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Horned and Barred Owls before our footsteps
followed the narrow boardwalk through a
dark wetland forest. Ears perked as we
listened to Mark’s inviting hoots and his
iPhone’s call of the wild. Did you know the
Barred Owl is the most vocal of Eastern Owls,
known best for its call, “Who cooks for you?
Who cooks for you all?” It doesn’t migrate or
move around much, but when a Great Horned
Owl moves in, the Barred Owl will scurry to
another part of its territory to avoid becoming
a midnight snack for its Great Horned
predator.
I followed as the tour caboose, keeping an eye
peeled to make sure no one fell behind,
thinking… “What if we don’t see any? There’s
no way owls are going to fly by for all these
people,” just as a startling, swooping sound
fluttered overhead, a dark shadow trailing
toward the treetops like the ghost of Tarzan
swinging from one side of the forest to the
other. “Woooahw!” whispered a soft chorus of
voices. After the first walk, I wondered if the
owls would catch on and get tired of pursuing
the “new owl in town,” but even after five
tours, the owls continued to swoop in for a
bird’s eye view of our star party.
Visitors left intrigued by the wildlife that shares
this enchanting wetland. I learned to never
doubt the reliability of a bird whisperer. You
can check out the Grand Bay Reserve eBird list
at http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L274501
with over 552 checklists and 257 species of
birds that have been reported at the Reserve.
Grace Bennett 2
Botany Zone 2
Critter Corner 2
Capitol Day 3
Looking Ahead 3
Meet Our Staff 4
Visit Us 4
Children’s Art 5
From Our Director 5
Inside this issue:
S tar Party is the one event a year
where the entire Grand Bay NERR staff
come together and put forth one strong
collaborative effort. It is a really good
measure of what we can accomplish as
a team. While star party 2016 was no
different in the level of teamwork, it
was different in sheer size. There were
338 attendees who came out to enjoy
the festivities. Needless to say, this Star
Party will go down in history as the
biggest event the NERR has ever hosted.
The following is an article written by
Jacqueline Rose, a volunteer who
assisted with the owl walk.
This past December, I enjoyed a stellar
experience helping out with the Owl
Walks at Grand Bay Reserve’s Star
Party, a celebration skyjacked by
clouds that cuddled the stars from our
eyesight and traded our intergalactic
expectations for a friendly gift of warm
winter twilight. Dozens of families
arrived as nightfall befell, curious to
scout out feathered friends in the forest.
Dr. Mark Woodrey, Grand Bay’s
Research Coordinator and local
birdman, shared fun facts about Great
Volume 3, Issue I March, 2017– July , 2017
Grand Bay NERR is a state-
federal partnership with the
Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources and the
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Office for Coastal
Management. We are one of 29
NERRs nationwide.
Bayou Buzz
Star Party 2016
Dr. Mark Woodrey giving guests a crash
course on NERR resident owl species
Bird Whisperer
Night boardwalk footsteps
Birdman calls, barred owls swoop low
Feather dusting all
Grace Bennett is a senior at Pass
Christian High School with exceptional
artistic ability. She loves creating art
and has been doing so since she was
a child. Following in her mother’s
footsteps, Grace mostly works with
watercolors and oil paints. The entry
she submitted this year really
captured the essence of the Gulf
Coast by featuring some of our most
valuable resources. It should be noted
that she has entered our poster
contest twice, put up against older,
more experienced artists, and won by
a landslide each time. She plans on
The yellow butterwort is a perennial
plant that is less than one foot tall and
flowers between April and May under
normal conditions. This year, they are
already popping up in the savannas
around the reserve,
indicating an early
spring. The yellow
butterwort can be
found in savannas,
bogs, pinelands,
and other regions
of the coastal plain
with highly acidic soils.
They are also a type of carnivorous
plant. The prey, mostly gnats and
mosquitos or midges, are attracted to
the “sticky trap” by a musty smelling
flower. They then become trapped on
the leaves by a thick, gluey mucilage
like substance that they excrete. The
leaves begin to slowly curl inward
and digestive fluids are released.
After nutrients are absorbed from the
prey, the leaves will uncurl and
resume prey capture. Studies have
Grace Bennett: Two-time Poster Contest Champion
Page 2 Bayou Buzz Volume 3, I ssue I
easily. This snake has been seen hiding
in the wrack line as well as the
burrows of fiddler crabs, crawfish,
and muskrats. While gulf salt marsh
snakes are mainly piscivorous, or fish
eating, they will also prey upon
invertebrates such as crabs and
shrimp.
Because these animals do not possess
salt glands to remove the excess salt
from their bodies, they must take in
fresh water to survive. They can obtain
The gulf salt marsh snake is a
subspecies found along the Gulf Coast
from Texas to the tip of the Florida
panhandle. These snakes are found in
brackish water habitats such as
marshes, salt meadows, mud flats, and
estuaries. They are rarely found in
fresh water.
