Mississippi Sandhill Cranes

 Sunday May 30th

A well tagged Mississippi Sandhill Crane seen in Vancleave, Mississippi,

The Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis pulla) is the rarest sub-species of the six recognized sub-species of this bird. The wild population of some 100 birds are non-migratory and are at home in and around the Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR near Gautier, Mississippi. 

I came to Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR last weekend to observe any of these rare birds. As it is nesting time, most are out and away from refuge roads and trails. I lucked out with meeting a pair of birders who put me on a bird that was actually grazing on the front lawn lawn of the Coke Cola Bottling Plant at Vancleave.  These birds are all tagged up and monitored.

Hiked the C L Dees Trail at MSCNWR looking for any interesting birds and wildflowers. Spotted an Eastern Fence Lizard, Eastern Wood-Pewees and Brown-headed Nuthatches.

Eastern Fence Lizard

There are six sub-species of Sandhill Cranes in North American of these, three are non-migratory populations. These include the Florida, Mississippi and Cuban sub-species. 

We are familiar with the Florida sub-species and the Greater Sandhill Cranes when they winter in Florida. 

The other two sub-species, the Lesser Sandhill and the Canadian Sandhill generally winter in the western states. As for the Cuban sub-species, they are strictly seen in Cuba and the Mississippi Sandhill Crane are strictly located in southern Mississippi 

Pale Pitcher Plant - one of several carnivorous plants present on the wet savannah