White on White

What a beautiful day it was today! The sun was brilliant, the water flat and calm, and the temperature was just right!

A ride down East Beach in Ocean Springs proved fruitful! At low tide this afternoon, many shorebirds were feeding - willets and blue herons among them. At a distance from shore at low tide a sand bar appears and is a popular spot for the birds. Today, even without binoculars, we could tell some visitors were present along with the usual crew of brown pelicans and sea gulls. There they were, as white as snow, sunning on the exposed white sand - a group of white pelicans! What a delight it is to see these birds when they visit. They are much larger than their cousins, the brown pelicans, and have different feeding methods. Brown pelicans typically range in size from 45 inches to 54 inches. White pelicans, though, range from 55 inches to about 70 inches, a sizable difference and noticeable even from a great distance. White pelicans feed in groups, splashing the water with their wings to drive fish into a position where the birds can duck their heads underwater and make a catch. Brown pelicans, on the other hand, dive head-first into the water from flight when a fish is spotted. Each is beautiful in its own right, but as the white pelicans are less common here, it is always a joy to spot them as they make their way through, and stop to take a rest.

Nuts for Dinner

A nighttime cruise out to Gulf Islands National Seashore Park led us to a very young raccoon - one of this year's crop, for sure. A small guy, his tail was darker, with stripes not as prominent as an adult. Our vehicle lights initially alarmed him, sending him a short distance up an oak tree's trunk. The lure of the treasure on the ground was too much for him, though, and he quickly headed back down for the evening's feast. The ground, filled with acorns that had fallen from the oak, must have been pretty tasty. We watched as he quickly picked them up, happily munching away. He very much reminded me of myself when eating that salty, buttery popcorn - just can't wait for the next bite!

Looks Like Paradise

Yesterday brought our first ride across the two new bridges destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. While we'd been over the Biloxi Bay Bridge a number of times since its opening November 1st, we'd not travelled the Bay St. Louis Bridge yet. So much is left to be done along the Mississippi Coast, but still, knowing how much HAS been done is uplifting to our spirits. Uplifting to our spirits, too, was the view of Bay St. Louis (absolutely beautiful with emerald green waters yesterday) and the beachfront houses overlooking the waterfront at Pass Christian. The houses, various colors and styles with wide front porches are perfect for viewing the diving pelicans and setting sun. May the owners of those houses enjoy many years of sunrises, sunsets and views too spectacular to imagine!

Crabs on the Pier

What a beautiful day for an outing! Our ride took us to a spot we had not visited before - the pier south of Gulf Park Estates in Ocean Springs. Lots of folks were taking advantage of the sunny skies and getting a little fishing in before the cold snap that's approaching.

We watched three young people who fished from the end of the pier. They were catching something, but not fish! As they reeled the lines in, up came blue crabs - holding on for dear life to the shrimp they'd "caught". Close examination of each of the crabs showed bright red tips of claws, something we were not familiar with.

After returning home and researching the blue crabs online we learned what those youngsters probably already knew - they had caught "she crabs" or "sooks", as fishermen call them. Luckily for the ladies hanging on to the shrimp, their captors gently released them back into the waters to live on, and maybe in the future, have a few youngsters of their own!

A Night Out on the Town

Tonight brings a warm moonlit night. It's 68 degrees with a nearly full moon, and it's a perfect setting for a night out on the town. We spotted a family of five enjoying themselves strolling along and investigating the area - a mom and her four young ones to be exact. Mom was leading the charge down the road to East Beach. This family sighting, for us, was rare, for the family was a family of raccoons! Out of the shadows they emerged into the streetlights darting in and out of the shadows. What a joy it was to spot these youngsters out with their mother as they learned the fine art of foraging.

A Blue Heron Kind of Day

Great blue herons are magnificent birds. To see one is a treat. Today we spotted more than half a dozen in various spots. At mid-afternoon, the tide was out, revealing what must have been a bounty. Large and small groups of birds of various types were gathered together to eat - in celebration of Thanksgiving perhaps?

Hibernation Time!

While not as cool as many places in the U. S., Mississippi begins to feel the cool air of autumn by mid-November down by the Gulf Coast. Even before the humans felt it, the creatures of the air and land did. In the past few weeks, little yellow sulfur butterflies have passed through, landing on the fall's wildflowers that are blooming so prolifically. Gulf fritillary butterflies are abundant. Bright orange with a few black spots on their wings, they are often mistaken for monarchs from a distance.

I told the story of Frogbottom at www.mississippiwild.com . Frogbottom and his friends - tiny green tree frogs - had, over the summer, taken up residence by my parents back porch light every evening. Now though, as the air cools, fewer of the little fellows come to eat. We suppose that within a few weeks, they will all have found a snug place to sleep in the woods nearby until springtime. Their return along with the return of warm weather will be welcome!

Most Popular Man in Town

A sunny Sunday afternoon drive led us to see the most popular man in town! Alone he worked with an audience enraptured by his every move. His skill must have been obvious to them all as they stood motionless gazing at his handiwork. Suddenly, with one quick movement of his hand, the whole group leaped to their feet - or should I say to the air! "He" was a fisherman cleaning his fish at the harbor. Who was his audience? A flock of laughing gulls and one white-headed brown pelican. One toss of a discarded piece of fish into the water brought a frenzy of activity. Such fussing and diving to retrieve the fish by the gulls seemed to stun even the old pelican. He moved his head about to study the frantic actions of his fellow feathered friends with a reaction that seemed to say, "Dare I attempt to get a bite in the midst of all this action?"

