2018 Big Day recap

In spring of 2018, we tried twice to break the Big Day record for Mississippi (175 species, set in 1989 by Schiefer & Hodges), while raising funds to support our efforts to create habitat for migratory shorebirds in the MS Delta. On 4/23/18, Andy Bell & Jason Hoeksema gave it a try, and then we tried again (our 5th try in 4 years, finally succeeding!) on 4/29/18 with a team of 4 (Andy & Jason plus Hal Mitchell and J.R. Rigby). Below are summaries of each attempt that were originally sent to the ‘missbird’ listserv soon after each attempt. All sightings are posted on eBird.

Attempt #1:
On Monday, 4/23, Andy Bell & I tried a Mississippi Big Day, as part of our effort to raise funds for Delta Wind Birds. We found 173 species, just two short of the all-time record held by Terry Schiefer & Malcolm Hodges (set in 1989). Here are some highlights:
* Nocturnal birding around our capitol city was successful, including both gallinules, King & Virginia Rails, Least Bittern, Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga, American Robin, Eastern Phoebe, and Eastern Screech-Owl. A Barn Owl just before midnight, which did not re-appear, was a bit frustrating!
* Dawn birding along Wade-Vancleave Road was fairly productive, but also frustrating due to constant traffic (and because the river is high, the side roads are not passable). Highlights there included Acadian Flycatcher, several migrant warblers (Tennessee, Blue-winged, Blackpoll), abundant Yellow-throated Warblers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and White-throated Sparrow. Big misses were Kentucky & Swainson’s Warblers, Hairy & Red-headed Woodpeckers.
* Seaman Road Sewage Lagoons was very birdy, with highlights including Black-crowned Night-Heron, lingering Swamp & Savannah Sparrows, Dickcissel & Bobolink (which we had not previously gotten on big day attempts), American Goldfinch (a tough bird on the coast this late in April), and most of the freshwater shorebirds we needed. A bit frustrating was an almost complete lack of raptors, and the fact that the Inca Doves found nesting the previous Thursday seemed nowhere to be found.
* A few stops in the Pascagoula area yielded a few birds, but were stingy, and the wind was starting to pick up. We headed for Biloxi hopeful, but needing momentum. A fly-over Red-headed Woodpecker (over I-110!) got the momentum going, and then we immediately picked up 5 shorebird species in a 10-foot radius at the old Treasure Bay mooring area. Momentum was back.
* Clower-Thornton Nature Area kept it going, with 3 new warblers in the first tree at the parking lot, including beautiful male & female Cerulean, and a male Blackburnian. Good for the spirits! A loop around the trail yielded 6 more new species. We left here with 162 species, and some daylight left.
* At Hiller Park, we found the continuing Redhead, got a flyover Cooper’s Hawk, and ran across a pair of Bronzed Cowbirds. Not bad!
* We rushed to Bethel Bike Trails where Red-cockaded Woodpecker obliged immediately, and then we dug up a Summer Tanager and a calling Bobwhite. Bachman’s Sparrows began to sing, and Common Nighthawks flew over. On our way to Hancock County, we heard a Chuck.
* Last bird of the day: Barn Owl at Ansley. We had hopes of getting a Seaside Sparrow to sing, or of spotting an Ovenbird with a flashlight, but it wasn’t meant to be. Other big misses on the day included Belted Kingfisher, Tricolored Heron, American Oystercatcher, and some of the more attainable migrant songbirds like Ovenbird, American Redstart, and Veery.

We had a blast, learned a lot, and are going to try again this weekend (likely Sunday), with Hal Mitchell & JR Rigby back in town and re-joining the team. Bird tips, other info, and pledges would be most appreciated! See you soon!

Attempt #2:

This past Sunday (April 29), Andy Bell, JR Rigby, Hal Mitchell, and myself attempted a Big Day in Mississippi, to raise funds for migratory shorebird habitat creation by Delta Wind Birds (see www.deltawindbirds.org). We ended the day with 179 species, which we believe is a new Mississippi record. We followed a similar route that we’ve used the last couple of years, but this year with better scouting and more efficiency–major stops were: Nocturnal birding near Jackson, dawn birding on the Pascagoula River (Wade-Vancleave Rd), Seaman Road Lagoons, Singing River Island, Biloxi/Gulfport beaches & parks (Hiller, Clower-Thornton), Ansley, Bethel Bike Trails. Overall, conditions were good for birding, with low winds & low tides, although the full moon stimulating the frogs, making nocturnal marsh birding more difficult. Migrant songbirds were present on the coast, but not quite as diverse or abundant at many sites as they had been during the previous 10 days, so we had to work hard for them. We ended with 20 warbler species, but it felt difficult getting there. Shorebirds were strong, with 23 species, only missing Long-billed Dowitcher (strangely absent at Seaman Road Lagoons after being present the day before). Our biggest misses were Red-shouldered Hawk and Seaside Sparrow.

