The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a fun and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event (Feb. 14-17) and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere. Last year, more than 160,000 participants submitted their bird observations online.
On Friday, February 14th, 9am-11amStrawberry Plains Audubon Center offers a morning of birding education, and community science. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Everyone should bring binoculars and dress appropriately for the elements, as we’ll be outside birding our main trails for the duration of the event. Registration is requested. Contact SPACinfo@audubon.org, 662-252-1155.
Woodcocks & Wine
On Saturday, February 22, Strawberry Plains Audubon Center hosts this annual fundraiser with Delta Wind Birds. The mysterious American Woodcock belongs genetically to the group of birds labeled “shorebirds,” but it lives its life in woodlands and fields. Many Woodcocks spend much of the winter in Mississippi before returning north to breed, though they often perform their dazzling courtship displays while here during late winter.
Arrive at the Visitor’s Center between 4:30-5:00pm for an indoor presentation about American Woodcock biology and shorebird conservation before venturing to watch for the amazing courtship display of male American Woodcocks (wagon departing ~5:40 p.m.) Afterwards, return to the Visitor’s Center for a potluck dinner. A suggested donation of $20 is required to support Delta Wind Birds habitat work for shorebirds. Please register with Mitch Robinson at SPACinfo@audubon.org or 662-252-1155.
Grassland Birding & Winter Sparrow Workshop
Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (SPAC) is partnering with Delta Wind Birds (DWB) for the annual Winter Sparrow & Grassland Birding Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 29th. Starting at 8 am, we’ll begin outdoors for some early looks at Sparrows in our brush piles and grasslands, working with DWB instructor, J.R. Rigby, on some visual and aural ID techniques. Then proceed inside for an indoor presentation at the Visitor's Center, reviewing key identification points for sparrows; study recordings to learn the most important vocalizations; and receive a take home ID guide for later use.
Then it’s on to the restored grasslands of SPAC, where we’ll put our knowledge into action. We’ll also take time to study other common bird species wintering in these grassland habitats. After warming up with a homemade lunch at SPAC, we’ll finish with an optional early-afternoon field trip to a unique, restored grassland of a private landowner in Hudsonville, just outside of Holly Springs. We expect to find over seven sparrow species, including the beautiful and elusive LeConte’s Sparrow, which is a regular at this site.
Registration is requiredthrough Delta Wind Birds at: https://deltawindbirds.org/product/winter-sparrow-workshop/
Audubon's Lower Mississippi Flyway Regional Summit
Join the Audubon family from the six states of the Lower Mississippi Flyway at the first Mississippi South Regional Summit on March 20-22, held at SPAC. Special guest is renowned Southeast grasslands ecologist, Prof. Dwayne Estes, of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. Find more information at:
https://act.audubon.org/onlineactions/FmY2ZlQPzkSmSG9uJKZ8WQ2
On Friday, February 14th, 9am-11amStrawberry Plains Audubon Center offers a morning of birding education, and community science. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Everyone should bring binoculars and dress appropriately for the elements, as we’ll be outside birding our main trails for the duration of the event. Registration is requested. Contact SPACinfo@audubon.org, 662-252-1155.
Woodcocks & Wine
On Saturday, February 22, Strawberry Plains Audubon Center hosts this annual fundraiser with Delta Wind Birds. The mysterious American Woodcock belongs genetically to the group of birds labeled “shorebirds,” but it lives its life in woodlands and fields. Many Woodcocks spend much of the winter in Mississippi before returning north to breed, though they often perform their dazzling courtship displays while here during late winter.
Arrive at the Visitor’s Center between 4:30-5:00pm for an indoor presentation about American Woodcock biology and shorebird conservation before venturing to watch for the amazing courtship display of male American Woodcocks (wagon departing ~5:40 p.m.) Afterwards, return to the Visitor’s Center for a potluck dinner. A suggested donation of $20 is required to support Delta Wind Birds habitat work for shorebirds. Please register with Mitch Robinson at SPACinfo@audubon.org or 662-252-1155.
Grassland Birding & Winter Sparrow Workshop
Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (SPAC) is partnering with Delta Wind Birds (DWB) for the annual Winter Sparrow & Grassland Birding Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 29th. Starting at 8 am, we’ll begin outdoors for some early looks at Sparrows in our brush piles and grasslands, working with DWB instructor, J.R. Rigby, on some visual and aural ID techniques. Then proceed inside for an indoor presentation at the Visitor's Center, reviewing key identification points for sparrows; study recordings to learn the most important vocalizations; and receive a take home ID guide for later use.
Then it’s on to the restored grasslands of SPAC, where we’ll put our knowledge into action. We’ll also take time to study other common bird species wintering in these grassland habitats. After warming up with a homemade lunch at SPAC, we’ll finish with an optional early-afternoon field trip to a unique, restored grassland of a private landowner in Hudsonville, just outside of Holly Springs. We expect to find over seven sparrow species, including the beautiful and elusive LeConte’s Sparrow, which is a regular at this site.
Registration is requiredthrough Delta Wind Birds at: https://deltawindbirds.org/product/winter-sparrow-workshop/
Audubon's Lower Mississippi Flyway Regional Summit
Join the Audubon family from the six states of the Lower Mississippi Flyway at the first Mississippi South Regional Summit on March 20-22, held at SPAC. Special guest is renowned Southeast grasslands ecologist, Prof. Dwayne Estes, of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. Find more information at:
https://act.audubon.org/onlineactions/FmY2ZlQPzkSmSG9uJKZ8WQ2
