Gracie Latrelle

Tag: nature

  • One Of Georgia’s First State Parks Is in North Georgia!

    Did you know one of the first two Georgia state parks to ever be established is right here in North Georgia?

    Vogel State Park located in the North Georgia mountains not far from Smithgall State Park, Amicalola State Park and Unicoi State Park is one of the first two parks that Georgia ever established in 1931.

    During the early twentieth century cars were becoming extremely popular and so was tourism that’s when Georgia took knowledge of the new movement by joining the national movement to establish state parks in 1927. They also wanted to preserve the Indian Springs Reserve in Butts County, Georgia and the state senate called for resolution.

    The resolution resulted in Indian Springs and ten acres of land around it to be placed under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Forestry with the idea of turning the spring and the land around it into a state park.

    After this proposal in 1931, the Georgia State Parks was established, and the state created a commission that established Indian Springs as a state park as well as Vogel.

    During the next six years five more state parks would be added to this list including Santo Domingo (now Boys Estate) near Hofwyl -Broadfield Plantation, Alexander H. Stephens, Chehaw (which is currently a local park) and Pine Mountain which is now F.D. Roosevelt State Park.

    Vogel was established as a forest park with the reorganization of the State Board of Forestry. The reorganization act created a commission to administer the Department of Forestry and Geological Development.

    Vogel is nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest at the base of Blood Mountain in Blairsville, Georgia which is the highest part of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. The park is located at 2500 feet above sea level and is linked to several generations of Native Americans living here before the Europeans arrived and rightfully so with its breathtaking beauty!

    The park today is 233 acres not including its 22 acre lake. Visitors have the option of staying over 34 cottages, 90 tent, trailer and RV sites, 18 walk-in campsites and 1 pioneer campground.

    Visitors also have the option of reserving 4 picnic shelters, 1 group shelter which seats 90 and 1 lake pavilion which seats 100.

    Today visitors can enjoy this park’s natural beauty by hiking over 17 miles of trail including hiking to Trahlyta Falls, fishing, swimming and kayaking.

    The park also has a general store and a seasonal CCC Camp Museum.

    After the establishment of Vogel and Indian Springs State Park, in 1937 the state reorganized the organization again splitting it into several divisions including the Division of Forestry, Division of Wildlife, Division of Mines, Mining and Geology and then finally the Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Monuments.

    Today’s state park system is the direct ancestor of this park.

  • Are Bald Eagles Actually “Bald”?

    Have you ever wondered if Bald Eagles are actually bald? Let’s find out!

    Bald Eagles get the name bald after an old English word “balde” which means white.

    The word bald pays tribute to these birds white feathered heads and white tail feathers which are one of the key factors that we all use to identify the species.

    So how do these guys and gals get their iconic white feathers? It’s a long but very amazing process!

    Bald Eagles are actually born with a fluffy white down but as they grow, their white down will change into a gray wooly down. This change normally happens around the first four weeks of the eaglets life.

    When the eaglet turns 5 weeks old, their black and brown feahered plumage will begin to grow out.

    Around 10 weeks old the eaglet will be fully covered in their adult dark black plumage. Some will mistaken the juvenile as a Golden Eagle.

    The “teenage” eagle will keep their dark colored feathers for the first 6 months of their life.

    After 6 months have gone by, the eagle will then begin transitioning from their dark head and tail feathers into a lighter creamish white feathers.

    The eagle will continue to molt year after year until it’s head and tail feathers are completely covered in white plumage. This normally occurs at around 5 years of age.

    So the “nest” time (oh excuse me!) The next time that ya’ll see a Bald Eagle try to remember how long of a process it is for these beautful birds to have their reigning feathers!

  • How Ducks Avoid Frostbite in Cold Waters

    Have you ever seen a Wild Pintail or Mallard Duck swimming and riding a river current and wondered just how do they swim in freezing cold and not get frostbite in their bare feet like us humans do? Let’s find out!

    Too much of the cold blood would bring their body temperature down which would then lead to hypothermia but ducks have another way of solving this!

    Ducks feet are not insulated through layers of fat nor feathers so with this being said, they instead rely on another source of warmth called “countercurrent”.

    As warm arterial blood rushes out of the duck’s heart and begins traveling its way to the duck’s feet, it is met closely by the rushing cold blood coming out of the duck’s feet. In birds the veins and arteries run close together therefore as they pass each other, the cold blood from the duck’s feet takes most of the heat from the artery causing the artery blood to be extremely cool before entering the duck’s leg, preventing any heat loose from the Duck’s body.

