Hidden Gem
I had this great blog written and set the computer aside to go make my quesadilla. When I came back my computer was in the middle of installing updates and restarting. I thought, no big deal I had saved all my work as I was going......wrong! There was a draft saved, but it was blank! Nothing! Not even the title saved.
This is just the icing on a very stressful day! URG!
Rob had to go to Atlanta for work and I decided to go to visit my mother in Columbus. We took the usual route and headed north on 231 and then in Dothan on to 231. About an hour north of Dothan, Alabama is Eufaula, a popular fishing town on Lake Eufaula. 231 runs through the middle of downtown. The road is lined with large Victorian homes. As we were riding through in pretty thick Sunday afternoon traffic I took a couple of shots out the window of 2 of the homes. Maybe one day I will have time to stop and walk the sidewalks and take some really good pictures. In the Spring it is especially pretty with all the azalea bushes and dogwood trees in bloom.
On the trip up I noticed this sign that I have never noticed before. Now I have been going through this town for my whole life. I grew up in Columbus, GA and we would go to the beach several times a year. The only route we ever took was 431 to 231 then on to PCB. How I never noticed this sign is a mystery! The sign is a brown national park sign. "Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge" to be exact. Heading north on 231 it is on the right side of the road just past the marina and State Park headquarters. I made a mental note and on the way back home we decided to go check it out.
What a huge surprise it turned out to be. It is just off 165 and 285 which are off of 231. The refuge has a "Wildlife Drive" that is a dirt road that winds through the woods and by lake Eufaula and ponds and wetlands. We saw a couple of Hawks, a family of wild boars ( A mom and babies, they were fast! I couldn't get a picture) several different ducks, coots and other waterfowl, several egrets, great blue herons and tons of small little birds. We also saw an otter, several gators, black vultures and my favorite, a family of Bald Eagles.
The Observation Platform at the beginning of the trail. Not much to see but I'm sure in the winter when the waterfowl is here nesting it is probably full of life.
There were lots of plum trees everywhere. Reminded me of when I was a kid in columbus and we would go to this spot off of river road where there were a big thicket of plum trees. We would pick them and get tummy aches from eating too many!
More along the road, this is where we saw the otter. He was too swift and elusive to get a picture.
A yellow Rumped Warbler.
Great Egret
One of the 4 gators that we saw.
A coot, there were several of them around. I love lisening to their distict voices.
I am not very good at Hawk identification, I think this is a red tail hawk juvinile, but not sure.
I love all the different shades of green in early Spring.
The largest gator that we saw, he was massive!
We were driving along and I spotted this juvenile Bald Eagle on the top of the tree. Rob stopped the jeep for me to take a couple of shots. I took a couple from inside the jeep but then I decided to get out (quietly as possible) Right before I got out of the jeep I noticed that there was another Bald Eagle lower in the tree. I assume it was the Mother or Father of this one. When I got out a 3rd one flew off.
More of the wetlands.
A couple of ominous looking black vultures. These would be great Halloween decorations!
The last of the gators.
I am looking forward to going back when we have more time to explore. There were so many more birds and ducks that with more time to sit and wait I could have gotten some shots. Oh well a good excuse to go back!
