Birding around Tunica, MS, USA?

[chazzhess]

I will be going to Tunica, MS next week for a meeting. Anyone know of spots in that area that would be interesting birdwise?

Thanks,

Chazz

[chazzhess]

Well in case any of you are interested I will post some information I got from replies from the Albird listserver:

Tunica County, Mississippi. Great winter birding starts about 25 miles south of the Peabody Hotel Lobby in the “delta” where flat land stretches for miles and is filled with cotton, soybeans and catfish ponds and they all provide excellent opportunities. Multiple flocks numbering 20-30,000, which can have four species of geese, are found regularly. Huge flocks of Lapland Longspurs (2,000 to 5,000) feed in the rolled rice fields that provide great winter birding. Waterfowl, cormorants and gulls collect in numbers around the catfish ponds and some years back an immature Slaty-backed Gull was identified. An amazing collection of Red-tailed Hawks can be found here with dark morph, rufous morph, Harlan’s (light and dark), Krider’s, Fuerte’s, Eastern and Western recorded. A winter ride through the area can produce over 100 Red-tailed Hawks and 60 Harrier Hawks plus Merlin, Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned and Red-shouldered. If you follow the Harrier’s to their roost areas you most likely will encounter Short-eared Owls. The birding is best within the triangle formed by Highway 61, Highway 3 and Highway 4 this is just to the east of the second largest gambling center in the US. The area looks like any other delta countryside but persevere for birds abound. Just east of Tunica Co. and up in the hills you will find Arkabutla Lake, a large Corp of Engineers impoundment with surrounding pinewoods. In the winter you might find good numbers of gulls, loons, eagles, waterfowl and huge flocks of American White Pelicans.



Directions: From I-55 take exit 7 south onto Highway 61 and you will pass into Mississippi 8 miles south and then proceed 11 miles to the junction of Highway 3 which angles off to the left. You are now on the east leg of the magic triangle, formed by Highway 61, 3 and 4.

The Rough-legged Hawk has been staying east of 61 on Hambrick Road at Bowdre. Lapland Longspurs have been regularly seen off of Bowdre where it turns back west to 61. If you go farther east on Hambrick you come to Buck Island Road. Go north and this is the area where the first Ferruginous was found but there are Laps there along with about 6 Western Meadowlarks. Go south on Buck Island and just before you get to Arkabutla Dam Road there is a larger group of Western Meadowlarks. The area farther south around highway 4 and Little Texas and Hot Thornton and Fish Lake Roads is great for raptors, waterfowl and Laps. The geese can be found anywhere in the area and move around a lot and the gulls tend to be around the Dump, east of Buck Lake Road off of the next road east Kirby and on Counce Road, where you can see the huge pile of trash.

Sandhill Cranes can usually be found between Hambrick and Arkabutla Dam Road near Buck Lake and Bowdre. They can be seen anywhere but that has been the most consistent area during the day....

Thanks to Jeff R. Wilson aka OL'COOT for the information about Tunica.

Chazz