A Ride On the River

After yesterday's Master Naturalist class about ecology, it was time for a ride on the river with McCoy's River and Marsh Tours. Captain Benny McCoy took us up through various habitats - mid-marsh areas all the way up to Whiskey Bayou. Whiskey Bayou is a beauty to behold with Spanish moss laden trees and water that reflects like glass. Mark LaSalle, director of the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, led the tour giving us details about types of marsh grass, floating plants, wild rice, trees like cypress and Tupelo black gum, and so many more.

At various points, Captain Benny would pull the boat over for Mark to give us an up-close view. As we neared each spot, fiddler crabs by the hundreds could be seen scurrying back. I had a few minutes to sit and watch the little guys as we sat in one particular area. After a few minutes of acclamation to the boat's presence, the previous receding group of fiddler crabs would inch back to the water's edge. Each tiny crab worked diligently with front claws stuffing little pieces of mud into one of their three mouths. Females, with their two tiny front claws worked faster than the males. Male fiddler crabs have a huge left front claw - primarily to wave and say "Hey, Baby!" when he finds a female attractive. The downside of that huge claw is he can't stuff his mouth with it. Mark explained to us that fiddler crabs eat diatoms - planktonic algae - that the mud contains. After each piece of mud has been completely cleaned of diatoms, the little crabs spit them out on the ground. These are feeder balls. The ground is littered with them.

Other critters who showed up, or were startled into view, were at least a half dozen yellow crowned night herons (most of them fledglings), three great blue herons, one great egret who repeatedly flew upstream thinking he was out of range only for the boat to slip up on him again, numerous ospreys - either in flight or fishing, and a gorgeous anhinga. Anhingas are the large birds you often see depicted on Indian pottery, drawn with wings extended. Anhingas and related cormorants both have no oil covering their feathers to waterproof them. After a dive in the water to fish, they find a limb or post and outstretch their wings to dry them in the sun. Last, but surely not least, there were two young osprey perched on nest's edge peering down with bobbing heads at the boat and its occupants. As one of my classmates said, "They're saying, 'Here comes Benny with the boat!'"

If you live in the area here or visit, please do plan a tour with the McCoys. Benny and brother, Lynn, know the rivers and marshes, including its animals and plants so very well. You will surely enjoy every minute of it. Tours leave at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, weather permitting from the Pascagoula River Audubon Center. The Center is located off exit 68 of I-10 (Moss Point). Head South off exit 68 and follow the signs.