Birding Mississippi in the Spring

   We put the dog in a kennel and drove south into the state of Mississippi. This was going to be a birding trip around Jackson, Mississippi. The first thing we noticed was the vultures we saw were Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) The tips of their wings are white and their heads are darker than those of the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura)

   When we turned toward Enid Lake, we noticed swallows darting left and right, up and down, along side a brdge. They were flycatching over the water under the bridge. When we arrived at Enid Dam, we idenified the swallows as a mixture of Northen Rough Winged Swallows (Stelgidopteryx Serripennis) and Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica). We ate a picnic lunch at the pavillion near the camping area. At the Enid spillway, there several people fishing. We also saw four large white birds coursing up and down the churning waters of the spillway. These birds flew along the canal, staring down at the water. They were Bonaparte's Gulls (Chroicocephalus Philadelphia) in their breeding plummage.

   We were driving down a rural highway where we found large herds of cattle grazing. These beasts were being tended to by medium sized white egrets. We saw their shape and noticed a faint orange tint to their feathers and identified them as Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus Ibis).

   We got a room at a Hilton in downtown Jackson. We were tired so Berry took a shower and Robert took a nap. It was time for dinner, so Berry saw the Mayflower Cafe right down the street. Perfect.

   Robert started with a cup of "Mike's Seafood Gumbo". This was very authentic with morsels of seafood and veggies in a creole brown sauce served with a splash of rice. We were served a small salad and then a bottle of remoulade dressing was placed on th table. Berry had the "Red Fish Jane" with two filets of broiled red fish, covered in shrimp and oysters. Berry does not eat oysters, so Robert snagged them with a fork, just as the plate hit the table. The Mayflower Cafe is famous for its red fish, so Robert had the "Red Fish Orleans", and this was a treat with the broiled red fish served this time with a large soft shelled crab. The soft shelled crab was even larger than the fish itself. This was very good food. Berry got a piece of Lemon Icebox Pie. These birding trips are delicious.

Robert and Berry

Photos courtesy of wikipedia

Picnic in the Park

March 24, 2018

   We were free on Saturday, so after sleeping late, we drove to Shelby Farms in east Memphis with a picnic lunch to look for birds. The weather was perfect. It was cloudy and overcast with a cool breeze and temps of about 62 degrees. The first place we stopped was a hilly field that we have never birded before. It was the old landfill field on the south side of Walnut Grove where they have several methane release valves. We climbed a rather steep hill covered in grass and weeds. We heard several Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella Magna) hidden in the grass. Their song is diagnostic. We finally got one in sight with its yellow sides and the two white tail feathers.

   We moved from there over to Refuge Pond, a small fishing place behind a Christmas Tree collection site near the Laser Tag facility. At the lake we saw two unsuccessful fishermen, but no birds. On the power lines, there were beautiful Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis) and quite a few noisy Killdeer (Charadrius Vociferus). In the soybean fields, we spotted a flock of purple Rock Doves (Columba Livia) and a swarm of invasive European Common Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris). After crossing busy Walnut Grove onto Farm Road, we drove around the newly created Hyde Lake. There were no ducks or egrets due to the great number of people walking around the lake, chasing the birds away.

   There are twenty small lakes in the Park, according to the website. Driving around the main road, we passed Pine Lake, where there were only two Mallards (Anas Platyrhynchos), (one male and one female). We saw people riding the new Zip Line across the lake. In the field across from Pine Lake, we spotted Red Winged Black Birds (Agelaius Phoeniceus) and a White Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia Albicollis). The White Throated Sparrow is a regular winter visitor to this area from the north.

   By this time, we were getting hungry, so we drove past the horse barn and found a picnic table under a copse of cedar trees at Beaver Lake. For our picnic we ate stuffed celery, Cheese, Pears and Cantaloupe, and Robert's famous, homemade Chicken Salad with crackers. Robert also had made a delicious spinach and tomato salad, which he ate with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

   As we were finishing our lunch, four Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) walked up to the table. We discussed giving them some crackers, but decided not to. When animals are fed by humans, they often loose their fear of people and can get into trouble. As the geese waddled down the hill from us, we heard some loud honking. Two male geese were having a dust-up to determine who would be a mate for the female geese. One male goose lowered his head and ran straight at the other male goose, who then lowered his own head and ran back at his attacker. (Sigh... boys will be boys). The fight did not last long and soon everyone seemed to be friends again, going on their way to eat grass in the field.

Berry

Photos courtesy of wikipedia, Alastair Rae, rfowler

First Birding Trip in 2018

   We made an afternoon birding trip to Riverport Road in Memphis, Tennessee. This was our first birding trip of 2018. It was cool and clear. We met another birder at the tailing pond. There is a lot of activity near the Intermodal facility south of Electrolux, so we had to dodge large trucks as we birded there.

   Here is a list of the birds we saw. We did watch a beaver swimming toward his lodge in one of the ponds on the south side of Riverport.

• Mourning Dove
• Brown Headed Cowbird
• Northern Mockingbird
• American Robin
• Killdeer
• Easter Bluebird
• Pied Billed Grebe
• Ring necked Duck
• Canada Goose
• Gadwall
• Rock Dove
• Red Winged Black Bird
• Mallard
• Red Shouldered Hawk
• Hooded Merganser
• Great Blue heron
• European Starling
• American Kestrel
• Common Ground Dove

Robert and Berry

Photos courtesy of commercialappeal

Charleston Vacation Pictures

This is a collection of photographs from our birding vacation to Charleston, South Carolina.

There are alligators in the swamps.

Baby alligator

Alligator sunning itself on the path

View out over the bog

Berry looking for birds

Limestone sinkhole

Maple Syrup Flounder

Atlantic Ocean

Lighthouse

Berry on a sea wall

Some tourists on the beach

We really enjoyed our time in the low country. We hope you enjoy our blog.

