ever seen it. Crooked River S.P. is a great one-stop shop if you're traveling through I-95 in Georgia. They have nice trails, a bird viewing station, a cozy campground, and an interesting nature center.

A while back the park staff found this exotic African Spur Tortoise on site. It appears that the owner must have released it. Exotic releases in state and national parks is certainly a big problem around the country. We had a lady pay a young boy to drop off her Red-eared Slider into our turtle tank a few months back at Green Cay. This turtle was HUGE and he just dumped it in on the sly. For those that don't know, Florida has some new rules concerning the common "dime store" turtle. It's illegal to buy them in the state and because they interbreed with Florida’s native Yellow-bellied Sliders they shouldn't be released into the wild.

Another really cool thing at Crooked River S.P. was the bee hive. A local beekeep installed this hive for educational purposes in June. You can see that the hive is kept inside while a pvc pipe is leading outside for the bees to travel through. I have a fascination with beekeeping, and maybe one day I'll have to give it a try. Of course that won't be anytime soon considering I live in a small studio apartment in the middle of a busy downtown.

Next time you're in South Georgia think about making a detour and exploring one of Georgia's finest state parks. I promise that a walk through the pine flatlands or a stroll along the river will be just the thing to cheer you up or help stretch those legs from the long haul on the interstate. And don't forget to stop by the nature center and visit my friend.

Wordless Wednesday: Jekyll Style

The Martime Forest on Jekyll Island.

The Herps of My Life

I was always into herps but especially turtles. On my last trip to Jekyll with my folks we checked out the educational animals. Walter a.ka. Coon Lee a.k.a. the Pine Snake is HUGE. I can't believe how big the snake is compared to 2 years ago.

Below you will find a series of shots of my favorites Jekyll herps:

Walter the Pine Snake


Shelby the Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Dorothy and Camilla the Eastern Box Turtles

And for a few herps from my current job at Green Cay we have 2 new additions. This large Snapping Turtle was released in the wetland last week. It almost was run over by a tractor but now it will be safe swimming in the murk of Green Cay Wetlands. And below that is a nasty Cuban Treefrog. If you know anything about these guys you know that they eat native treefrogs and have toxins that prohibit some birds and lizards from eating them. I love the color of this Cuban Treefrog though...and when we found it, the green was even darker. Nothing like a 3 inch treefrog to liven up the educational animal display.

Birding Jekyll

It's another whirlwind of a week for me. This past weekend I ran my first half marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. It was an amazing experience and with the help of my friends and family I raised over $600. After coming home late Sunday, I have house shopped all day on Monday, taught over 100 kids yesterday, and today after work I head back north to Jekyll Island, GA.


If you've read anything on this site you know I love Jekyll. And if you're interested in visiting I have some detailed tips here and here. I lived on Jekyll for 3 years and since leaving I have missed it immensely. Tomorrow I have an interview for a job that would put me back on the island. So wish me luck.

A few weeks ago my family drove down from South Carolina to visit me. And luckily, a couple of my friends dropped by for a little birding and joined us for dinner. If you are on the Georgia coast and you want to see some nice shorebirds head out to the South end of Jekyll Island. I promise that not only will you see plenty of Black Skimmers and gulls but if you're lucky you're find a few more fun shorebirds as well.

As you can see the weather was pleasant though a bit windy. We saw Piping Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, American Avocets, one Wilson's Plover, and plenty of Dunlin and Sanderlings. As far as gulls go we were lucky to find a Greater-Blackbacked Gull mixed in with the Ring-billed, Laughing, and Herring Gulls. There was a Snow Bunting reported in this area all the previous week but I couldn't find it. I did however find a Black-bellied Plover and Semipalmated Plover and ended the day's count with 46 species. Not bad for a couple of hours at the beach.

A Great Name for a Snake

The Eastern Hognose, Heterondon platirhinos, is one of the most interesting snakes. It is definitely one of my favorite herps and even the name is fun. Two and a half years ago I was very fortunate to visit my friend at her nature center while her Eastern Hognose eggs were hatching. It was one of those spectacular events seeing their little heads poking out of the shells. They were incubated in this plastic container in a storage room.

The eggs hatch in 6 to 8 weeks.

The Eastern Hognose is also known as the puff adder or spreading adder.

Time has passed and those little snakes are much larger. Most of them were released back into the wild but a few were kept for various nature centers in the area. While I was in Georgia this past weekend I checked in on the one at the Jekyll 4-H Center. It has great coloration; the head has a nice orange and yellow tint. And it was very active once I dug it out of the reptile bark.

When alarmed an Eastern Hognose will flatten out its head, inflate its body, and hiss. Sometimes it has been known to strike but rest assured, with a closed mouth. This is probably the least aggressive snake you will meet. If this act doesn't intimidate or discourage you they will then play dead. They flip over on their back, stick out there tongue, and feel limp if you pick them up. They may even disgorge a recent meal or rupture the capillaries in their mouth to add to the affect. And if you have the chance to hold one, it has the weirdest feeling body with all that extra skin. I guess a snake that eats mostly toads would be a little strange.