The first exciting highlight was a fly-by AMERICAN BITTERN under a full moon near the road at Pipeline Road near Jackson. Wade-Vancleave Road was much easier to bird at dawn than it had been the previous Monday, with less traffic and lower water levels, allowing driving on the side roads. As a result, KENTUCKY WARBLER, SWAINSON’S WARBLER, and ACADIAN FLYCATCHER were all pretty easy there. Seaman Road Lagoons was delightfully diverse as usual, with highlights including 2 WILSON’S PHALAROPES (including a beautiful female) and 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, DICKCISSEL, BOBOLINK, WILD TURKEY at the northwest corner (our 2nd year in a row getting lucky with Turkey at Seaman), a flyover pair of Plegadis ibis, MISSISSIPPI KITES, VIRGINIA RAIL, nesting INCA DOVE, and getting-late SWAMP & SAVANNAH SPARROWS. Pascagoula Greenwood Cemetery yielded the expected AMERICAN ROBIN on a nest, all 3 migrant thrushes (but those turned out to be easy elsewhere), but no other migrant passerines, and we missed Northern Flicker there (despite it being easy there on most recent visits). Singing River Island gave us 3 tough shorebirds quickly (AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, WHIMBREL, and WILSON’S PLOVER), TRICOLORED HERON, PAINTED BUNTING, OVENBIRD, and a nice surprise with a late NORTHERN HARRIER. At this point (about 1:00 p.m.), we headed for Biloxi with 150 species on our list. We quickly plugged some holes in our shorebird and tern list, picked up the lingering REDHEAD at Hiller Park, and headed for Clower-Thornton Nature Trails. Clower was quiet, so we got out quickly and headed for Ansley, making a quick successful stop for a BONAPARTE’S GULL in Bay St. Louis. We arrived at Ansley with 163 species, at about 4:15 p.m., knowing we needed 13 more species to break the existing record of 175. Ansley was awesome–new birds came steadily: PEREGRINE FALCON, CLAPPER RAIL, MARSH WREN, BRONZED COWBIRD, PEWEE, RC KINGLET, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, AMERICAN REDSTART.

cheniers at Ansley, late in the day

Bethel Bike Trails at dusk

the team, from left: Jason Hoekema, JR Rigby, Hal Mitchell, Andy Bell

As we were about to leave for Bethel Bike Trails, we stood up on the edge of the salt marsh to try for Barn Owl (in hopes we wouldn’t have to come back again for it 3 hours later). No luck with the Barn Owl, but a NORTHERN FLICKER came flying in out of nowhere over the marsh. Boom! Off for Bethel Bike Trails, with 174 species, one short of tying the record, and racing the setting sun. RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER quickly made 175, followed by BACHMAN’S SPARROW, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, and COMMON NIGHTHAWK. On our way back to Ansley, CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW was easy.

We had no luck with Barn Owl at Ansley (partly due to the din from the frogs), so we ended at 179. We owe a big thanks to our friends who scouted for us in Jackson area and on the coast, or otherwise provided help or information, especially Brian Johnston, Holly Cox, and Bryan White.  A big thanks also to those who pledged per species to help Delta Wind Birds create shorebird habitat.

The full list of 179 species can be found below, after a numbered list of locations visited. Numbers in parentheses after each species indicate sights where they were seen, but those lists of sites are not always complete, since not all of our eBird checklists were complete.

eBird Checklist Summary for: Apr 29, 2018 at 12:01 AM to Apr 29, 2018 at 11:59 PM

Number of Checklists: 38
Number of Taxa: 179

Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Nichols nest spot
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 12:01 AM
(2): 922–1024 Old Yazoo City Rd, Canton US-MS (32.6708,-90.0894)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 12:15 AM
(3): Pipeline Road–Madison Co.
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 12:44 AM
(4): Madison Landing Cir, Ridgeland US-MS (32.4238,-90.0826)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 2:07 AM
(5): Tree St, Flowood US-MS (32.3261,-90.1169)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 2:30 AM
(6): Lower Pascagoula WMA–Parker Lake
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 5:35 AM
(7): Moss Point, MS 39562, Moss Point US-MS (30.6278,-88.6000)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 6:10 AM
(8): US-MS-Moss Point-1591-1851 Wade Vancleave Rd – 30.6281x-88.6070
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 6:32 AM
(9): 1852–1902 Wade Vancleave Rd, Moss Point US-MS (30.6314,-88.6010)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 6:42 AM
(10): 1270–1426 Wade Vancleave Rd, Moss Point US-MS (30.6209,-88.6171)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 6:43 AM
(11): Deep Slough Rd
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 6:51 AM
(12): Lower Pascagoula WMA–Cumbest Bridge
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:04 AM
(13): 3102–3586 Wade Vancleave Rd, Vancleave US-MS (30.6036,-88.6612)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:25 AM
(14): Wade-Vancleave at Lee-Taylor
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:26 AM
(15): 15018 Highway 57, Vancleave US-MS (30.5614,-88.7129)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:37 AM
(16): 5166–5310 Jim Ramsay Rd, Vancleave US-MS (30.5304,-88.6955)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:42 AM
(17): 13125 Seaman Rd, Vancleave US-MS (30.5281,-88.7246)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:44 AM
(18): Seaman Rd Sewage Lagoons (restricted access)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:50 AM
(19): Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, Gautier US-MS (30.4351,-88.6562)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 10:19 AM
(20): Denny Ave, Pascagoula US-MS (30.3726,-88.5640)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 10:30 AM
(21): 3019 Market St, Pascagoula US-MS (30.3646,-88.5486)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 10:34 AM
(22): 800–902 Ingalls Ave, Pascagoula US-MS (30.3547,-88.5560)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 10:41 AM
(23): Pascagoula Greenwood Cemetery
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 10:41 AM
(24): Causeway to Singing River Island
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 11:25 AM
(25): Singing River Island (restricted access)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 11:30 AM
(26): Biloxi Small Craft Harbor
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 1:22 PM
(27): 708–710 Beach Blvd, Biloxi US-MS (30.3932,-88.8864)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 1:30 PM
(28): 1564 Beach Blvd, Biloxi US-MS (30.3936,-88.9307)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 1:50 PM
(29): 176 Veterans Ave, Biloxi US-MS (30.3968,-88.9471)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 1:52 PM
(30): Hiller Park
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 1:56 PM
(31): 2045–2053 Beach Blvd, Biloxi US-MS (30.3915,-88.9586)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 2:15 PM
(32): Edgewater Mall, Biloxi US-MS (30.3894,-88.9909)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 2:30 PM
(33): Clower Thornton Nature Trail
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 2:43 PM
(34): North Beach Blvd
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 3:46 PM
(35): Ansley
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 4:18 PM
(36): Bethel Bike Trails
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:09 PM
(37): De Soto National Forest, Saucier US-MS (30.5453,-88.9491)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:45 PM
(38): De Soto National Forest, Biloxi US-MS (30.5345,-88.9609)
Date: Apr 29, 2018 at 7:48 PM

