(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Daily Bucket - Labor Day bird count duty. [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-09-07

Gene Knight is the most excitable birder I have ever met. He is 10 years older than me, but has twice the “child at heart” passion for birding. More about our time together after the page break.

Hay seed and I took Labor Day off to seek our own adventures. I headed to Hurricane Landing (Sardis Lake, MS.) to try for shore birds (hay seed chose a more leisurely activity.) I got to my usual spot at “Dark thirty” and slipped into the recess of a Cypress and Button Bush thicket. Two goose hunters rode by on their ATVs and didn’t see me. They were headed toward blinds further south to try for Geese (‘tis that season here). I felt I would stay hidden from incoming birds easily if those guys didn’t notice me.

It was quiet until the sky began to glow. The chirps and peeps of Killdeer and Sandpipers started to mingle with the buzz of waking insects. Off in the distance, I heard Canada Geese honks as harassing Crows stirred the migrating flock.

An Osprey flew from it’s roost to the lake for breakfast.

There were the resident waders moving within the shallow ponds. The fishing was going great with no desperate or wasted motion.

Double-Crested Cormorant waiting for a brighter moment.

I sat for over an hour waiting for the sun to give enough light to start filming. It got to be 8am before any birds came close enough. But then, I heard the distinct voice of Gene Knight (150 feet to my right). I picked everything up and headed his way.

Canada Goose and Limpkin feeding together.

He noticed my approach and gave this snide greeting, “I sure am glad to see your scruffy face.” He explained that he and his sister like to collect species and totals at the beginning of each month for the MS. state archives. Since I was there, I would be the spotter and counter for that morning (location) while he recorded. I was honored he asked for my help.

He then said, “Let’s start with your bird over by those geese.” He pointed out the limpkin. So began our two hours of counting.

* Nearing noon, Gene’s phone abruptly rang *

Gene explained that the Limpkin’s status would be changed from rare to uncommon because of the length of time the Limpkin had been in the area (5 weeks). There were other sightings from around the state with equal amounts of time on those locations. There may be the same change for Rosate Spoonbill in Mississippi soon. It was interesting to hear that news.

I’ll show a few of the things we saw before I tell you what his phone call announced.

Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher

Ring-billed Gull

Carolina Wren

Red-shouldered Hawk

As he hung up the phone, he snatched up his spotting scope and told his sister, “We got to go!” With a bit of urgency he added, “you should go with us. That was a report of 5 Flamingo at Ross Barnett.” Gene’s sister squealed, “Oh Boy!” as she hastened for their truck.

I begged off (having seen Flamingo at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans during my May visit) claiming to need lunch (just a little fib). We parted for the day and I enjoyed the Brats and grilled cheese sandwich at home as my consolation prize.

NOTE: Ross Barnett is the main reservoir supplying the state capital (Jackson, MS). The three hour drive would not have been a hardship, but I was tad hungry.

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/7/2191579/-Daily-Bucket-Labor-Day-bird-count-duty

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/