Tag Archives: Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04

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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]
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 Continue reading →

Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our watery living room, Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Come see the sun set, the moon rise, and probably bats fly from cypress trees!

This Outing is honoring Farmers, who get free entry.

When: Gather 6 PM, launch 6:30 PM, moonrise 6:53 PM, sunset 7:11 PM, end 8 PM, Monday, October 6, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06, Just west of Lakeland, GA, sunset, moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06, Just west of Lakeland, GA, sunset, moonrise, and maybe bats

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Video: Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-07-10

Well, after watching lightning strike straight down onto Banks Lake, expedition leader Turtleman Chris Adams called it off, the Full Buck Moon Paddle, 2025-07-10. Nobody paddled onto our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.

[Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-07-10, Called off because of lightning]
Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-07-10, Called off because of lightning

So many people had requested boats that I had brought one of the WWALS canoes and an extra kayak. As you can see, few people showed up, because of the weather.

Here is a video WWALS Outings Committee Co-Chair Kimberly Godden Tanner took of us with banners. You can see lightning flashes and hear thunder.
https://youtu.be/TB-PWP_Zauo?si=fKcaYfYaQgGs1tRx Continue reading →

Pictures, Full Strawberry Moon, Banks Lake 2025-06-11

Thanks to Gee Edwards for leading this one at the last minute, after Janet had some sort of dancing injury.

[Full Strawberry Moon, Banks Lake NWR 2025-06-12, A small but hardy crowd, not scared of rain predictions]
Full Strawberry Moon, Banks Lake NWR 2025-06-12, A small but hardy crowd, not scared of rain predictions

Janet did not paddle. Nor did I, although I brought Honeybun, Blondie, and Sky to help out. River stayed home.

Janet and Gee are WWALS Board members.

Janet and Kim Tanner (not present) are the co-chairs of the WWALS Outings Committee. Maybe you’d like to join that committee to help schedule outings.
https://wwals.net/about/committees/#wwals-outings

The next Full Moon paddle is Continue reading →

Pictures: Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-03-14

It was perfect weather to see the sun set and the moon rise.

One person flew a thousand miles to paddle on Banks Lake at the Full Worm Moon.

Thanks to Kimberly Godden Tanner for organizing this one.

[Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14]
Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14

Join us tomorrow for Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67005

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see Continue reading →

Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-07-10

Update 2025-07-18: Video: Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-07-10.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Buck Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.

When: Gather 7:45 PM, launch 8:15 PM, moonrise 8:59 PM, sunset 8:39 PM, end 9:45 PM, Thursday, July 10, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, July 10, 2025]
Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, July 10, 2025

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Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-06-11

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Strawberry Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.

When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:25 PM, sunset 8:36 PM, end 10 PM, Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025]
Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025

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Video: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: the 4 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee –Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21

From alligators and wood storks in the Okefenokee National Wildlife (NWR) to mussels, Gulf sturgeon, and alligator snapping turtles in the Lower Suwannee NWR, plus Banks Lake NWR and Cedar Key NWR, Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, ONWR, gave a WWALS Webinar on Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 4 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.

[Water, Wildlife, & Wilderness: 4 NWRs of the Suwannee --Larry Woodward, Okefenokee, Banks Lake, Lower Suwannee, Cedar Key, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21]
Water, Wildlife, & Wilderness: 4 NWRs of the Suwannee –Larry Woodward, Okefenokee, Banks Lake, Lower Suwannee, Cedar Key, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21

After a brief introduction by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, Larry Woodward spoke for about 45 minutes, followed by questions and answers, all by zoom, from noon to 1PM, Thursday, November 11, 2024.

Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/ya5b8V6woOE

Fictional inhabitants of the Okefenokee Swamp include not only Pogo the Possum but also Kermit the Frog.

Continue reading →

Banks Lake closed indefinitely due to Hurricane Helene damage 2024-10-09

We will not be paddling for the Full Hunters Moon is tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2024, because Banks Lake is closed.

[Closed indefinitely due to Hurricane Helene Damage 2024-10-09: Banks Lake Outdoors and Banks Lake NWR]
Closed indefinitely due to Hurricane Helene Damage 2024-10-09: Banks Lake Outdoors and Banks Lake NWR

Banks Lake Outdoors facebook page, October 9, 2024:

Many of you have seen the massive number of trees down at the lake. Banks Lake Outdoors thankfully made it through Hurricane Helene with minimal damage. Much of the trees have been cleared; however, many upright trees remain unstable. Banks Lake, and the concession, will be closed to visitors until further notice.

Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge:

Refuge CLOSED Due to Hurricane Helene Damage

Banks Lake NWR is CLOSED to all public access due to Hurricane Helene storm damage. Refuge staff have conducted initial inspections and clean up, however, conditions are still unsafe for public access. A date for reopening has not been determined. For more information, please contact refuge staff at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge at 912-496-7836.

We look forward to Banks Lake being reopened, and WWALS offers assistance.

Meanwhile, for other WWALS outings, see:
https://wwals.net/outings/

 -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/

Rescheduled: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: the 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee –Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21

Update 2024-10-09: Rescheduled due to impending Hurricane Milton. New date: Thursday, November 21, 2024, from noon to 1 PM.

Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, will give a WWALS Webinar on the Suwannee River’s Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.

[Rescheduled: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: The 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee River, Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21]
Rescheduled: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: The 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee River, Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21

Register in advance with zoom for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdOGtpzIpGdflOUxV423XHOi3TPNlaiSL

WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Larry Woodward will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers. Continue reading →