Page 98 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2020

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Birding Provides Great Outdoor Activity For All Ages
story by John N. Felsher photos by John N. Felsher
and courtesy of Holly Cox, Mississippi Coast Audubon Society
n the fall and winter, the South Mississippi bird population swells as migrants augment the resident feathered population. The last place to rest and build up calories before crossing the Gulf of Mexico, the
Gulf Coast provides birds with varied habitats ranging from beaches and marshes to upland forests. This makes South Mississippi an excellent place to spot birds.
“Fall is a good time to do some birding around the Mississippi Coast,” advises Holly Cox with the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society in Biloxi. “After Hurricane Sally hit the Gulf Coast, we saw a few birds we don’t normally see. A birder in Ocean Springs spotted a red-footed booby for the rst time in Mississippi.”
Red-footed boobies normally stay in tropical oceans well south of Mississippi. Serious birders enjoy seeing di erent species. Making the rst con rmed sighting of a species in an area makes the experience even more special.
“Sometimes, people see what we call a ‘spark bird,’ a really colorful or unique bird that sparks an interest in
doing more birding,” Cox says. “For many people, birding becomes like a treasure hunt. The most unusual bird I’ve ever seen in Mississippi was a smooth-billed ani. I saw it at Hiller Park in Biloxi. That was the rst time the species was reported in Mississippi.”
People of any age can begin birding by simply placing feeders around their homes. Birders should invest in binoculars and hiking shoes. Birders can also buy eld guides or download free apps from sites like Merlin Bird ID (merlin.allaboutbirds.org) to help with species identi cation.
“We believe in teaching young people to go birding
and discover things in the outdoors so they’ll appreciate nature and take care of it for the future,” Cox states. “Our chapter of the National Audubon Society does a lot of eld trips. Inexperienced birders can get together with seasoned birders who can give them tips on where to nd birds at di erent times of the year. We also participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count, which is a worldwide
98 | November 2020
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