Oxpen Branch View: Part 3 of 3 at Carolina Sandhills NWR

 

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust


    I must admit I didn't realize how important the creation of watering locations by people was to the sustaining power of the refuge system. Like many, I simply assumed that they had always been there, that they were natural features. Without the water, the many avian, aquatic, and terrestrial species that depend on the refuges would have little choice but to compete with people and lose. People built and maintain many of the ponds, lakes, tributaries, and watering holes in the refuge system and it's to them and their hard work that I salute. As I wrote in my post on May 6, 2023...

    Let’s take one last look for now at one of the many manmade water sources in Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge. This section of the Oxpen Branch, a small tributary system between the Refuge’s various ponds and lakes, is near the curiously ramped viewing tower on the northwest side of South Carolina Highway 145, also known as the Carolina Sandhills Parkway, which basically bisects the Refuge.

    On this day, the sun was bright and gave the blues and greens and golds around me a marvelous luster. A few wispy clouds in the sky completed this dynamic composition. I love the way the water sources are connected with this branch system. It ensures a reliable watering spot for the many migratory birds that depend upon this refuge and for the hundreds of species that call this place home.

Clicking on the image will open it in full screen

‘Oxpen Branch View’ on a gorgeous afternoon in north central South Carolina at the treasure that is Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge.

www.johnjgiardinaphotography.com


Location: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, Jefferson, SC 29718, USA

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