  • Georgia’s Wild Turkey Population Is in Serious Decline

    Here in the Appalachians where I am from turkeys are becoming less and less seen. I used to see and photograph dozens of turkeys around here each year but sadly I have not photographed the first turkey this year. This put me into research mode, and this is what I found out!

    According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resource, state agencies and researchers across the state of Georgia and the Southeast have been monitoring and watching closely turkey reproduction and the turkey harvest season each year and sadly they have seen alarming declines in the populations of wild turkeys.

    The poult or “baby turkey” hatching and growing rate is a fraction of what it was two decades ago. The poult count per each mother hen average has been on the decline since the late 1990’s. The poult count per each hen is around 1/3 of what it was at its peak. The average poult count is currently around 1.5 to 1.6 per hen.

    So what is causing these severe declines in the population?

    Coyotes and other predators are a major fact to this disruption of the poult or baby turkeys as they are nothing but a treat to them. A majority of nests and broods of poults are ravaged each year.

    Habitat changes like short timber rotations, hardwood removal and suburban development has caused these birds to lose their habitats or homes making it more difficult for these guys to reproduce and thrive.

    Last but not least is illegal hunting activity. Research has shown that gobbling, which is necessary for a male to win over a female during breeding season is being disrupted by hunters who are illegally taking male turkeys “toms” in their most vunerable times.

    By removing “toms” especially dominant toms, hunters could be impacting breeding activities and therefore disrupting the turkey population.

    The Wildlife Resources Division is currently working hard to help conserve and save the population from further decline.

  • Crickets Are Natural Thermometers!

    Have you ever set outside in the late evening and listened to the relaxing sound of crickets chirping? Well did you know that when the crickets are chirping it can also tell you what the temperature is outside? It’s true!

    Crickets chirp faster when it is warm outside and when it is colder crickets will chirp slower.

    Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com

    The easy rule of thumb is to count however many times the crickets chirp as fast as you can in 14 seconds and add 40 to the resulting number that you have counted. The result will be the temperature in Fahrenheit of whereever the crickets are located.

    Crickets are cold blooded and adapt to the temperature of their surroundings.

    In 1897, a scientist named Amos Dolbear published an article “The Cricket as a Thermometer” which noted the correlation between the rate of the crickets chirp and the ambient temperature.

  • Honeybees Are Not the Only Insects That Make Honey!

    Have you ever wondered after taking a bite of nature’s delicious gold if Honeybees are the animals that can produce this delicious treat?

    The answer really has two answers both yes and no so let’s dive right on into the hive and find out!

    The answer is no Honeybees are not the only insects that make honey!

    Bumblebees make honey but it cannot be collected and used for by humans. However, Bumblebees only make enough honey for the colony to be able to survive on bad weather days when they are not safe to leave the colony.

    Another group of insects that produces honey is wasps! There are over 17 species of Wasps that produce honey and one specific species that is known for its honey is the Mexican Honey Wasp or B. mellifica. This wasp’s honey is considered a delicacy in some cultures of Mexico. They also provide pest control and help to pollinate avocados.

    Hornets and Yellow Jackets do not produce honey.

    So, as you all can see Honeybees are not the only insects that produce honey, but it doesn’t make that honey taste any less sweeter!

  • Elk: The Loudest Deer in North America

    Did you know that Elk are the loudest species of deer?

    Elk, especially bull male elk, make one of the highest pitched and unique sounds that can be found on the planet.

    During the breeding season called the “rut” male bulls will make mating calls called “bugles” to help call in and win over his females.

    The high-pitched has been said by some to similar a mix between a scream and a whistle.

    Bugles from a bull elk are so loud sometimes they can be heard from miles away!

    Another call besides the bugle tht elk use to communicate is a sound called “clicking” but this communication doesn’t come from the voice!

    Clicking is the most commonly used call by elk when communicating.

    Elk make popping or clicking noises with their ankle joints. This lets other elk know that the elk behind them is part of their herd and is not a predator.

    Elk are very impressive animals and very smart as well. They know when danger is near and like I mentioned above they have several ways to help alert the rest of the herd of the nearby potential danger.

    However, this is another good reason why you should always be alert when visiting places that are populated with elk like the Great Smoky Mountains because if you are hiking and not paying attention and you come across an elk it may just mistaken you as a predator and nobody wants to make a 700lb bull elk or 500lb cow elk mad!

  • Natural Remedy for Bee and Wasp Stings

    Honeybees, Bumblebees and other insects are working tirelessly working to pollinate each and every flower bloom but while this is occurring, accidental stinging accidents are happening as well!

