St. Marks, FL 32355
Phone: 850-925-6121
Email:r4rw_smk @mail.fws.gov
Web Page:GORP’s info on St. Marks or FWS St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
How to get there: From Tallahassee, FL-363 south to US-98, east on US-98 to Newport, south 3 miles on County Route 59 to the visitor center.
Hours: Open year round during daylight hours (dawn to dusk). The Visitor Center is open from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Saturdays and Sundays and closed on federal holidays.
Best Time: Fall through Spring offers the best viewing of migrating birds. Spring is excellent for the mating season for all birds and other animals. Walking and hiking the refuge is best during the cooler months.
Famous for: Established in 1931 for the protection of migratory ducks and geese, it is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
How to visit: Begin with the Visitors Center to get a feel for the refuge. Lighthouse Road offers many vantage points for viewing the park and wildlife. Buy the drive guide for the 7-mile road from the Visitors Center to Apalachee Bay. There are several hikes and walks from the Visitor’s Center and along the road. A 35-mile segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail runs across the refuge. The Mounds Interpretive Trail is one-mile long and offers a wide range of the refuge’s habitats and is good for bird and wildlife viewing. Take time to visit the St. Marks Lighthouse built in 1832 and still in use today.
Habitat: Located along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida, the refuge includes coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, and is home to a diverse community of plant and animal life.
Wildlife: There are a wide range of migrating birds, as well as different frogs, small mammals, snakes, alligators, and butterflies.
Sunday, February 2, 1997
St. Marks NWR, FL
This morning at first light I entered St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the coast of the Florida panhandle near the town of Newport. I surprised a whitetail deer just inside the gate along the road. Driving a bit, I found a beautiful wet forest. I stopped to photograph the trees and the marsh habitat. And moving a bit more, spent 20 minutes or so photographing a wetland area with standing water, saw palmettos, grasses, and beautiful morning light.
Not far down the road, I saw gray and black shapes in some trees part way across the marsh and I stopped for a look. These were my first Anhingas, and I watched as they perched and dried their wings. These birds do not have waterproof feathers like other water birds, and must spread their wings to dry before making long flights. I watched as one flew almost directly at me, and perched in a tree to my left. He flew again, dropped into the water, and submerged, leaving only his long neck and head sticking above the surface, looking like a serpent. Anhingas have a long pointed beak which they use to spear fish, and this distinguishes them from the cormorants, which have a hook at the end of their bills. The Anhinga also has a very long tail, which necessitates its perching in trees, while the cormorants can alight on the ground.
Wading birds here are abundant, and I saw many White Ibisis, Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, and even saw an immature Reddish Egret posing in the pond just north of the lighthouse at the far end of the drive. I watched this bird fishing, and his approach was very active, moving quickly and scaring fish into motion, until he could catch them. He then flew into camera range on a small island of grasses about 50 feet from the edge of the pond, where he posed for a good half hour. This bird was an identification challenge, as his coloration was mostly gray, with some cinnamon mixed in over his body. The neck was more reddish, but not so much as the adults would be, and the head was even more brownish-red. The bill was almost black, as were the legs. As the field guide I am using (since I can’t find my National Geographic field guide) didn’t show the immature Reddish, I was confused because none of the egrets or herons had a black bill except the Snowy, and I knew it wasn’t that. It must be either a Little Blue or a Reddish. At that point, a Little Blue flew in and landed not 4 feet from the Reddish, and my bird was much bigger. With the help of a few other birders with better field guides, we decided on the Reddish as the most probable bird. I made a few photos for a record.
At the same location, the Reddish identifier next to me called out for Snipe, and we watched a small bird flush and fly across the saltwater marsh. Five minutes later, he called out again, and 6 more flew. We found another two standing across the pond, and with his spotting scope and field guide, we confirmed that they, too, were Common Snipes. Notable are the black and white stripes that run longitudinally across the head, and when the bird looks at you, the stripes come to an axis and radiate from the bill.
Boat-tailed Grackles are common here, and they blessed the air with their strange gurgling noises at the end of the road at the lighthouse.
On the way back out at the end of the day, I discovered a large roosting area for the white wading birds and the Anhingas. Across the large pond near the picnic area, the trees were filled with hundreds of White Ibises, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Anhingas. This is a place I will return to in the morning for first light, and hope to photograph them against the rising sun.
Other animals of interest today were an American Alligator, a large turtle, a brown rabbit on the Levee Trail, and back at the campground immediately across the street from the refuge entrance, Toshi hissed and growled at several resident raccoons.
Most cameras have centered focusing brackets or “targets” in the viewfinder. When the focusing area is in the center of the frame, we tend to aim the “sights” at our target, a.k.a. subject. This is called the Bull’s Eye Syndrome.
Imagine a grid in the viewfinder, such as a tic-tac-toe pattern: two lines evenly spaced across and two lines evenly spaced down. Where the lines intersect is where the eye tends to focus. As the grid breaks up the frame into sections of three, this is called The Rule of Thirds. By placing your subject on one of these intersecting points, the eye can look at the focal point of interest, then feel free to move around the image to look at the rest of the photograph. A sense of movement is created. This movement of the eye is critical to making a boring, tourist shot into something that makes people say “Wow!”
and bounce back to the first and back to the second? You feel like you’re watching a tennis match. Or does your eye race all over the image, looking at everything and never standing still. After a while, you feel a little seasick, right?
release (picture taking button) to lock the focus and exposure of your camera. Then recompose by moving your camera so the subject is off-center. Press the button the rest of the way down to take the picture. What do you have to lose? You have a chance to easily improve your pictures.
Nature photographers are not immune to the risks found in nature. If anything, at times they are more at risk. Just as you plan your travels, you need to plan for and understand the risks involved. When you reduce the risks, you will enjoy your outdoor experience more and still get great pictures.
Every situation you get into is different, but they have much in common. The following tips work in a wide variety of situations, from photographing from the road to climbing a mountain peak. It’s safer and smarter to be prepared for any situation and to plan in advance how you might handle something, rather than to wait until the emergency is upon you.
Many photographers prefer to be alone. That’s up to you, but you are safer when you go with a group or a buddy. Look out for each other. When behind the viewfinder, peripheral vision is limited and a second set of eyes can save your life.
People come to nature places to get away from the noise of the city, as well as to relax and enjoy themselves. Sometimes their recreation may not be compatible with yours. Be sensitive to their needs, but be clear about your own needs as well. In other words, wait and watch a bit before charging over to complain to another camper about the loud stereo. Patience may also protect you.
By combining common sense and advance planning, you can eliminate the stress related to personal safety. Use your common sense. Don’t bring valuables or leave them in your car. Avoid telling people you are alone or have expensive camping or camera equipment. Tell friends and rangers where you are going and when you expect to be back. Bring a map and compass. Trust your instincts. People take safety precautions and practice responses to earthquakes, fires and floods; why not also for personal safety? Make a plan, practice it, share it with others, and feel the stress level drop and the enjoyment of nature rise.
Wading birds have the perfect combination of food and water to thrive. White Ibises by the hundreds wade and fly in all directions. Wood Storks, the big white birds with the dark gray heads, are common. All kinds of herons and egrets are there to be seen, including the comical Reddish with its dashing, stir-up-the-fish method of hunting. Roseate Spoonbills move their spoon-shaped bills back and forth sideways through the mud on the bottom of the water, feeling for their prey. When they touch something edible, the bill closes, and they have their meal.
I spent some time today photographing a Green Heron fishing from a spot 6 inches off the water on a mangrove root. He would stand absolutely still until he saw what he wanted, then ever so slowly, he would move his bill closer, until “Splash!” and he had a meal. The cross dike trail, a 1/4 mile walk along mangrove lined water on both sides, was a consistently good spot for Green Herons, and I saw three there several times through the day. Bring a 500mm or longer lens, though, because they are across about 30 feet of water. Check out the Pied-billed Grebes here, too.
At the same spot, I watched the large and tiny fish in the water, saw a Horseshoe Crab move by, and found a Periwinkle about 10 feet up in a tree. Too high to shoot, but pretty to look at. It’s fun to listen to people try to figure out which bird they are looking at, and so many have no real idea. One woman today, and this is common, had the brochure showing 20 familiar birds of the refuge, and the Reddish wasn’t on the sheet. I pointed out which was which, and she was most appreciative. And I let a few people look through the lens at the birds. They are frequently amazed that even with the 700mm lens, the birds may still not be full frame. They think we are photographing eyelashes, and in reality, we may be waiting for the bird to move closer. But a big lens is a definite ego boost, and I think that may be the REAL reason I like to use it (right).
After much searching I finally found one of the last Burrowing Owl nests in one of the remaining barren lots awaiting construction. A sign was posted over the nest and next to the For Sale sign with a SOLD marker on it. I was able to work with the owls for several evenings, capturing their glory in the setting sunlight. I’m sure now, writing this a few years later, 
that the lot is now a home for two or four people and the multi-generations of this owl family are homeless or searching for a home they may never find again.
The first good bird I found was a Red-shouldered Hawk about 35 or 40 feet up in a tree. The light was wonderful and I made a few photos, but he was really too far for a good shot. I continued down the road and found another Red-shouldered Hawk on a much closer perch. The branches were perfect, part of an old leafless snag. The sky was blue between the white clouds. The light was ok to excellent, depending on the movement of the clouds, and it was just a matter of waiting for the right combination of light, sky, and pose for the photos. I was in good company, and before the bird flew, there was about $75,000 of camera equipment in view and lots of photographers to match. Just before he left, he let out a series of about half a dozen squawks, spaced about one second apart, and I shot each. This was a great situation, and I can’t wait to see the results.
At the Cross Dike, I found a Yellow-crowned Night Heron right along the canal beside the trail. He was on the left side, and overlooked by most of the people. I got the big lens, and laid down in the wet dirt to get the low angle I needed. From a standing or sitting position, the reflections on the water was white, which washes out the colors of the bird. Not very attractive. But by getting as low as the tripod allowed (lens about 10 inches off the ground) I was able to place the heron in front of the dark green foliage reflection with full front lighting, and the pictures should be terrific. The heron was a perfect subject, and continued to pose and fish within about 30 feet of me. And then, after about a roll and a half, he turned and fished toward me, until he stood about 5 feet away for the next 10 minutes. I always feel honored when an animal trusts me enough to approach, and I didn’t betray that trust with any sudden movements. After he had flown to join a friend down the canal, I got up, wiped my wet and sandy bottom, and put the equipment back in the case.
One of the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife rangers gave a talk at 11:00 about crocodilians: alligators and crocodiles and their differences. The American Alligator is a very dark green, appearing almost black. It has a shovel-shaped head, and lives in mostly fresh water. It can be found as far north as the Carolinas, and in all of the Gulf states. It can live quite a way inland, and inhabits all of Florida. The American Crocodile appears gray in color, and has a narrower head. It
I found a group of trees with about a dozen Turkey Vultures. Walking the trail, I saw many of the herons, including Great Blue, Little Blue, Tricolored, Snowy and Great Egrets, and many Green Herons clucking or silently walking along the edges of the sawgrass. There was one immature night heron, and I couldn’t tell if it was Yellow- or Black-crowned. I saw two Wood Storks, and several White Ibises, including an immature.
I watched a Purple Gallinule walking in the grasses along the boardwalk. These birds are beautiful green and bronze and purple and blue, with bright yellow legs and feet, and the longest toes you would believe. I saw him from about 8 feet away, until he walked under the boardwalk. I saw another toward the end of the trail from about 75 feet among the grasses.
We arrived this morning at the Anhinga Trail BEFORE sunrise, and what a difference. I now have an entirely different mental image of swamp. The noises were incredible, most notably the super-low pitched resonant roars and snores of the alligators. From all directions, from the water, from the bamboo, in front of and behind USA, the alligators roared and bellowed. Every 20 or 30 seconds, there was another. At the far end of the boardwalk, we witnessed a big boy making his sound. He would raise his head and point his nose up at about a 30 degree angle. The tail would come out of the water, his throat would expand, and then the noise.
The sunrise was dead, as heavy clouds hung in the east. But a bit later the light broke. I made some good photos of a pair of Anhingas on the nest together, male and female, in their breeding plumage. I found a group of Glossy Ibis at the end of the boardwalk. They are just a bit smaller than and shaped just like the White Ibis, but they are all brown, and much more uncommon. The light was dark and flat, and then they flew. No photos of these. Another bird I wasn’t able to photograph, I almost mistook for an immature Green Heron, but it was a Least Bittern in
And I found and photographed a Great White Heron, the rare white morph of the Great Blue Heron. This bird is found only in southern Florida. It is like the Great Blue in every way, except that it is all white, and has yellow legs and bill. The size is the same, and is a bit larger than the Great Egret. The squawk is the same, also.
In good light, I photographed Black Vultures so close, I had to back up to get them in focus. Head shots with nice out of focus blue and green backgrounds. And every so often, they would let out a hoarse WOOF! I watched a Purple Gallinule eat an Apple Snail in the shadows.
The alligator was about a 6 footer, and was lying in the sun, unmoving. When I was ready to photograph, I would scrape my foot across the ground to make a little noise, and his eye would open for about 5 seconds. I was able to get good alligator and habitat shots including the pond, grasses, far trees and just a little blue sky. Because the day was so bright, I used fill flash set at -1.7 stops, which I have found to give good results at bringing the light and shadows to a range that the film can handle, without making a completely flat photo.
At the end of the boardwalk near the observation tower, I found a group of birds including about a dozen Long-billed Curlews and other shorebirds. The light was awful, and when I came back an hour or so later, the Curlews were gone, but I was able to photograph several Marbled Godwits in perfect late afternoon light with their mirrored reflections below them in the glassy surface of the sky blue water. They were a bit out of range for my 700mm, but had I had a 2X (giving 1000mm) or an 800 prime lens, I could have had great photos. I will try again tomorrow with rubber waders to allow me to move closer. As long as I moved slowly, they did not seem too concerned that I was there.
Continuing my hike, I again startled the Green Heron, and he flew from one hidden part of the pond to another. I waited a bit, but he did not reappear. The Rail Trail connects to the Heron Flats Trail, and I took the cutoff. I wanted to get to the boardwalk area to photograph a typical freshwater marsh habitat in early light. When I arrived, I began to set up the shot that I had chosen yesterday. For some reason, I turned and looked behind me, and saw an American Bittern hunting in the reeds of the wetland. I switched to the 300mm lens and 1.4X (the landscape shot could wait) and made a series of photos of the bittern in wonderful light amongst the grasses, full frame.
In the afternoon, I returned to the refuge (midday is the time for lunch, a quick nap, checking of the field guide, and a few chores). I discovered an armadillo plowing the lawn of the visitor center, looking for edibles just below the surface. Using the 300mm, I was able to get a few shots until he waddled across the parking lot and into the brush. I moved to the other side of the bushes for full front lighting, and waited. Since I could see the bushes move and I could hear him digging, I knew where he was. I was rewarded when he came out and gave me a few good views of his rooting and some full body portraits with the brush in the background. The light was nice, as it was almost 4:00 (sunset is 6:00), and the photos should be good activity and habitat shots of a common southern mammal.
Toshi has tons of tales to tell and things to share with you about being a kitty living on the road full-time. Unfortunately, he likes to sleep 80% of the day so it takes a while to get any work done.
He is joined by other fuzzy friends we’ve had along with us during our travels, especially 
Not all animals can be taken across borders, but within your own native country, pets can travel just about anywhere it is safe for humans. Make sure that your pet is well-trained and disciplined, accustomed to a collar or harness and a leash, and potty trained. If the animal becomes separated from their human partner, ensure the pet is trained to respond to his or her name and is properly marked with tags and identity markers, such as computer chips inserted under the skin. Put a current photograph and description of the animal, along with health records, in your traveling papers, just in case. And for the sake of the animal, make sure he or she visits a vet frequently and all vaccinations are up-to-date and appropriate for the environment you will be traveling in, such as flea and tick preventive treatments.
Traveling changes the activity schedule of most pets, catching walks and play time when there is a lull in the human’s activities. We offer some tips and information on keeping your pet healthy with exercise on the road.