4 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck — (17),(18)
1 Canada Goose — (18)
2 Wood Duck — (6),(18)
20 Blue-winged Teal — (18),(25)
1 Mallard — (4)
1 Mottled Duck — (18)
1 Redhead — (30)
1 Red-breasted Merganser — (25)
2 Northern Bobwhite — (36)
2 Wild Turkey — (13),(18)
1 Common Loon — (26)
1 Pied-billed Grebe — (3)
15 Double-crested Cormorant — (25),(26)
1 Anhinga — (5)
20 American White Pelican — (25)
21 Brown Pelican — (24),(25)
1 American Bittern — (3)
2 Least Bittern — (3),(18)
3 Great Blue Heron — (3),(25)
20 Great Egret — (5),(6),(7),(18)
2 Snowy Egret — (6)
1 Little Blue Heron — (11)
2 Tricolored Heron — (25),(35)
5 Cattle Egret — (17),(25)
3 Green Heron — (18),(35)
8 Black-crowned Night-Heron — (18)
2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron — (6)
80 White Ibis — (7),(18)
2 Glossy/White-faced Ibis — (18)
3 Black Vulture — (18),(25)
3 Turkey Vulture — (18),(25)
4 Osprey — (24),(25),(33)
10 Mississippi Kite — (18)
1 Northern Harrier — (25)
3 Cooper’s Hawk — (22)
5 Bald Eagle — (18)
1 Broad-winged Hawk — (12)
1 Red-tailed Hawk (borealis) — (18)
2 King Rail — (3)
3 Clapper Rail — (35)
1 Virginia Rail — (18)
3 Sora — (18),(25)
3 Purple Gallinule — (3),(18)
6 Common Gallinule — (18)
1 American Coot — (18)
2 Sandhill Crane — (18)
15 Black-necked Stilt — (18)
2 American Oystercatcher — (25)
3 Black-bellied Plover — (25)
3 Wilson’s Plover — (25)
4 Semipalmated Plover — (18)
1 Killdeer — (18)
2 Whimbrel — (25)
2 Marbled Godwit — (31)
5 Ruddy Turnstone — (28),(34)
12 Stilt Sandpiper — (18)
15 Sanderling — (28),(34)
2 Dunlin — (25)
13 Least Sandpiper — (18),(25)
2 White-rumped Sandpiper — (18)
20 Pectoral Sandpiper — (18)
4 Semipalmated Sandpiper — (18)
1 Short-billed Dowitcher — (31)
2 Wilson’s Phalarope — (18)
4 Spotted Sandpiper — (18)
15 Solitary Sandpiper — (18)
4 Greater Yellowlegs — (18)
4 Willet — (25)
250 Lesser Yellowlegs — (18)
1 Bonaparte’s Gull — (34)
510 Laughing Gull — (18),(25),(34)
4 Ring-billed Gull — (32),(34)
6 Herring Gull — (24),(25),(26),(34)
51 Least Tern — (18),(25),(26),(34)
35 Gull-billed Tern — (18),(25)
3 Caspian Tern — (24)
30 Forster’s Tern — (18),(24),(25),(34)
58 Royal Tern — (24),(25),(26),(28),(34)
6 Sandwich Tern — (28)
220 Black Skimmer — (25),(34)
7 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) — (19),(34)
3 Eurasian Collared-Dove — (20),(35)
1 Inca Dove — (18)
5 White-winged Dove — (23),(33)
11 Mourning Dove — (13),(18),(25)
5 Yellow-billed Cuckoo — (12),(14),(25)
1 Eastern Screech-Owl — (1)
3 Great Horned Owl — (1),(3),(35)
3 Barred Owl — (2),(6)
2 Common Nighthawk — (36)
3 Chuck-will’s-widow — (37),(38)
8 Chimney Swift — (6),(25)
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird — (12)
1 Belted Kingfisher — (12), (35)
3 Red-headed Woodpecker — (18),(30),(35)
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker — (7),(8),(14)
1 Downy Woodpecker — (8)
1 Red-cockaded Woodpecker — (36)
1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) — (35)
4 Pileated Woodpecker — (8),(18),(36),(37)
1 Peregrine Falcon — (35)
2 Eastern Wood-Pewee — (35),(36)
2 Acadian Flycatcher — (7), (35)
1 Eastern Phoebe — (1)
4 Great Crested Flycatcher — (6),(8),(33)
16 Eastern Kingbird — (6),(25),(35),(36)
3 Loggerhead Shrike — (21),(25)
3 White-eyed Vireo — (6),(7)
1 Yellow-throated Vireo — (6)
1 Philadelphia Vireo — (35)
9 Red-eyed Vireo — (7),(12),(25),(33)
2 Blue Jay — (11),(33)
1 American Crow — (7)
12 Fish Crow — (6),(8),(18),(25),(33)
5 Northern Rough-winged Swallow — (12),(18)
3 Purple Martin — (13)
47 Barn Swallow — (6),(12),(18),(25)
8 Cliff Swallow — (12),(25)
2 Carolina Chickadee — (6),(33)
2 Tufted Titmouse — (6)
5 Brown-headed Nuthatch — (18),(36)
1 Marsh Wren — (35)
6 Carolina Wren — (6),(12),(33)
2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher — (6)
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet — (35)
5 Eastern Bluebird — (6),(16),(18),(25)
9 Veery — (7),(25),(33),(35)
5 Gray-cheeked Thrush — (23),(25),(33)
3 Swainson’s Thrush — (23),(33)
2 Wood Thrush — (6),(7)
1 American Robin — (23)
5 Gray Catbird — (18),(25),(38)
4 Brown Thrasher — (14),(18)
8 Northern Mockingbird — (4),(5),(17),(18),(25),(36)
4 European Starling — (18),(25)
3 Ovenbird — (25)
2 Northern Waterthrush — (10),(33)
1 Golden-winged Warbler — (11)
1 Black-and-white Warbler — (9)
3 Prothonotary Warbler — (6),(7),(12)
3 Swainson’s Warbler — (7),(12)
9 Tennessee Warbler — (6),(7),(12),(23),(25)
3 Kentucky Warbler — (7),(25)
1 Common Yellowthroat — (18)
3 Hooded Warbler — (7),(12)
1 American Redstart — (35)
3 Northern Parula — (6),(7)
2 Magnolia Warbler — (33)
5 Bay-breasted Warbler — (35)
1 Blackburnian Warbler — (35)
2 Yellow Warbler — (18),(35)
2 Pine Warbler — (18)
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) — (18)
1 Yellow-throated Warbler — (6)
1 Prairie Warbler — (14)
1 Bachman’s Sparrow — (36)
1 White-throated Sparrow — (11)
2 Savannah Sparrow — (18)
2 Swamp Sparrow — (18)
3 Eastern Towhee — (33),(36),(38)
1 Yellow-breasted Chat — (14)
3 Summer Tanager — (10),(25)
1 Scarlet Tanager — (10)
11 Northern Cardinal — (6),(7),(11),(23),(25),(35),(37)
6 Rose-breasted Grosbeak — (12),(25)
6 Blue Grosbeak — (15),(18),(25)
13 Indigo Bunting — (5),(25)
3 Painted Bunting — (25),(35)
1 Dickcissel — (18), (25)
40 Bobolink — (18)
2 Eastern Meadowlark — (17)
9 Orchard Oriole — (18),(25),(36)
45 Red-winged Blackbird — (18),(25)
1 Bronzed Cowbird — (35)
1 Brown-headed Cowbird — (29)
4 Common Grackle — (15),(18)
10 Boat-tailed Grackle — (18)
1 House Finch — (27)
1 House Sparrow — (23)