The gulf salt marsh snake is known to
be mostly nocturnal, but its behaviors
are greatly influenced by tidal
patterns or seasons and can adjust
Botany Zone: Yellow Butterwort (Pinguicula lutea)
attending MSU in the fall to study art
with an emphasis in painting. Grace,
we wish you well and know that you
are destined for great things.
shown that some of
t h e m a t e r i a l s
absorbed from their
insect prey, assumed
to be phosphates, not
only provide them
with nutrients, but can
actually assist the
roots of butterworts
to better absorb the
small amount of
nutrients that are
contained in the soil.
Critter Corner: Gulf Salt Marsh Snake (Nerodia clarkii clarkii)
fresh water from rainfall, the shifting
tides, or the animals they consume.
6-8 Advanced Topics in Plant ID @
Weeks Bay NERR
16 NERR Birthday Celebration
25-29 NMEA Conference
July:
4 Office Closed
Page 3 Bayou Buzz Volume 3, I ssue I
Looking Ahead...
Capitol Day
Being a Gulf Coast girl who loves the
water, I haven’t traveled much to
Jackson, MS. Recently, I traded in the
pine savanna view from my office
window for a view of Mississippi’s State
Capitol Rotunda (pictured right).
The Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources (MDMR) Capitol Day is an
annual agency outreach event in
Jackson.
We traveled on January 31 and met
with our Coast legislators and MDMR
colleagues for dinner at The Manship
Wood Fired Kitchen. While I introduced
Avery (who was relatively new at the
Reserve– See “Meet the Staff”) to our
MDMR colleagues from other offices, she
introduced me to Rep. Manly Barton
(District 109- George, Jackson Counties).
Rep. Barton then introduced us to Rep.
John Read (District 112- Jackson County)
and many other Coast legislators. We
talked about our favorite things about
the MS Gulf Coast- and of course the
Grand Bay NERR!
On February 1, Avery and I met with
the legislators from the previous night
a n d t o u r e d t h e H o u s e o f
Representatives Chamber before
Session began. It was beautiful, with
stained glass and gorgeous marble
walls! Not many people are allowed
in the chambers during session, so we
were grateful for the quick tour and
sneak peek. In the Capitol Rotunda,
MDMR gathered with displays and
goodies to greet Mississippi House of
Representatives and Senators, staff,
and visitors. Even Governor Phil Bryant
made an appearance!
One of the most important aspects of
MDMR’s Capitol Day is to bring a little
taste of the Gulf Coast inland, where
Jackson residents and legislators
outside of the Coast can see what
we’re all about. The MS Seafood booth
had yummy shrimp and grits, while the
Heritage Area display featured its new
kiosk. We also had examples of
artificial reefs, oyster tongs, and many
giveaway items.
My favorite part about speaking to
groups was sharing how awesome the
Grand Bay NERR is, and the fun and
exciting things we do, like everything
featured in this newsletter. Avery and I
invited many people to come visit us if
they visit the Gulf Coast, and we hope
to see them (and you) soon!
-Sandra Huynh, Director’s Assistant
Above: Mist Flower (Eupatorium coelestinum)
May:
13 Advanced Photography
Workshop
20-21 Batik Workshop
22-26 FWS Advanced Plant ID
29 Office Closed
June:
1 Disaster Response Field Exercise
3 Photography for Beginners
Workshop
6 Rain Barrel Workshop @
Ocean Springs Library
Dates and times are subject to change. Please
see our Website or Facebook page for updates
For more information on events,
visit our website at
www.GrandBayNERR.org
Call us at (228) 475-7047
Or check out our Facebook page!
Please join us in welcoming Grand
B ay NERR ’ s ne w Edu ca t i o n
Coordinator, Avery Sward. Avery
coordinates all K-12, outreach, and
community educational events. She
collaborates with different sectors at
the Grand Bay NERR to integrate
current research and training into the
educational programs. She also plans
the Grand Bay NERR’s monthly
Adventure Quenchers for people of
all ages. Additionally, she tries to
establish partnerships with local
schools, businesses, and organizations
to help build a community of
environmental stewards. Avery holds
a Master’s degree in Biology
Education with an emphasis in
environmental biology from the
University of Southern Mississippi
(USM). She received her Bachelor’s
Meet our Staff: Avery Sward
Cool off with a visit to the Interpretive Center located in our Coastal Resource Center. Inside you can learn about everything an estuary has to offer. You’ll learn about everything from wildlife, weather, and wildfires, to the
culture and history of the area!
Ask for a tour of the building and learn how we
received our Gold LEED Standard Award for being
green.
