MSCNWR - 4-3-22 - 4-9-22

We had the pleasure of showing Madison's parents around the Visitors Center Sunday morning.  It was great to meet the parents of this awesome young lady. 

We enjoyed our stroll on Crane Lane and the Dees Trail then relaxed at Camp Crane.

While relaxing at Camp Crane, we saw our first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year.

The Cranes made several visits to the feeder today.   A little bit after 5 pm there were 8 Cranes foraging in the backyard.  That all changed with NV11 made his appearance.  The HQ5 and Crip immediately flew when he came in.  RR20 and an Unbanded decided to stay a bit before they left.  After they flew, NV11 flew after them.  He was catching up real fast when they went out of sight.

 

Sunday Pics:

Monday, we piddled around and got a few things done around HQ.

We swept up glass, straightened out the rug, and resecured the middle anchor on the Browns Trail Crop Unit blind that was blown over during Hurricane Zeta.  It is now ready for Crane watching!

While we were at the North Gautier Unit, we checked on the Great Blue Heron rookery and looked around at some of the plants in the savanna.

Monday Pics: 

We were able to get our walk in on the Dees Trail and Crane Lane before the rain started on Tuesday.  We played on the computers for a while, then the rain stopped.  We made another round on the Dees Trail.  It was the first time in a long time that we had standing water across the trail.  The bog is finally a bog again.

We saw a couple of Bluebirds disputing over a butterfly snack.  Needless to say, it was not a sharing moment.

Scott waited for the HQ5 to leave the backyard before putting the bownet out.  He is hoping to catch NV11 and place a tracker so he can find his nest.  Needless to say, there hasn't been a Crane in the backyard since he put it out.

Tuesday Pics:

Our work day started watching the HQ5 foraging in the backyard Wednesday morning.  The bownet did not bother them at all.

Later in the day, the long lost Twister returned to HQ.  This is the first time she has come back since she was released. 

While we were adding deer buster guards on six more feeders, some geese came by to see what we were doing.

We helped Madison check the DGF tanks.  Those critters are growing fast.

We got the bownet set up in the backyard and watched for Cranes.  They were a no show this afternoon. 

Wednesday Pics:

It was a 9 Crane Thursday morning at HQ.  They were here before we could get the trap set up.

After they left, we set up the bownet and watched for cranes.  Finally around 3:40 pm, NV11 parachuted in.  He paced back and forth in the backyard, for a couple of hours, but would not feed at the corn placed in the trap.  Maybe next time.

Lauren has a big day tomorrow, the Big 62.  He is hoping to catch a crane in the bownet and get pictures of the colts at Browns Trail.  Maybe his wishes will come true.

Thursday Pics:

Friday was a Happy Birthday for Lauren.  He set up the bownet at 6 am.  At 7:00 he went to  check on the trap.  When he left, he said that we would wait for Scott to return before trapping.  By 7:30 am, 11 Cranes were headed to the backyard.  They were all foraging in and around the trap, when the trap went off on it's own, trapping an unbanded.   Lauren, Hefan, and Madison already had the crane out of the trap when I arrived.  They banded and released him while I took pictures.  HQ01 is sporting green, black, green bands. A very exciting morning.

The other Cranes waited by the pen for HQ01.  When he was released, they all flew away together. 

 

Later in the day, the trap went off without being remotely triggered.  There was a loose connection, which MacGyver, aka Lauren, repaired.  We will keep the net secured and will keep corn out so the cranes will get used to it for future trapping efforts.

After we closed the VC we went to Browns Trail Crop Unit for a Chick fix.  We watched Jabba, her mate, and their twins walk out and forage.  They are so stinking cute!!

When we returned, NV11 parachuted in and ate corn at the bownet.  Maybe next week, we will be able to place a GPS tracker so Scott can find his nest.

We wrapped up this windy day with a propane fire and grilled steaks.  Lauren was ecstatic about his 2 wishes being granted for his birthday.

Friday Pics:   

Saturday, we had 9 Cranes in the backyard when we opened the Visitors Center: the HQ 5, Twister, Banana, Coconut, and Crip.  They hung around for a couple of hours.

We had a nice laid back kind of day talking with lots of nice folks.

Saturday Pics:  

MSCNWR - 3-27-22 - 4-2-22

Sunday, we went on a orchid search in the Ocean Springs Unit.  It had been 8 weeks after the prescribed burn.  We figured we would not find any considering we have not seen any orchids blooming anywhere, and we were right. 

We spent an hour and a half walking around in the beautiful savanna enjoying the frogs and the blooms.  It was so nice and peaceful. 

 

While looking around, we discovered a new carnivorous plant species for the refuge, Chapman's Butterwort.

Sunday Pics: 

Monday, we decided would be a take it easy kind of day.  We walked both of the trails, restocked brochures, updated the plant markers on the Dees Trail, watered the flower bed, and shot the bull with lots of visitors.  Before we knew it, we had a 6 hour day in.  Time flies when you are having fun!

Monday Pics:

Tuesday, we walked the Dees Trail and Crane Lane.  We got the Bow Net set up and tried out the new remote.  It seems to work pretty good.  We did a little more piddling around the VC then called it a day.

As an added bonus, a flock of Cedar Waxwings, flocked into Camp Crane this afternoon.  Such a cool species of birds.

Tuesday Pics:

Melissa suggested we take the day off on Wednesday, and we almost did.  We helped with the uncovering of the septic tank at Camp Crane.  We did our Crane Lane and Dees Trail walk, then mailed a pair of binoculars and spotting scope from the Visitors Center for repairs.  Vortex VIP warranty is phenomenal.  We did see a 5 some of Cranes fly toward the pen this morning, and a bunch of other birds hanging around Camp Crane. Us and the birds were happy for a wind block.

Wednesday night we let the Gautier Fire Department in HQ and the Bunkhouse, luckily, it was a false fire alarm.  We set off the burglar alarm again.  We have set the alarm off twice in the last few weeks.

  

Wednesday Pics:

Thursday we manned the VC.  We had 50 visitors on this beautiful day. 

Thursday Pics:

We had VC duty again on Friday.  Late afternoon, we had a yard full of Cranes until NV11 flew in and claimed his domain.

Friday Pics:

We had more Cranes than people when we opened the VC Saturday morning.  They went back and forth from the backyard to the pen for most of the day.

Banana and Coconut were part of the group.  They hung around the back door of the VC when the 2 Unbanded and RR20 didn't want to share the corn at the feeder.  They were up close and personal.

We made a couple of loops on the Dees Trail Saturday updating the plant markers.  We talked to a few people in the VC then took off for a flower search.  We were looking for Calopogon (Grass Pink Orchid) blooms.  We didn't find any, but we did find our first orchid bloom of the year, a Snake Mouth Orchid.

We saw 11 Cranes at the North Gautier Unit and only a couple at the South Gautier Unit.  

The Beasley Eagle family were all doing good.  There was a nest full when one of the parents flew in with supper. 

 

We found Coconut hanging in the slough on Crane Lane by himself when we returned.

The Cranes got in an uproar late afternoon, when NV11 showed up and claimed his backyard.  It wasn't long until 9 of them were flying over the bayou heading toward their roost.

Saturday Pics: