Wood Stork's Southern Stroll ...

 “Wild beasts and birds are by right not the property merely of the people today, but the property of the unborn generations, whose belongings we have no right to squander.” 

                ~Theodore Roosevelt

                    ~1858-1919

                  ~ Naturalist & Conservationist

                       ~26^th President of the 

                         United States of America

                              ~ 1901-1909

A Wood Stork strolls through the beautiful Lowcountry of Beaufort County, South Carolina on a late October afternoon.

The Wood Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family. Large, white Wood Storks wade through southeastern swamps and wetlands. Although this stork doesn’t bring babies, it is a good flier, soaring on thermals with neck and legs outstretched. This bald-headed wading bird stands just over three feet tall, towering above almost all other wetland birds. It slowly walks through wetlands with its long, hefty bill down in the water feeling for fish and crustaceans. This ungainly looking stork roosts and nests in colonies in trees above standing water.

 

Youngin' On The Range ...

“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will …”

       ~ Theodore Roosevelt

         ~ 1858-1919

       ~ Naturalist & Conservationist

     ~26^th President of the United States

                    of America

            ~ 1901-1909

A sweet baby bison enjoys an early May afternoon on the range at Trexler Nature Preserve, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, where I captured this portrait of an American Bison calf on a spring day as its mother grazed close by.

Bison live as a herd on the hillsides of the 1,100-acre preserve’s Central Range. When the late General Harry C. Trexler established the preserve in the early 1900s, he did it to save the American bison, elk and white-tailed deer from extinction and assure the species’ survival.

A conservationist along the lines of Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, General Trexler understood the importance of nature and preserving wildlife in its natural habitat.

A successful businessman who amassed a fortune in the timber and cement industries and founded the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, General Trexler began purchasing small farms in the low hills of Lehigh County in 1906. By 1913, he had transported eight bison and 20 Virginia white-tailed deer to the preserve. The elk followed soon after.

When General Trexler died in 1933, he bequeathed the property to the residents of Lehigh County. Today, the Trexler Nature Preserve is open to the public for passive recreation and nature watching.

The American Bison was designated the first national mammal of the United States on May 9, 2016. The majestic bison joins the bald eagle as a national symbol.

You Rock ...

“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”

    ~ Theodore Roosevelt

       ~ 1858-1919

  ~Naturalist & Conservationist

 ~ 26^th President of the United States of America

       ~ 1901-1909

I found this painted rock with the phrase “You Rock” along the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, on a beautiful summer afternoon in late August.

This painted rock is likely part of the The Kindness Rocks Project, which was founded by Megan Murphy of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who wanted to spread encouraging messages to strangers by writing them on rocks she found on the beach. The practice spread and launched similar projects across the United States.

The grassroots project encourages people to leave rocks painted with inspiring messages along the path of life. People are encouraged to take one, share one or add to the pile. You can see just how much impact she’s made when looking up #TheKindnessRocksProject. Learn more about how to join the movement at http://thekindnessrocksproject.com.

“You Rock” is a slang phrase of praise or encouragement conveying “You're awesome (at something)” or “You can do it!”