I'm not sure how many people would consider it a treat to spend time at a sewage treatment plant, but I would imagine there are many more who would say, "No thanks," than would say, "Yeah, let's get up at 4:45 AM and go!." I seem to be in the latter group. For many reasons, not the least of which was my tardiness in working out the details and announcing yesterday's field trip to the the Alabama Coastal Birding Association (CBA), I was the only CBA member in attendance. Gerry Morgan and Nancy Madden were excellent hosts as our party of Mississippi birders and visitors from as far away as California split into two groups and birded around the various dikes and fields. In spite of a brisk southernly wind, I managed to total 43 species of mostly non-passerines. Highlights included an AMERICAN BITTERN, two ROSS'S GEESE, beautiful views of CANVASBACKS and, for me, my lifer views of two VIRGINIA RAILS. See below for a complete list of birds seen by me.

Many thanks to the Mississippi Coastal Audubon Society for this special birding opportunity!

Here are the birds:

Snow Goose 1
Ross's Goose 2
Gadwall 40
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 75
Green-winged Teal 15
Canvasback 8
Redhead 10
Ring-necked Duck 5
Lesser Scaup 200
Ruddy Duck 50
Pied-billed Grebe 1
American Bittern 1
Great Egret 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
White Ibis 15
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 5
Virginia Rail 15
Sora 20
Common Moorhen 5
American Coot 700
Sandhill Crane 15
Sandhill Crane (Mississippi) 2
Black-necked Stilt 20
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Least Sandpiper 5
Dunlin 2
Wilson's Snipe 45
Eastern Phoebe 5
Tree Swallow 30
Marsh Wren 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Palm Warbler 10
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Boat-tailed Grackle 45