Finally, here is an updated list of top Big Days in Mississippi, as far as we are aware:

Top Big Days in MS:

179 29-Apr-2018 J. Hoeksema, J.R. Rigby, H. Mitchell, A. Bell

175 16-Apr-1989 T. Schiefer, M.F. Hodges Jr.

173 ~29-Apr-2002 Ned Boyajian, Don McKee, Charley Delmas (all Jackson Co., including Horn Island)

173 23-Apr-2018 J. Hoeksema, A. Bell

172 23-Apr-1983 J. Toups, E. Johnson, C. Roemer

171 2-May-1989 J. Toups, C. Cassibry, G. Morgan, J. Pennell

171 24-Apr-1993 G. Knight, S. Knight, J. Wilson

170 29-Apr-2015 J. Hoeksema, G. Knight, J.R. Rigby

168 24-Apr-2017 J. Hoeksema, J.R. Rigby, H. Mitchell, N. Lund

167 15-Apr-1995 G. Knight, S. Knight, J. Wilson, M. Greene

167 17-Apr-2016 J. Hoeksema, J.R. Rigby

165 28-Apr-1979 L. Gates, J. Toups

158 7-May-2003 S. Dinsmore, P. Barbour

157 19-Apr-2012 J. Walker, N. Boyajian, M. Kazal, C. English, J. Morris (all Jackson Co.)

156 5-May-1986 J. Toups, D. King, C. Roerner

153 4-May-1978 L. Gates

140 28-Mar-1985 J. Toups, M.F. Hodges Jr, D. Ruple

134 30-Apr-1989 T. Schiefer, M.F. Hodges Jr.

132 3-May-1986 M. Davis, G.C. Knight

122 11-May-1989 G. Knight, V. Theobald (all on Sardis Lake by boat)

118 30-Apr-1991 G. Knight, V. Theobald (all on Sardis Lake by boat)

109 10-May-1988 M.Davis, M.F.Hodges Jr.