Robert and Berry

Photos courtesy of rfowler

James Island County Park

   We were nearing the end of our birding vacation to Charleston. This is coastal habitat, with swamps everywhere. The “palm trees” here are called Palmettos, a subgroup of the palm tree. Robert looked at a map and found a large park in Charleston called James Island County Park. It has a lake with a large Dog Park, where we watched several large dogs plunge happily into the water to fetch things. As we continued around the park, we saw birds and lots of squirrels. There is a Fishing Pier. One whole side of this park is a large swamp.

   Most of the time we are searching left, right, up and down for birds. As happens so often while birding, we stopped walking to discuss our plans. Robert simply looked up and noticed that we were standing underneath three roosting Wood Storks high in the trees. They did not notice us, far below on the path.

   For dinner, we visited Chef Jeremiah Bacon at the Macintosh. This is a very nice gourmet restaurant in Charleston. Berry ordered with an Expresso coffee. Robert prefers unsweetened iced tea with lemon. Next we shared a slice of the Bone Marrow Bread Pudding. This was a savory bread pudding made from pan drippings. It was savory, not sweet, and very tasty.

   For entree, Berry had the Barrel Fish, and Kale with Bagna Cauda. Robert tried a little of everything. First, a pasta salad with Caramelle cheese-filled noodles with red cabbage and bacon. As an entree, Robert chose the Veal Ossa Buca, with grits and broccolini.

   To finish a fine gourmet dinner in Charleston, we shared a piece of the Blueberry tart served with lemongrass ice cream. Wow!

Robert and Berry

Photo courtesy of animal kingdom

Very Cool Caw Caw Swamp

   We drove 52 miles south to the Donnelly Wildlife Management Area. There were signs on the gate announcing a Special Hunt. Berry noted that there was nothing on the website announcing a Special Hunt. We made a decision to bird our way back to Charleston.

   We found a really well managed swamp along highway 17 near Ravenel called the Caw Caw Swamp. This was very impressive. Robert got his trekker’s walking stick out of the car and we set off to investigate the avian content of this park. There were huge reed beds divided by large sloughs and beautiful boardwalks through shallow cypress swamps. We saw several alligators, a little one sunning itself on the grassy path. We wondered where mama was, so we did not bother said baby alligator.

• White Ibis
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Carolina Wren
• Carolina Chickadee
• Snowy Egret
• Eastern Bluebird

   After a nap, we watched part of a baseball game, then drove to a restaurant, Laura Albert’s on Daniel Island. http://lauraalberts.com/

   We shared some fried Brie with raspberry sauce. Berry had the Panko encrusted Flounder. Robert had a Beef Filet smothered in blue cheese. Tremendously yum.

Robert and Berry

Photo courtesy of jedison

Into the Countryside

   Today we went up-country, into the sticks, where there were beautiful butterflies, alligators and the ubiquitous mosquitoes which all serve to remind you who was here first. We drove past Lake Moultrie to Lake Marion and then drove up and down small country roads, looking for birds.

   On the map, it looked like a green forested area. In the deepest part of the forest was one field completely denuded of trees. The land was entirely bulldozed and logs and sticks were piled up in no particular pattern at all. We found what we call a “Honey Pot”, where birds constantly percolate up like popcorn. We had a great time just using the car as a bird blind and using binoculars to study the different species of birds playing there.

• Swainson’s Warbler
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Red Tailed Hawk
• Wood Stork
• Tricolored Heron
• Caspian Tern
• Laughing Gull

   Back in Charleston we found the Long Point Grill, where Berry had the scallops again. She will soon turn into a plate of scallops. Robert had a large salad and two very light crab cakes with homemade tartar sauce. We toted a large piece of Hummingbird Cake back to the hotel and split it while we watched the Astros clinch a place in the Semi Finals. Great pitching and a roster full of big bats. Berry prefers the St Louis Cardinals who did not make the playoffs. Robert will not gloat, because the playoffs are dangerous.

Robert and Berry

Baby Alligator and Goats

   On Friday October 6, we drove through part of the Francis-Marion National Forest. Then had coffee in Georgetown. We walked along a boardwalk and saw a little baby alligator in the water. Berry wondered aloud where its mother was located. We had lunch at Murrell’s Inlet at the Drunken Jack restaurant. There were a family of goats placed on an island across from the restaurant in order to nibble the tall grass there.

   At the Drunken Jack, Berry had fried Catfish and Robert ate the blackened Flounder with a blue cheese salad and a basket of hushpuppies.

   On the way back to Charleston, we stopped off at Huntington Beach. There Berry spotted a beautiful white Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus) in the top branches of a cypress tree.

• Fish Crow
• Franklin’s Gull
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
• North Flicker
• Palm Warbler

Robert and Berry

Photo courtesy of karin

Charleston

   We landed in Chicago and had a five hour lag, so we ate airport food. Not yum. This birding trip is happening during the playoffs for Major League baseball. We can watch games on my IPhone, which frees us up to travel.

   The second leg of our journey ended in Charleston, South Carolina. Our baggage came off the carousel first, before anyone else’s bag. That had never happened to me before. That may portend a delightful birding trip to come. We found our Hampton in Daniel Island and crashed for a while.

   We ate dinner that night at a very nice Mediterranean place called Sermet’s Courtyard. Berry had the seared scallops and Robert had the Eggplant Remoulade with a Beet Salad. Very yum.

Robert and Berry

Photo courtesy of jlyons

American Goldfinch

   Walking our dog on the next block, we spotted a beautiful American Goldfinch (Spinus Tristis) male. He is bright yellow with black markings. We saw his wife and him the next afternoon.

Photo courtesy of wikipedia

Robert and Berry