In addition to the tens of thousands of birds which migrate through Bosque del Apache in the center of New Mexico each year, over 100,000 varieties of the human species join them. All of the humans are seeking a peek at the more than 300 species of birds, and consider themselves fairly lucky if they catch a glimpse of the more than 75 different species of mammals and 60 species of amphibians and reptiles. But the Sandhill Crane and Snow Geese attracts most of the fame and glory in this small community.
Home to humans for more than 700 years, its name came from the Spanish visitors in the 16th century meaning “Woods of the Apache”, Bosque del Apache. The natives of the land were the Piro Indians, forced out by the Spanish explorers and colonists who built “El Camino Real,” or “The Royal Road” north from Mexico. The road became a major commerce route between Mexico and Santa Fe for almost 300 years. Remnants of the Camino Real and the Piro occupation are protected within the refuge.
The ancient residents weren’t the only ones forced out. Sandhill cranes suffered greatly from habitat reduction and hunting. When the refuge was established in 1941, there were only 17 sandhills which used the refuge. As of 1999, they number as high as 17,000, revitalized by aggressive feeding programs and habitat protection. The protection of the sandhill cranes, snow geese, and other wildlife is now a community affair. Practicing eco-tourism, the community hosts the Annual Crane Festival on the third week in November, attracting thousands to the area to eat, drink, be merry, and watch the birds. The refuge staff works with local farmers to grow crops for the wintering waterfowl and cranes. They plant alfalfa and corn, then harvest the alfalfa and leave the corn for wildlife. The refuge staff grows corn, winter wheat, clover, and native plants to create a more stable food source for the visiting birds.
For the nature photographer, Bosque del Apache is a prime location to get close access to the birds and wildlife. Hundreds of cars drive along the 15 mile auto tour loop and through the Season Tour Road, so the wildlife is accustomed to people and vehicles. The turkeys will come right up to the vehicle with little fear. Occasionally birds will roost on vehicles left standing too long in one place. The roads open up one hour before sunrise and stay open until about one hour past sunset, providing great access to the prime feeding and activity times for the birds early in the morning and late in the afternoon. At sunset, almost as if on cue, the snow geese will rise up out of the north farm fields and fly to safety for the night on the southern waterways. The event is a symphony for the eyes and ears as they squawk and honk their way into the golden colors of the setting sun.
For the photographer you have two great birds in flight opportunities to take advantage of. Be at the farm fields for the scenes of the geese and cranes taking off, or be at the ponds for their arrival. Take advantage of both over several days. Working early in the morning and in the afternoon, you will find coyotes exploring the area and generally fearless around the vehicles, allowing for great photo opportunities from the car window. Use a bean bag or window support to stabilize the camera for the slow shutter speeds which come with the low light. Turkeys and roadrunners wander the auto roads, easy targets for the camera. Look up into the trees, especially the bare snags, for hawks and osprey. Get out of your car and sit or stand quietly with your camera on a tripod and wait for the birds and occasional wildlife to just come check you out.
Make your first stop the Visitor’s Center. The staff is exceptionally helpful and passionate about the area. They keep excellent records of the counts and lists of what creatures have been spotted where. Watch the interesting video and check out the great displays they have on the refuge. This will give you the information you need to maximize your photographic opportunities during your visit. And make sure you stop by the “blind” in the Visitor’s Center. A small puddle attracts all kinds of birds and animals all day long. They fly in and grab a sip and fly out, or hang out enjoying the coolness. A microphone brings the sounds of the birds into the Visitor’s Center, adding to the enchanting view.
In the early 1950’s, the Dayak people in Borneo suffered tragically from malaria and the World Health Organization (WHO) helped them by spraying DDT to kill the mosquitoes which carried the malaria. The mosquitoes died, malaria declined, but there were side effects. Among the first was the fact that the roofs of the houses began to fall down. DDT not only killed the mosquitoes, it killed a parasitic wasp that controlled thatch-eating caterpillars. The DDT poisoned insects were consumed by geckoes, which were eaten by cats. The cats died and the rats flourished and the population was threatened by outbreaks of sylvatic plaque and typhus. To handle this mess, the World Health Organization felt “obliged to parachute live cats into Borneo”. [Research by the Rocky Mountain Institute (Lovins and Lovins, 1990)]
No matter how friendly the wild animals seem, no matter how closely they resemble Disney characters, they are not. You have left the security of your known “human” world of paved streets and boxed-in homes to visit their homes. Remember they are wild. You are not meeting Bambi, Thumper, Mickey Mouse, or Winnie the Poo.
