Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04

Sheila Willis and Teresa Aldrich Ammons saw many birds on Banks Lake.

Sheila is the President of the Okefenokee Bird Club and Teresa is a member. Sheila has been very helpful with information about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge where she used to work.

Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04, Bat tree, feathers, Sand Hill Cranes, White Ibis, hydrilla, Lily pads

Plus some feathers at the bat tree, falling from a nest that nobody had noticed before. They might be from a Great Blue Heron.

Continuing southwest towards Moody Air Force Base, we saw a flock of Great Blue Herons. And a flock of White Ibis sitting on the water, then flying, then one perching.

There were more birds, but I was busy going too far into the lily pads and hydrilla with the 25-hp outboard. Although stalks of those plants wrapped around the prop, they weren’t the worst. That was the bladderwort that fouled the cooling water intake.

Extra points to Teresa for being a good sport and helping paddle us back out. And for not minding too much when I bonked her on the head with my poling pole.

Once we got back to clear water, I used the 86-pound thrust trolling motor with one of the LiFePO batteries to trundle back by the bat tree and home to Banks Lake Boat Ramp as the drizzle started.

That drizzle turned into protracted rain, as predicted, which is why WWALS cancelled the 4:15 PM Full Cold Moon Paddle on Banks Lake.

This outboard birding expedition was not a regular WWALS outing; just a jaunt for Sheila and Teresa.

They both said they had a good time, although I think they’d prefer I get the sawdust out of the jon boat before the next trip. It’s usually used on chainsaw cleanups. I did warn them about that, but I think I’ll scour the boat first next time.

And don’t worry, Wild Green Future (WGF). The outboard, the trolling motor, and the batteries you paid for with that generous grant are all fine. I cut the lilies and hydrilla off the prop, and used a toothbrush to get the bladderwort out of the intake screen. The outboard itself starts and runs just like always.

Meanwhile, the 24-inch Husqvarna 460 Rancher chainsaw WGF also paid for is in the shop (i.e., Phil’s house) for a gas tank replacement.

Oh, the prop guard? The one downside of the 25-hp outboard is it doesn’t tip up if you hit something. Such as a cypress root, even at quite slow speed.

Some pictures are below.

Here’s a video:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1902682804011631

https://youtu.be/62KVuGIs3QY

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Bat tree, 2025:12:04 13:56:50, –jsq for WWALS

Feathers in bat tree, 2025:12:04 13:56:56, –jsq for WWALS

Movie: Feathers from nest in bat tree, 2025:12:04 13:57:04, (37M) –jsq for WWALS

Short Link:

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

BTOS

SHC

WI

HB

BB

OB

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