![]() ![]() ![]() "They don't eat anything large," Coulson said. ![]() Swallow-tailed kites are state and federally protected birds of prey that feed on insects and small vertebrates. Counties where nesting has been documented include Copiah, Franklin, Lincoln, Marion, and Simpson along with several farther south.įor subscribers: How a snack shack held a tiny Mississippi town together. "A lot of the sightings have been near town and along 14-mile Creek as well."Įnough sightings have been in the Raymond area for her to suspect they are breeding there. "This year we've been receiving a number of sightings in the Raymond area," Coulson said. In more recent years, increased numbers of sightings of swallow-tailed kites and their nests are being documented in Central Mississippi. Researchers believe the birds may be regaining some of their historic range in Mississippi.Ĭoulson said data from about 10 years ago and earlier showed Mississippi only holding swallow-tailed kites, or STKs as they are often called in the birding world, on the Coast. Hummingbirds in Mississippi: Here's how to attract more of them to your yard Swallow-tailed kites sighted in these Mississippi counties Outdoor shows: 'Swamp People' celebs, country star coming to Wildlife Extravaganza, new MS Ag & Outdoor Expo That was one of the strongholds of their populations." It was extensive harvesting of the swamps. "It was around 1880 to 1930 - that time frame. "It was also when the longleaf pine savannah was harvested, too. Certainly there was extensive breeding-ground loss in the state.' We'll head back home on the 25th, returning to Vermont around dinnertime."About 100 years ago, coinciding with a lot of clear-cutting of swamps, there was a population crash," Coulson said. We’ll have plenty of time to explore Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, which can host a breathtaking array of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Dunlin and the stunning American Avocet. For the next two days we’ll explore the Delmarva Peninsula, including Cape Henlopen State Park, a stronghold for the world’s northernmost population of Brown-headed Nuthatch. On route, we’ll keep our eyes out for ocean-loving species like Parasitic Jaeger, Royal Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Brown Pelican. In the nearby channels and lagoons, we’ll look for unusual wading birds like Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, and possibly a reclusive Clapper Rail.Īfter several days of birding the Cape May area, we’ll hop on the Lewes Ferry for a crossing of Delaware Bay. In the marsh grass and shrubs of Cape May Meadows and Brig, we’ll watch for Saltmarsh Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, and maybe even a stray Lark Sparrow or Clay-colored Sparrow. We’ll then explore Forsythe NWR (Brig for short!) and The Wetlands Institute looking for shorebirds like Marbled Godwit, Black-necked Stilt, Red Knot, Willet and Western Sandpiper, among many others. In the sunny afternoons, we’ll head to places like the Cape May Point State Park hawkwatching platform and turn our attention skyward in search of uncommon raptors like Mississippi Kite, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and Red-shouldered Hawk. We'll arrive in Cape May with time to enjoy an evening stroll on the beach.įor the next several days, mornings and evenings will be spent at hotspots like Higbee Beach and Cape May Point State Park searching for migratory songbirds like Blue Grosbeak, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Cape May and Tennessee Warbler. We'll depart early in the morning on September 20 for an eight-hour drive down to Cape May, NJ, in a comfortable van, with rest stops along the way for stretching our legs and doing a little birding. Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion.
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