Georgia on my Mind

Over the past few months I have made many various trips to Georgia. Some trips were nature themed: padding in the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, visiting Crooked River State Park, and staying on Jekyll Island. Many of the trips were to catch up with family and friends. After living in the state for 3 years I consider Georgia my home. I keep returning regardless of where I live and I know that something will always draw me back again and again. I love the charm of the small towns and the sights of the port cities. The thing that really hooks me though is the beautiful scenery and the great people.

River Street, Savannah

Tug Boats on the Savannah River

Exploring Crooked River State Park

Visiting Jekyll Island with my parents

Walking through the Maritime Forest

South end of Jekyll Island

Walking Through a Cemetery

If you every travel to Savannah, Georgia I am sure you will hear all about Bonaventure Cemetery due to its Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil fame. But there are many other places to explore to find interesting history. On my last adventure in Georgia I stopped by Savannah and walked through Colonial Cemetery, found on the corner of Abercorn and Oglethorpe. This is a convenient walk from downtown.

Colonial Cemetery is Savannah's oldest city burial ground. Many famous Georgians are buried here. The most famous is Button Gwinnett (1735-1777). He was one of the original signors of the Declaration of Independence. His death was quite tragic, involving a duel set at 12 feet apart. Gwinnett died three days later due to his injuries.

Like most cemeteries, Colonial provides refuge for all types of wildlife. I watched Brown Thrashers run about the headstones while American Robins perched in the trees. The stump above drew my attention. I love old trees and this one lived a nice long life. Next time you're traveling, stop at a local cemetery and enjoy the solitude.

Jekyll Island Hotspots Part II

Now we will continue our trip highlights of Jekyll Island's south end. The south end of Jekyll is the best spot for beach combing and shorebirds. Before heading out to the beach there are some wonderful trails that cross the island and take you through beautiful Live Oak forests. My favorite tree of course is found across from the Jekyll 4-H Center and is named the Grandfather Tree for its enormous size. Thousands of school children climb in this tree each year as they visit the University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension facility.

The best public access for the south end is at St. Andrews picnic area. Before you head out to the beach you can picnic at the tables, use the restrooms and even take a stroll through a nice path that leads you back to some pristine salt marsh. At the beginning of this path you will also find a hidden gem, the rope swing. This swing is a great chance to swing through the Spanish Moss forest and see the rolling dune features.

Once you're done swinging through the trees you can make your way down to the beach. The beach here is on the back side of Jekyll and gives you a great view of St. Andrews Sound and the 6 miles of salt marsh before you reach the mainland. Often this is a hotspot for seining and fisherman alike. This is a great area to catch mullet and shrimp.

If you travel eastward you will come out to the Atlantic side of the island. Here you will find rolling sand dunes and plenty of Spartina Grass. If you look closely, I am sure you will find a Ghost Crab hole or two. Sometimes they can be seen during the day scavenging on dead debris but they are mostly nocturnal.

This is a great beach for shells. After a storm you will find a plethora of whelks, cockles, and clam shells. Below is a Pen Shell that washed up in one of the runnels. The runnels are a perfect place to find Sea Cucumbers and Sea Pork. Both of these unusual animals are rarely seen alive but often wash up on shore after a storm.


Depending on the time of year you will find seasonal animals moving through. Sometimes the beach can be littered with Comb Jellies and other times you will find hundreds of Horseshoe Crabs. Below is a pincher of the prehistoric looking Horseshoe Crab. These small pinchers are useless on humans but they use them to scuttle around on the bottom of the ocean.

Jekyll's beaches are the perfect habitat for nesting ocean residents. Loggerhead Sea Turtles come up by the hundreds during the summer to lay their ping-pong like eggs in the sand dunes. The Jekyll Turtle Patrol marks their nests with these markers, pictured below.

Jekyll Island also has nesting Wilson's Plovers. During nesting season they place signs on the south end beach to warn residents to not tread on the dune areas. Jekyll is fortunate to have beautiful intact sand dunes on the south end. Over the years, the sand sharing system has dumped hundreds of feet of sand to this side of the island.

The sand flow system has also created a very shallow channel on the south end side of the island. Many years ago a shrimp boat, trying to escape a storm, ran aground and the boat has been anchored here every since. Years of accretion has caused the boat to almost be entirely covered except for the mast. Shorebirds flock to this area. My favorite Jekyll shorebird is the Black Skimmer. No other bird I know has a beak so impressive!

The old shipwreck hosts many types of animals. Barnacles and polychaete worms abound. This is the perfect place to take a few pictures and watch the sunset. And there is almost always a dolphin show. The dolphins off of Jekyll have their own year-around pod that frequently can be seen harassing the fishermen and indulging the tourists with their antics.


Before leaving the island you should definitely stop by the Tidelands Nature Center. They have a touch tank, shark tank, and a resident sea turtle. Plus, you can take a wonderful kayak trip out to the intercoastal with a guide. The 3 hour journey will start at Ski Rixen pond where you can master your sea kayak skills before launching into the tidal creeks behind Jekyll.

Well I hope you have enjoyed our little trip across one of Georgia's smallest barrier islands. In the coming weeks I will highlight Cumberland Island, which is south of Jekyll, and Sapelo Island, which is found north of Jekyll. All the islands found off the Georgia coastline have their own cultural and historic value that is interlocked with the beautiful natural surroundings.