Small animals, especially salamanders, frogs, newts, and other amphibians and insects live in a very small and precarious world. Removal to somewhere else may put them in the path of a predator or separate them from their feeding source and family.
Teach an animal that an outreached hand means food and they will return time and time again, ignoring their natural food sources. Human food contains salts and chemicals unnatural to their diet and can poison, harm or kill them. That the outstretched hand or feeding the animals brings them close so you can touch them is no excuse. If you haven’t seen a deer before, stand there and watch it. Don’t touch it or feed it just because it’s cute. It’s against the law. Reaching out to feed it or pet it can result in our getting bitten or attacked. The result is that the animal is either captured and killed or relocated and punished in some way. The human is rarely blamed for their actions.
Consciously or unconsciously, we are inviting the bear back. Being careless with our trash, loose lids on our garbage cans, and the increase in park attendance all shout, “Hey, you are invited to the party! Come join us!” We issue the invitation, then resent them when they show up. Studies show a bear can smell food over long distances even inside a tightly closed cooler. Keep your food locked in your car, pack up your garbage, and if you live near wildlife areas, take steps to keep your trash from becoming breakfast for wildlife. Remember, animals invading your garbage learn to associate you with food. Don’t rely upon the animal to have the brains to stay away. Don’t invite them to visit you.
We watched with amazement as Olympic Marmots crawled up inside car engines seeking tasty rubber water hoses and the sugary taste of antifreeze at a trail head deep within the Olympic National Park. While help for those who return from hiking to find their cars’ radiators and transmissions bone dry is only 25 miles away, it is also 6,000 feet in the mountains above sea level and help.
If you do spend time in the mountains or areas where wildlife consider your vehicle good eating or investigating, consider investing in a removable cover to protect the underside of your vehicle. At a minimum, bring extra water hoses, antifreeze, and water, along with some tools, to repair any damage the wildlife may inflict.
A few careless photographers can give us all a bad name, and park service rangers and other caretakers may be unwilling to share information and access if a photographer has stressed the animals in the past. Be conscious of the effects of your actions so other will have the chance to return.
Everett, Washington – “You are crazy!” “You’re going to do WHAT?” “How are you going to do that?” “Wow!” “I sure wish I could do that.” “What a life! Just traveling around!” “That’s so cool.” “You’re too young.” “What about your job?” “How will you live?” “Are you kidding?”
Found under a leaf alongside the Sol Duc River of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, this red-legged frog remained patient while Brent moved to within four inches of its nose with a 55mm lens. Red-legged frogs are found along the United States coastal areas near permanent waterways and deep, damp forests. Mostly concentrated along the Pacific Northwest, they are even found at higher elevations throughout the Cascades and Olympic Mountains. Unlike many frogs, it prefers the colder microclimates of the mountain forests.
known as tadpoles and later metamorphose into air-breathing adults. While they can live on land, most of them must return to the water frequently to avoid drying out as their skin lacks an effective moisture barrier. Frogs, in general, are considered cold blooded, with their body temperature never much warmer than the environment. They rarely survive in heat over 100F/38C, and will hibernate during most of a freezing winter.
Yarrow is a favorite herb of hares, and this snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) was happily harvesting a huge patch of the herb next to a viewpoint pull-off along Hurricane Ridge Road in the Olympic National Park of Washington State.
Scientists have discovered evidence of rabbits and hares going back more than 40 million years. They are frequently featured in children’s stories and fairy tales. Alice chased a white rabbit down a hole into Wonderland. A race was staged between a tortoise and a hare. Beatrix Potter’s curious collection of rabbits, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter continue to cheer children today, one hundred years later. A modern day rabbit, named Roger, caused all kinds of trauma in a recent Hollywood movie. And Bugs Bunny continues to traumatize Elmer Fudd on television. We just love to romanticize these fuzzy and cute creatures.