Winter birding in the northern Mississippi Delta can be very exciting, with huge flocks of wintering geese (Snow, Ross's, Greater White-fronted) and other waterfowl, and good chances for local winter specialties such as Sandhill Crane, LeConte's Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Rusty and Brewer's Blackbird, and beautiful rare sub-species of Red-tailed Hawk. To see photos from a previous edition of this trip, click here. On Saturday, January 27, we'll meet at 10:00 a.m. (**changed from 8:00 a.m.) in Batesville, MS, and begin birding in the nearby ag lands of Panola County. We'll seek the Sandhill Cranes that typically spend each winter there, check for rare Red-tailed Hawk sub-species (such as Krider's and Harlan's) often reported in the area, and try for the beautiful and elusive Le Conte's Sparrow. Along the way, we'll likely enjoy large flocks of Snow and Ross's Geese and other waterfowl, keep an eye out for Rusty and Brewer's Blackbirds and Lapland Longspurs, and likely enjoy views of Bald Eagles. If we have time, we may hit Sardis Dam for waterfowl and gulls, including "Lester" the Lesser Black-backed Gull who has been reliable there for many winters now. All parts of the field trip are optional, and participants can depart early as needed. The trip will include a lot of roadside birding, with some optional short walks. Participants are welcome to depart from the trip early, as needed. We’ll keep in touch during caravan times using walkie-talkies.
The trip will depart at 10:00 a.m. from the southwest corner of the parking lot of the Lowe's store in Batesville, MS, which is just east of I-55, on the north side of Hwy 6 / 278 (map link). For those who participate in the whole trip, we'll finish around mid-afternoon. We will stop at a restaurant for and early-ish lunch, but please bring plenty of your own food and drink to keep you refreshed while birding, and bring LOTS of layers of warm clothes—it’s always colder than you expect out there! If you want to use a restroom in the morning, we recommend you arrive early at Lowe’s and use the restroom there, and otherwise be prepared to go behind the bushes during the morning.
The trip is free, but registration is required —please click the “Purchase” button below. If you have difficulty with the registration process, please just send us an e-mail (dwindbirds@gmail.com). To make an optional donation to support our conservation and outreach programs, please click here.
