A Birth! (Or Should I Say BirthS)!

Newborns are so sweet, whether they are human or another of God's many creatures.

The newborns who came into the world on Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Moss Point, MS are no exception. To a young lady, six babies were born. She arrived at her delivery spot already near her "time". Where she came from? We do not know, but within 48 hours of her arrival, the Pascagoula River Audubon Center heralded the arrival of her six children. Born throughout the day, they varied in color - 2 orange, one black and white, one calico, one gray and white tabby, and one solid black. Mom, a youngster herself, figured out how to take care of her young ones right away. Tired from her ordeal, she took a few short breaks to eat and drink, but then went back to her nursing babies.

And, now there are 7 new residents - Kitty and her babies - at the Center. Anyone know of a really good home for some precious youngsters in about six weeks??

Banding the Birds

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, an anxious group of humans gathered to welcome several special guests into their midst. The guests were bewildered, if not somewhat miffed about the meeting. It was involuntary, you see. Each of them were simply minding their own business when quite suddenly they were caught. Literally, caught in a net. A mist net, no less - hard to see and even harder to escape from. Brought one by one to the group gathered on the wooden deck, each no doubt wondered if this was it. The end, you know.

It is that way when humans meet the creatures of the Earth. The creatures are afraid because the humans have so many times meant harm. How to communicate to them that no harm is intended? Well, there isn't any way. In fact, it is best left that way - for the next human they see may indeed mean them harm, so flee, they must.

On this day, the humans included two ornithologists and a very excited group of bystanders who gaze at birds at a distance. This would be an up-close view. Our first little fellow was a male Carolina Wren. From far away, he is simply brown with his various markings. Ah, but when you see him at a distance of arms length, you see the reddish tinge his feathers have. Tolerant, he was, particularly with the lady blowing his feathers on his belly to see the actual size of his tiny body underneath those pretty reddish brown feathers. He allowed the humans to take his picture, stroke his head and then place an ever so tiny silver band around his leg. An annoyance for him, but for the people who want to understand his habits and make sure his habitat is suitable and safe, the band was important, should he fly into some other mist net somewhere.

Mr. Cardinal was less tolerant. After allowing a quick photo, he wriggled free and flew away. Mrs. Cardinal was truly indignant. After examination of her, part of the reason must be because she has a nest of little eggs she's sitting on. Blowing the feathers to part them on her tummy revealed a slightly swollen pink area which helps her warm the eggs as she sits. After examining her, weighing her, a few photo ops and several drops of blood she managed to evoke from the ornithologist's hand that she repeatedly bit, she was freed to fly back to her babies. What a story she will have to tell them when they hatch.

What a story the humans will have to tell, too, of their afternoon with the reluctant visitors.

Look Up!

In school traffic today in Ocean Springs, I glanced up as a I crossed the railroad tracks. There, heading in a northeast direction, was a flock of birds - large birds - moving in my general direction. After getting past trees and buildings I stopped at a red light, figuring that they were long gone. Yet, just as we stopped, there they were. Dozens and dozens, flying in a -V-. A quick look in the binoculars confirmed a guess. It was a flock of double crested cormorants. Such handsome birds they are, only in the area for the winter and then off to the north for summertime. Was this group beginning their journey or just moving from the beach to the bayou just inland? Regardless, when it is time for them to leave, we will await anxiously their return later in the year - gracing our shores with skilled diving and a show of beauty on post top when it's time to dry out wings from a jaunt in the water.

Pascagoula River Nature Festival

A special event takes place here in Jackson County in April. Some people are confused when they see Jackson County, MS assuming that it is around Jackson, MS. Jackson County is actually the easternmost county along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and borders Mobile County, AL. Through our fair county here runs the Pascagoula River, a natural migratory bird route, and home to river otters, alligators and a whole lot more.

The Pascagoula River Nature Festival is ongoing right now. There is something to do throughout this week and through the 20th of April in the cities of Moss Point, Gautier, Ocean Springs, Vancleave and Lucedale including talks, tours, food tasting and sooo much more.

You can read all about it at this site!

Pascagoula River Nature Festival

What a privilege it was to hear Pete Dunne, internationally-known ornithologist and author, and Director of the Cape May Bird Observatory, New Jersey. He spoke at an event this weekend and along with his exceptional birding skills, he's a truly entertaining speaker and friendly fellow!
Thanks to him for travelling the distance he did to speak to and teach those of us who love birds on the Coast.