Osprey in the Egret Tree

An unexpected trip out today allowed a quick drive down the beach road and around the harbor. Though slightly cool and sunny, the fishing must be good. A great blue egret stalked the edge of the water by the marsh grass, two great white egrets awaited the right moment on posts by the dock, and a regal osprey was perched in one of the trees where the great white egrets will nest at sunset. At midday, thoughts have not yet turned to resting, but to finding the right fish for lunch!

What's That Honking Noise?

Yesterday, just before sunset we drove to St. Paul Methodist Church, here in Ocean Springs. The church's east campus sits near a very busy intersection where Highways 90 and 57 meet. Traffic is so heavy sometimes honking wouldn't be unusual to hear, but after several seconds of hearing a honking sound yesterday, we realized it was surely not the honk of a car! Up above the church flew a flock of Canadian Geese, honking as they headed northeastward. What a pleasant sight and a welcome sound they were to us before we hurried inside out of the crisp autumn air!

Like Ornaments on a Christmas Tree

Just before dark every day in the fall, a spectacular event takes place. There is a bridge at the Inner Harbor which, when you cross it, allows a view of the harbor entrance to the south , and to the north, a view of the upper section of the harbor. In the upper section of the harbor is a large stand of trees that face the south, thus offering protection from the north wind. As the sun sets daily, the brilliant great white egrets begin to arrive! Like slow moving 747's, they prepare for landing. A precise landing is necessary as traffic is heavy, and a miss means landing on a fellow egret - never a welcome thing. As the light wanes, the trees fill. Their white feathers against the green leaves of the trees has been said to resemble a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. As dusk yesterday, they numbered more than three dozen!

Where, Oh Where is Miss Gator?

A daytime trip out to Gulf Islands National Seashore to see the famous resident alligator - Miss Gator, to us - did not produce a view of her. Miss Gator became a mom a few months ago, we understand, and was content to stay in "her" pond. For the last several weeks, everytime we go, she is a no-show!

In years past, we have noted that she is missing for long periods of time in late fall and into winter. Where she slips off to hide, we do not know. Now, we wonder, did she take her young ones with her, or did they face a dreadful fate after being spotted by a hungry heron?

Red Foxes and Grey Foxes

What a joy it is to see the elusive fox! Nighttime rides through Gulf Islands National Seashore - Davis Bayou area (Ocean Springs, MS) yielded two this weekend. We personally spotted a red fox working his way through the picnic area, nose to the ground in search of leftovers. He gave us a quick glance when he spotted the car lights and picked up his step a bit. He wasn't deterred in the search, though. Zigzagging around the tables, he worked his way across towards the wooded area near the bayou. Such a beautiful animal he was with his silky red coat and dark tail with a prominent white tip. What a handsome fellow!

My parents separately spotted a grey fox. As none of us had ever spotted a grey fox there before, we actually checked for verification that they reside there before making the claim of the spotting. Indeed, they do. This gives us one more nocturnal creature to look for on our nighttime quest!

If you are interested in the animals you may be able to see upon visiting Gulf Islands National Seashore, here is a link to a list: http://www.nps.gov/guis/naturescience/upload/Animal%20Checklist.pdf . Although the list is labeled Florida, Gulf Islands encompasses Mississippi as well.

An Old Pelican

We like to travel a route down Front Beach, East Beach and around the Inner Harbor in Ocean Springs. We drive it so often, there are certain "folks" we look for on the drive. There are the stray cats at the harbor, the brown and yellow labs just past the harbor, the green herons that hang out on the wire at the Inner Harbor, and now the double-crested cormorants are back, so we look for them, too. The cormorants are really fun to watch, perched on a post with wings extended to dry them. The brown pelicans are dotted around along with the laughing gulls on posts all along the beaches and the harbor. The old folks, the white headed pelicans, are numerous with a brown headed youngster here and there.

One fellow we came upon concerned us. An obviously older pelican was sitting on the dock at Inner Harbor. We stopped to check him out. He eyed us warily, but tolerated us since we didn't get out of the car. He looked tired and worn, his feathers faded. He seemed a little more stooped and thinner than the others. As we drove away, we could only wonder if this may be his last winter at the harbor. The rest of the trip wasn't as pleasant as the first, as we pondered the old fellow's fate.

A Good Day for South Mississippi

While this has nothing to do with wildlife, it merits mentioning. Today is a special day to thousands of people. Late this afternoon, the Biloxi Bay Bridge will open, connecting Ocean Springs, MS to Biloxi. The old bridge lay shattered, as did lives here, after Hurricane Katrina's storm surge. For many, including our family, the destruction of the bridge was literally life-altering. What had once been a 30 minute journey became 2 hours after the storm. As roads were repaired and opened, the trip shortened, but the traffic did not lessen - too many people going to the same places at the same time has worn on nerves and caused tempers to flare.

On this day, two lanes of this marvel will open. A marvel it is because of how incredibly quickly it has been completed after construction began. All lanes will open by April of 2008, but these two lanes are most significant. They tie the towns seperated all the way from Pascagoula to Waveland together again since the Bay St. Louis Bridge, the first link, was opened last May.

Things will never be quite the same. Those who lost their lives cannot be replaced. Beautiful historical homes are gone. Yet, as we reconnect to our brothers and sisters who are left, the spirit of survival and revival continues. Now, a new chapter begins. Today, we celebrate that beginning.