More on the Grand Opening

Here is what the new Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and Headquarters looks like. This new headquarters is located on US 17 just over the South Caroline boarder from the city of Savannah. The picture below shows Pat Metz cutting the ribbon for the new Visitor Center and Headquarters for the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. This has been a dream for a lot of folks but Pat Metz has been dreaming this for her career.

There were many tours offered in the afternoon but the tour for me was Pat Metz’s tour of the wildlife viewing drive. I have been going to the refuge for over 20 years still I learn more on this one tour than in those 20 years. I even got to be a master bander on a bird study in 2000 and 2001. But going out with Pat just added to the place. Below is a picture from the refuge looking at the Savannah River. Those structures are part of the Port of Savannah. Remembering Helen Tapp’s talk on the Great Pressure was evident with those structures.
But look to the right and there are Blue-winged Teal swimming quietly with a Coot behind them.
The tour was for everyone. See young people to retired people can enjoy the refuge.
Here on the refuge there is time for talking and sharing.
I was sorry to miss the Nature Walk with John “Crawfish” Crawford. But here he is pointing out Needle Palms to Gene Keferl. Gene & I ran into him as we walked the nature trail before the ceremony started. It just shows me there is so to learn and enjoy on the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.

Where do I sign up!

"I am inside; I am outside. I am inside. I am outside.” It was a child’s dream. This child lived in the city. Her everyday world was paved. To get outside, she had to walk down the hall to the elevator. Ride the elevators to the first floor, then out the lobby to the sidewalk. It was a simple dream. All she wanted to do was to walk out her door and be by a pond in some trees. In the summer when her family went to the lake, she spent her first few hours stepping in and out the door saying, “I am inside. I am outside.” This child grew up and joins the U. S. Department of the Interior. She spent her thirty year career being inside helping folks to be outside. Jane Lyder is living her dream and helping others to live her dream, as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Yesterday at the Grand Opening of the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and Headquarters, Jane Lyder was the last one to speak at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. She was one of six professionals who are passionate about what they do, helping people get outdoors. We were all pinned to our seat as each one spoke.

Peter Stangel is always inspiring. The first time I heard him speak back in the mid 1990’s, I decided that I was going to be on the front lines helping with bird conservation. It made me want to write about birds and lead walks to get people excited about birds and the outdoors. He did it again today. Where do I sign up!

But Helen Tapp, the Georgia State Director, Trust for Public land, spoke of the Great Pressure. She talked about the Refuge system being the true refuge for this fast paced world. Yes, the refuge system is that retreat for the whole country. These refuges are the places to go and become aware of the other side, to be aware of nature.

Mark Musaus talked about working on the Savannah NWR from 1990 to 1998. He talked about Pat Metz and her dream of this headquarters and Visitor Center.

Yes and let us not forget Pat Metz, she is a voice of reason, a passionate voice for our coast and her Savannah NWR complex. I say hers for she has just retired for the US Fish and Wildlife Service after thirty years on this refuge. Talk about inspiring, Wow! Take a tour with her; it is history, it is birds, it is wildlife and it is the ecosystem. Where do I sign up!
Congratulation, to Pat and everyone, you all put together an inspiring Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, March 6, 2010.

Clam cracker

Clash, the clam hit the pavement. It splintered into little pieces. The Ring-billed Gull followed the clam down. Landing lightly by the shattered shell, it feasted.

Sorry, but I could not resist. On Wednesday when I went over to see the White Pelicans I walked over all the broken clam shell. Gulls use the old bridge as a clam cracker. On Thursday when we were out birding at the boat lunch a gull came by and dropped a clam on the metal dock. The loud bang surprised us. Then we smiled at the clever gull.

Roseate Spoonbills

For the past few winters we have had Roseate Spoonbills wintering on Jekyll. Just last Thursday there were 4 at the amphitheater pond. Here are 3 of them across the pond.They seem to like to hang out with the night-herons.

White Pelicans in the Jekyll River

It was a cloudy day on Jekyll. Finally around 4 p.m. the sun came out, it felt warmer. On my way home, I notice some very large white birds. I pull off. There were 31 White Pelicans. What a treat! They were feasting on fish & I was enjoying the view. I could not get all 31 pelicans in the view at once. I was not the only one watching. The young male Bald Eagle was watching from his usual perch. If anyone has an idea where his nest is please let us know.

Golden Isles

This area is called the Golden Isles of Ga. During the winter our salt marshes look golden. SeeLast Friday, I was out with a group for my Friday Morning Amble around the historic district of Jekyll Island. These walks can be an hour or two hours. The group can request the time. It is amazing how fast time flies by. Anyway we were enjoying being serenaded by a Carolina Wren. There were about nine Eastern Bluebirds feeding on the grass. It was a fine morning. We look down at the salt marsh to see if a kingfisher was around when we saw the cord grass was a lovely shade of gold. No wonder it is called the Golden Isles. It was a golden morning for we ended our walk watching a Baltimore Oriole feeding in the top of a live oak.

Ribbon cutting at the viewing tower at St. Andrews Picnic Area

Have you ever wanted to have a birds eye view of the world? Not from the ground like these Wood Storks hanging out in the marsh. No way up so you can feel like a bird in the trees.

Well viewing towers can give us an opportunity to have that view.

Here is the new tower at Jekyll Island's St. Andrews Picnic Area.

Today we were invited to be at the Ribbon cutting for this tower. Being the early bird, I was there before the main group. Sharon, Judith and Jayne, who regularly join me for my Thursday Morning Bird Ramble birding tour, joined me. It is always nice to share the view. Here is part of the main group of Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) board arriving. See don't you feel a little like a bird? They came to officially open the tower & thank the maintenance staff spends hours putting this tower up with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Here is the group actually cutting the ribbon. Jones Hooks is the Executive Director for JIA. After the ribbon was cut the board members, staff and guest all came up to see the view. Here is Jones Hooks with Sharon, Jayne, and Judith.Well anyway it was a perfect day, just the right temperature the sky was very blue and made the water very blue. A few birds were around. Yes see the view, isn't it was stunning!

This tower is located in the St. Andrews Picnic Area on Jekyll Island's southwest side. From the parking lot walk right past the nice warm bathrooms and follow the path to the right through the cedar trees and it will be in front of you.