MSCNWR - 9-5-21 - 9-11-21

We heard the familiar elusive sound of Cranes while we were drinking our coffee Sunday morning.  A closer look, and we found NV11 and 337 chomping away at HQ feeder. 

We saw 21 Cranes on our morning ride through the North and South Gautier Units.  Most of them were not hanging around for a good photo op, except of course Banana and Coconut.

We saw a deer that also was not in the mood for her photo op.

The Bob White was perched on a limb near Browns Trail.  She posed again giving us another great photo op.  We saw some little ones scurrying around in the grass underneath her.

The Great Blue Herons youngsters were standing tall in the tree.  One of them flew, although it looked a little awkward.

We had our first Snapping Turtle sighting on Valentine Road.  He obviously owns the road and did not want to move as we passed by, except to snap at the front and back tire of the truck. 

 

We found White Fringed Orchids at the Ben Williams swamp area.  We have only found one other of these pretty orchids, and that was in 2018.

We enjoyed another evening sitting around Camp Crane.

Sunday Pics:

Monday we picked up trash at the Ocean Springs Unit gates.  While we were there, we saw a few cranes, lots of butterflies, some pretty flowers, and other critters. 

 

By the time we got back to Camp Crane, it was flooding rain.  We spent a while inside playing with pictures.

When we took the truck back to the parking lot after the rain, we were surprised to see 5 Cranes under the Oaks.  They must have been surprised also.  They took off before we could get a shot.  It was last year's release cohorts. 

It was a nice stroll along the trail with the cooler temperatures after the rain.

We sat outside for a bit and cooked a steak for our Labor Day meal.  The squirrel looked a little sad about not having any corn left on his cob, so I scooped him some feed out of the bird feeder.  He watched me intensively put the feed on the ground, then came and feasted on it. 

Monday Pics: 

Tuesday morning we took a nice stroll around the Dees Trail and updated the plant markers.  We were going to wait another day to mow to let the ground dry out, but we needed to go home tomorrow for a few days.  We managed to get most of the mowing done.  The rest will have to wait.

We finally got the plants for the native garden that have been lost.   They have been in route for about 2 weeks.  We started our plant resuscitation project, maybe some of them will make it.

Tuesday Pics:

Wednesday morning we did another Dees Trail stroll.  This cloudy morning had the bees snoozing on the blooms.  Afterwards, we packed up and headed to Crossroads.

Wednesday Pics:

We made it back to Camp Crane Saturday.  We got a few chores done, washing the love bugs off the truck and mopping the camper, then went for a stroll along the Dees Trail.

On our way to the trail, we saw the Crane Gang flying away.

We still have plenty of bees and a few butterflies, but not as many as when the Iron Weed was in full bloom.  We also have Hanging Thieves still catching their prey.

Not only do we have Hanging Thieves catching their prey, the Green Lynx Spider had a Long Tailed Skipper for his meal.

We sat around Camp and watched a few birds, including a female Summer Tanager.  The bird migration is picking up.

Saturday Pics:

MSCNWR - 9-1-21 - 9-4-21

Our refuge tour was interrupted last weed by Hurricane Ida.  Fortunately for us and the refuge, we escaped any harm from this Category 4 Storm.  Lucky us.  We had a 5 day pause in our volunteer duties and have returned back home to Camp Crane on Wednesday.

Our first order of business was to weed-eat, lop limbs, and blow pine straw from our campsite.  Then we got ole Rap snuggled in her site.

We took a walk along the Dees Trail and took a few pictures of pollinators and such.  It was a very hot and humid walk.

We sat outside and did some bird watching.  It did not take the Cardinals, Hummingbirds, and Chickadees long to find their feed.  I am pretty sure they are as happy that we are back as we are.

We had a couple of new birds visiting today, Black and White Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler.  Our first time to see these species here at Camp Crane.

The Pileated-Woodpecker pair came and visited the dead tree behind the camper late afternoon.  Both of them checked out the hole where the Red-bellied Woodpecker nest was then flew away.

Wednesday Pics:

We went to Fontainebleau Trail Thursday.  We picked up a little bit of trash in the parking lot, then walked part of the trail that was not too wet.

We mowed the grass at Camp Crane and the Dees Trail.

We had another enjoyable afternoon of bird watching at Camp Crane.

Thursday Pics:

Friday was a rest day.  We were in much need of rest after our busy week of cleaning up the yard and camper at home, then cleaning up around Camp Crane and the refuge.

We did make 2 walks on the Dees Trail enjoying the pollinators. 

We finally had a visit from RH20 at the feeder today, wonder where his buddies are.

Friday Pics:

Saturday, on our way to walk the trail, the 4 youngster Cranes were at the feeder.  NV11 and 337 flew in, bowed their head, and the youngsters flew out of there.  We haven't seen NV11 and 337 in quite a while.  We are glad they came back.

We took a few pictures of the critters and such, then got out ole Billy Goat.  We blew off the storm debris and picked up limbs along Crane Lane and the parking lot.  We unpacked the tin for the shed and will work on that another day.

 

Late afternoon, we were back to normal.  Hearing the unison call of NV11 and 337, watching the Cardinals and the Hummingbirds at the feeder, and watching the squirrel chomping on his corn on the cob.  It is great to be back to Camp Crane.

As an added bonus, we saw this Eastern Wood-Pewee flitting in the trees.

Saturday Pics: