A meeting for any interested bird watchers (birders) in the Miss-Lou will be at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Parish Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church, 303 S. Commerce St. in Natchez. Meeting organizers are hoping to form an informal group with a primary purpose of networking to coordinate birding trips and to share bird sightings and information. All interested in watching birds, from novice to expert, are invited to attend.

Birding is really easy. All that is required is an interest in birds. Binoculars and bird guides certainly enhance the experience. There will be information on binoculars and bird guides available at the meeting. Local birders in attendance can share their knowledge and experience, which is another major purpose of the group. Participating in field trips are great ways to expand your knowledge of birds and develop friendships with others who share a common interest.

The Miss-Lou is an exceptional birding area because of its location along the Mississippi River, a major flyway, and an abundance of forestland along with other habitats.

The National Audubon Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have independent listings of important bird areas. Together, they include much of the area in the Miss-Lou. St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge and Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi, and the Bayou Cocodrie/Three-Rivers-Red River area in Louisiana are all classified as Important Bird Areas. All of these areas along with several national and state parks and lakes are publicly owned and easily accessible. St. Catherine Creek NWR has nearly 250 species on its official bird list with several more species confirmed since its publication.

Do not feel like you are alone if you like to watch birds. According to the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation, there are 47 million birders at least 16 years old in the U.S. — about 20 percent of the population. Eighty-eight percent of the birders are backyard birders who try to identify birds in their backyard. The more active form of birding, taking trips a mile or more from home, is less common with 38 percent (18 million birders) participating.

According the 2011 survey, Mississippi ranks 34th among the 50 states with 18 percent of the population participating in birding. And, get this, we are number 1 in birding “avidity” with the average number of days watching birds at 155 days.

I count myself among those who watch birds. I started birding while hunting ducks or trying to keep my mind occupied for untold hours sitting on a deer stand. My guess is that many Mississippians share these experiences and help to bolster state’s numbers in the national standings. My interests expanded from those days largely as my professional career developed. While I still do not consider myself an expert birder, I love being outdoors and find that knowing many of the birds and their songs greatly adds to the experience.

I hope you will join us on Thursday. For information, contact Karen Dardick at 601-304-1007.

 

BOB STRADER is a wildlife biologist who retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after 36 years of service as a migratory bird biologist and refuge manager.