Issue # 28
Current Sponsors: Jerry & Debbie Bird, and Stacy & Laura Peterson
Date: March 12, 1999
Phone: (228) 435-RBA7 (435-7227)
Report (same as above) or email: SJPeterson@aol.com
To immediately report very rare birds, PAGE Stacy at 228-880-5179
enter your phone number, and wait for a quick call right back--if I'm in the
area!
Compiler: Stacy Peterson
Coverage: While the hotline is centered on the Mississippi Coast, we
encourage (and yeah, solicit) reports from the rest of the state
as a service to all callers / readers.
More MS bird info: http://members.aol.com/BirdsInMs/Misslist.html
****************************************
LEGEND:
Birds in CAPS are new sightings mentioned since the last update.
3X5 = those birds whose status in that region (S-statewide; C-coastal; I-
interior) is poorly documented. 3X5 report cards requested. Email
<SJPeterson@aol.com> for more information.
MOS-RS = Mississippi Ornithological Society Review Species -
Please submit your documentation of all Review Species & "3X5" species (as
noted in the text below) to:
Terry Schiefer, MOS BRC Chair
Mississippi State University
PO Box 9775
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9775
email: tschiefer@entomology.msstate.edu
##### Birds Mentioned by Region of Mississippi #####
Lower (six southern counties; town of Wiggins south to the coast)
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Migrants
--SORA
--NORTHERN PARULA
--HOODED WARBLER
--DICKCISSEL
Middle (Hattiesburg north to Yazoo City)
Northern (rest of state north of Yazoo City)
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
PECTORAL SANDPIPER
RUFF -- MOS-RS
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
##### Hotline Transcript #####
This is Stacy Peterson with Issue # 28 of the Mississippi Coast bird hotline
for Friday, March 12. It's 11:45 p.m. To skip the rest of the hotline report
and just leave your message for us, press the pound key (#) at any time.
A quick announcement: PLEASE report your success or failure in finding any
birds mentioned on this tape. Your updates are valuable for others who may
wish to see any particular bird -- IF it's still around! Indeed, your updates
are the very essence from which this hotline gains strength!
New reports for today's update are for the several migrants along the coast,
and a number of new shorebirds (for the year) including a RUFF in the northern
half of the state.
***** Crowder, Quitman County *****
First of all, Mississippi's 8th record of RUFF was found on March 9 by Fred
Broerman in a muddy rice-stubble field near the town of Crowder in Quitman
County. It was confirmed on the 11th by Jeff Wilson, Gene and Shannon Knight,
and Marvin Davis [DIRECTIONS from Marvin Davis' MISSBIRDS post: "Go into
Crowder from the east, turning south at T intersection, and and continue S (as
the MS rte goes West) as if headed for the NWR/"Crowder Ponds". BUT! Stay with
the pavement as it turns west; THEN turn south (left) on the 1st gravel road,
and go to the 2nd E-W gravel rd. In the SE quadrant from that intersection is
the rice field where the bird was seen, mostly at long (scope) range."]
Several PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were also seen in those fields--these are our
first reports for the year. Has anyone seen them previously in 1999?
At the Crowder Ponds themselves, Marvin Davis passed on word that the Knights
saw a couple BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, also our first reports of that species for
the year.
***** A&D Turf Farms, Layfayette, County *****
Speaking of first reports, Marvin Davis reports AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER for a
first-of-the-year from the A&D Turf Farms in Layfayette County on Friday,
March 12.
***** Bellefontaine Beach, Jackson County *****
Closer to home, Janet Peterson reports the first DICKCISSEL of the year from
her yard on Bellefontaine Beach on Wednesday, March 10.
***** Hancock County *****
On Monday, March 8, Gerry Morgan reports that NORTHERN PARULA and HOODED
WARBLER were both seen in Hancock County--first reports for those species this
year as well.
***** Harrison County *****
Due to the afternoon rain on Friday, March 12, I had a very wet and tired
migrant SORA show up in the late afternoon on my lawn--in the middle of our
residential neighborhood! Several male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS were also
at my feeders this afternoon. I hope this is a harbinger of things to come,
and suspect that this weather system may push down some good birds this
weekend. Please let us know what you find!
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That's it for the new information on today's hotline. If you called the tape
since since Thursday, what you'll hear next was all on there...
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***** Pascagoula River Marsh, Jackson County *****
Tuesday, March 9. That was the date of our latest report of the ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER which was refound over last weekend at the Pascagoula River Marsh
in Jackson County. The recent rains may make the dikes too muddy to be
drivable, so birders should exercise caution when birding that area. But
please let us know if you look for this bird.
FINALLY--another reminder to please let us know about the good birds you
happen to be seeing in the area, particularly any birds mentioned currently,
or historically, on this tape.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's it for the 28th update of the Mississippi Coast bird hotline. We
generally update the tape late in the evenings whenever new reports come in,
and we'll keep viable reports on here until they're just about a week old. So
if you have birds to tell us about, including the continued presence of any
birds mentioned on this tape, please do so after the tone, and thank you for
using our hotline.
Until later, HAVE FUN and GOOD BIRDING.
[COMPILER'S NOTE: Birders with email access can send bird reports or comments
directly to me. <SJPeterson@aol.com>. Similarly, if you would like private
copies of this transcript emailed to you directly, please email me and request
so. This includes those who may not wish to receive the bulk of RBA
transcripts from BIRDCNTR.]