Moving to a New Spot

A little over a week ago, I made a horrible mistake. I didn't listen to my "gut". You know what I mean - that voice inside (God's trying to get your attention!), that says, "Do this." I didn't, though. Not trying to be disobedient or anything, but hestitant. I waited too long, and when I did a gorgeous old tortoise died. Because I hesitated. I should have moved him. Right when I got that "Do this" message. Why did I wait? Because I thought it might be the wrong thing to do. What if I moved him in the wrong direction, and he went back in the road? I should have listened, because by the time I went back, it was too late. He was gone...dead, I mean. I don't like to use that word, but that's what he was. I could have stopped it, but I hesitated. Too long.

So, I vowed to never make that mistake again. Yesterday, near the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, I had the chance to keep my promise. A little guy - a really little guy - was making his way across that same road. This time, I listened. And, I stopped and picked him up, and as I drove to the Center holding him, he tucked his little head, tail and legs in his shell. I know he was scared, but when I took him to the woods near the bayou, far from the road to introduce him to his new home, his gaze met mine. I think maybe he knew he was going to be OK now, at his new place.

When I told my husband what had happened he said, "Maybe this little guy was a baby of the fellow in the road last week."

Maybe so. I feel a little bit redeemed today.

Wake Up Call

At about 5:45 a.m. today, I got an abrupt wake up call. Normally, a scream from outside the window wouldn't be welcome, but this one was. It was the fox. Even flipping on the outside light didn't deter him or her from the patio visit. And, we were wrong. Our visitor isn't a red fox, but a grey fox. After getting a good close look from the window at a distance of about 3 feet, grey fur was clearly visible on the back.

Chicken was the intended target of the morning, but today Jazz (short for Jasmine, our Mississippi-born cat - the others are Alabama natives), messed up the route to breakfast. This scream was a little different than usual. Jazz is, well, not too bright. She got too close for comfort. Bob never approaches the fox; he just holds his position. It wouldn't shock us to know that Jazz wanted a good look at this critter in her yard, nor would she be shy in approaching it. The fox was having none of it, though. After a good scream, Jazz backed off, the fox got its meal and then headed off to parts unknown before daybreak.

Catching Up!

I'm catching up, you see. I've been too busy to blog, with good reason! After attending a lecture about the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, I began to volunteer there the very next week. Mark LaSalle and Mozart DeDeaux have been kind enough to let a naturalist wannabe come and work and learn. Not one day has been a disappointment, well, to me that is. I would guess that cutting off Dan Brooks, who owns the Moss Point Oaks Bed and Breakfast, when he called on my first day there was not a high point. Really, I usually do know how to put a phone on hold. Perhaps they wondered who they'd allowed access to the center?? But, they were ever so kind, Dan Brooks included, to this nearly 50 year-old (ugh, 50?) living out a lifetime dream of nature up close.

Whether it's helping George Hanson glue an alligator's skull back together (yes, the alligator was deceased), Paul Doyle's teasing me about washing those dishes again, hearing Captain Benny McCoy tell about the day's sightings on the river tour, or being amazed at the stories that Mark and Mozart tell about the critters like Mrs. Salt Marsh Snake (who lives at the center and had her babies there), I am never bored. I am simply eternally grateful to be there.

A Gathering

Yesterday was soggy. Really, really soggy. After torrential rains the night before and on into the morning hours, we were glad to get out for a while late yesterday. After a fully satisfying meal at Cafe New Orleans, which opened a new location here in Ocean Springs a few weeks ago, it was time for the beach ride. Though it was getting dark, and we expected that the brown pelicans had already gone to roost on their posts, we got a real surprise. Just after turning on Front Beach Road, a group of about a dozen pelicans and nearly as many laughing gulls were sitting just offshore at low tide. They were having a party! Somebody had found what must have been a bounty of food in the very shallow waters. Word spread and what ensued was a gathering of pelicans and gulls picking up an easy dinner. The pelicans - all brown heads, as the more mature pelicans have gone to nesting areas - would scoop up the unknown delicacy, pitch back their heads to swallow it and, almost immediately, scoop up another one.

Looks like Cafe New Orleans wasn't the only spot serving up fine seafood last night!

Fox on The Grounds!!

After a long absence, our resident fox has returned! He or she (we wish we knew which) arrived on the scene last night just after midnight. He (we'll settle with it being a wandering fellow) screamed to get our attention. Well, not really our attention, but the attention of our cats. Bob had gone out to take care of the necessary business shortly before the screaming began. Bob, our half-tailed black cat, seems to bring out the ire of Mr. Fox. It may be, too, that he's annoyed that there are so doggone (no pun intended) many of them - five.

He was nearly at the patio last night, probably because he smelled pieces of chicken that had been left by the cats after a recent dinner. We couldn't tell, but Bob must have been on the patio. The fox, a red fox, by the way, stood and stared towards the patio, threw back his head and screamed - repeatedly.

How frustrating to have some feline blocking the path to a late night meal, but, what a joy for us to have the privilege of seeing him as he passed through last night!