Don’t forget to say “hi!” to Tobi the
Terrapin before
you leave!
Learn what it really means to “live life on the edge” by visiting the
Grand Bay NERR today!
Quench your thirst for outdoor adventure by hiking the Oak Grove Birding Trail or the brand new Savannah Trail. You’ll see birds, butterflies, and lots of other animals that frequent the area. What will you spot? Make sure to put it on our
sightings board at the Interpretive Center!
Page 4 Bayou Buzz Volume 3, I ssue I
Have You Visited Lately?
Interpretive Center
Hours:
Monday through
Friday
9 am – 3 pm
degree from USM and Mississippi
Gulf Coast Community College in
Biology. Avery also taught laboratory
c las se s and worked i n the
herpetology laboratory at USM.
While in Hattiesburg, she actively
volunteered at Lake Thoreau
Environmental Center by assisting with
their informal education programs.
During her free time, Avery enjoys
hiking at state and national parks,
going to garage sales, and playing
with her two big dogs. Avery’s
favorite thing to do is spending time
on the water. She comes from several
generations of commercial and
recreational fishermen, so she grew
up with the tradition of protecting and
playing on the rivers and marshlands
that make up the Mississippi Gulf
Coast. She loves to bass fish, run
catfish lines, and flounder gig. Come
by the Grand Bay NERR and meet
Avery today! She may even have a fish
story or two to share with y’all.
Children’s Art Contest Winners
Every quarter I reflect on the beautiful
things that happen at the Grand Bay
NERR; and each time I find myself more
inspired by this place.
Like every year, we open our doors in
December to celebrate star gazing
during the Geminoid meteor shower
with a nighttime hay ride. We share
soup and hot chocolate, make crafts
and cookies, look for owls and other
nighttime critters, and delight children
with a visit from Santa Claus. This year
our open house was a huge hit! We
hosted more visitors than ever before,
took tons of pictures, called up owls
galore, and even added a fun Rudolph
the Reindeer corn hole game. It was a
lively night at the NERR filled with
energy and excitement even though
most of the stars were hiding behind
clouds.
I think we inspired our community to
love the NERR and its habitats even
Page 5 Bayou Buzz Volume 3, I ssue I
more, and we were definitely inspired
to think of new ways we can celebrate
this place with our friends.
Whether we are looking for stars in a
remote sky, darker than most around
here, taking our visitors out on the
water for a morning paddle, using
innovative science to address regional
coastal management questions, or
sweeping up Henslow’s sparrows in the
savanna, we are always aiming to
learn as much as we can and to share
what we learn with our community of
friends and neighbors.
We were coordinators and judges at
the MS Regional Science Fair in
January where we spent the day
talking science with kids. We invited
artists to our reserve in March and
delighted in the beautiful ways they
expressed the nature of this place in
their art. I even was able to make my
first fire-inspired piece of batik art!
First place winners from the
Celebrate the Gulf Children’s Art
Contest (left to right).
From Our Director: Dr. Ayesha Gray We also hosted Teachers on the
Estuary in March. We taught local
teachers about our newest scientific
discoveries and equipped them with
curricula and tools to use in their
classrooms. At the NERR, we aim to
an swe r que s t i o n s w i t h l o ca l
researchers, we aim to inspire with
what we learn, and, we aim to connect
with every member of our community
so they can know this place better and
find joy and beauty in what pine
savannas and marshes do for each one
of us every single day.
The Grand Bay
NERR is about
more than a
special place, it
is about people
having a sense of
place. Come and
visit us!
K-Addison Taylor
1st-Quinn Burns
2nd-Khloe Bishop
3rd-Dat Chau
4th-Jada Gressley
5th-Riley Lee
6th-Addison Pierce
7th-Madelyn Holliday
8th-Nevaeh Johnson
Co
ng
ratu
lati
on
s!
K
3rd
6th
1st 2nd
4th 5th
7th 8th
Address for Mailing
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
6005 Bayou Heron Road
Moss Point, MS 39562
We’re on the Web!
Visit GrandBayNERR.org
Phone: 228.475.7047
Office hours: M-F 8am-4pm
Interpretive Center Hours: M-F 9am-3pm
Contact Us Grand Bay NERR Newsletter:
Bayou Buzz
The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) was designated in 1999 as part of a system
of 29 reserves around the nation. We are a “state-federal” partnership managed by the Mississippi
Department of Marine Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for
Coastal Management. This NERR is co-located with a USFWS National Wildlife Refuge. The Grand Bay
NERR is comprised of approximately 18,000 acres of pine savannas, salt marshes, salt pannes, open
water and bayous, as well as other terrestrial habitats that are unique to the coastal zone.
Come visit us!
Can’t wait to see y’all!
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