    Bee’s normally sting when they feel threatened or if their home is felt to be in great danger.

    So why does the sting of a bee hurt so bad? Bees have multiple chemical variations including acidic in their venom that they inject through their sting and for some people, the sting will be mild but to those that are allergic to these variations of chemicals, it can be deadly.

    Honeybee’s will normally only sting though if their hive is felt threatened. Worker bees are the only ones beside the queen that can sting. Male honeybees (drones) cannot sting. When a honeybee stings, it’s stinger has a barb and if the victim has thick skin the barb will sometimes get stuck in the victim.

    So how can you help the swelling and the pain from the sting?

    Apple cider vinegar is a great way to break down the venom, prevent infection from the sting and to reduce the swelling of the sight. Take a brown paper bag and soak diluted apple cider vinegar into the paper bag and wrap it around the sting if possible. This should help the sting affected area but if it doesn’t and causes irritation or a reaction stop immediately.

    Also, from someone that has a moderate reaction to bee stings and swells really badly, I recommend taking an antihistamine immediately after the sting happens.

  • Flowers That Will Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden!

    These are just a few of the many flowers that will attract hummingbirds to your backyard!

    1. Zinnias

    With their beautiful bright colors and tall stems, giant zinnias are a great add to any backyard flower garden when your trying to attract hummingbirds. Also dwarf zinnias are great as well and attract the hummingbirds just as much as the giant ones do!

    2. Red Salvia

    Salvia is one of my personal favorites to add to the pollinator garden as not only does their bright red appearances make your garden pop but the red color also helps attract the hummingbirds to your garden!

    3. Geraniums

    This one I call the “stinky plant” and I’ll explain why in the minute. Just like salvia their bright appearance truly causes your garden to glow with red flowers and with this attracts hummingbirds to your garden. The reason why I call it the “stinky plant” is because when the flower is disturbed it produces an odor that smells very similar to skunk spray.

    4. Petunias

    Petunias is another great add on to any garden who is trying to attract hummingbirds. The hummingbirds love the flowers due to their tubular-shaped appearance and their nectar!

    5. Sunflowers

    Now this one sounds like a weird choice, but hummingbirds truly love sunflowers. You can either purchase seeds in a prepackaged packet or you can just sow bird seed sunflower seeds.

    6. Tomatoes

    I know that this is again a weird choice but hummingbirds love to collect the nectar from the tomato blooms on the vine.

    7. Hummingbird Vine

    Just like its name these beautiful vines that produce trumpet shaped flowers attract hummingbirds very well to your garden.

    8. Butterfly Bush

    Butterfly bushes is a bush that produces a stem with dozens of small flowers attached to the end of each stem and these small flowers produces pollen for hummingbirds to eat!

    9. Hollyhocks

    With their cup shaped flowers, these are a great addition to anyone’s hummingbird garden.

    10. Lupines

    Last but not least is the Lupine. Lupines are flowering plants that have colorful spikes on top of the stem with tubular flowers making them a favorite among hummingbirds.

    I hope this helps all of you who are trying to attract our hummingbird friends!

  • Tennessee Is Named from This Underwater Town!

    Hidden underneath the Tellico River in Vonore, Tennessee lies the Cherokee Nation’s first capital city of Tanasi.

    The capital was in effect from 1721 to 1730, 46 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed.

    Tanasi attained political prominence in 1721 when its civil chief was elected the first “Emperor of the Cherokee Nation”. About the same time that this had occurred, the town name was also applied to the river on which it was located.

    During the mid-18th century, Tanasi became overshadowed and absorbed by the town of Chota which was located to the immediate north.

    So how did Tennessee get named from the town of Tanasi?

    The first recorded spelling of Tennessee as it is today occurred on Lt. Henry Timberlake’s map of 1762. In 1796, the name Tennessee was selected among several as most appropriate for the nation’s 16th state.

    The flooding to create the Tellico River in this area caused the town to become underwater. The flooding was caused for the Tellico Reservoir and to complete the construction of the dam on the Little Tennessee River.

    The site of the former town of Tanasi is now underwater and is located about 300 yards west of the Tanasi marker.

    Folks from all around can come to the Tanasi Memorial on the Tellico River to pay tribute to this underwater but never forgotten town!

    If ya’ll are interested in visiting here is the address to the marker

    Follow Hwy 360 to the junction of Hwy 360/Hwy 455 for about 5miles. Then turn left onto Country Road 461 where you will then turn right to the Tanasi Memorial.