Counting Birds
Bird watcher Donna Owen sits beside a minnow pond in northern Lauderdale County and counts birds flying overhead and floating on the pond during the National Audubon Society ’ s Christmas Bird Count on Dec . 29 .
Local birders identify 89 species in county ’ s skies
Story and photos by Glenda Sanders
As she rounded a turn on a dirt road sandwiched between woods on the left and minnow ponds on the right , Donna Owen put her hand up to stop , motioning stillness and quiet . Up ahead and off to the side of the road behind some brush and near a tree , movement revealed a medium-sized , brown bird with long legs and a long , slightly curved beak .
Owen ’ s observant eyes from years of practice spotted the bird although its coloring blended in with the surrounding woods , almost camouflaging it .
White flecks accented the brown feathers from the bird ’ s head , down its elongated neck to its breast . It was alone ; no companions visible .
Startled , the strange bird appeared to limp as it took off running toward one of the ponds , then spread its wings and took flight just above the water to reach the shore across the way . “ What a find . What a find ,” said Owen , as she searched her memory to try and identify what type of bird she had witnessed .
She wasn ’ t quite sure , but knew it was not native to Mississippi because she had never seen one like it during her many years of bird watching and taking part in the annual Christmas Bird Count in Lauderdale County .
Later , she would identify the bird as a limpkin , or Aramus guarauna by its scientific name , a wading bird that is more commonly found in Florida , Georgia and Louisiana , but has started to be seen
Lauderdale County ’ s bird count area covers a 15-mile diameter circle with the Bailey community at its center .
18 • MERIDIAN LIFE