Most of us are familiar with the holiday tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. You know the one with the 12 Drummers drumming, 11 Pipers piping, 10 Lords-a-leaping, 9 Ladies dancing, 8 Maids-a-milking, 7 Swans-a-swimming, 6 Geese-a-laying, 5 Golden Rings…, 4 Calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 Turtle doves, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Well, as I’ve been doing my roving time on the refuge, this tune popped into my head and my mind went-a-whirling. So, for this special night, I give you my rendition. Most of the photos were taken on Okefenokee NWR, but I had to beef up some pics with photos from Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR, Malheur NWR, and Balcones Canyonlands NWR.
If I were techie enough, I’d provide the music in the background, but you know I’m not. So, I hope you’ll sing along with me on the last verse of the song, and have as much fun as I did composing it.
♫ ♪ “ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY REFUGES GAVE TO ME:
12 WOODPECKERS DRUMMING
11 HERONS FISHING
10 LIZARDS-A-LEAPING
9 BUTTERFLIES FLUTTERING
8 OWLS-A-HOOTING
7 ALLIGATORS SWIMMING
6 FROGS-A-CROAKING
5… GOLDEN… SUNSETS…
4 MOCKINGBIRDS,
3 PILES OF SCAT,
2 WHITE-WINGED DOVES,
AND A RARE PECKER ON A PINE TREE… ♪ ♫
Come on, try singing it; it really is fun! 
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
