the wandering chick
Gautier, MS

Whereas most sandhill cranes are a migratory bird, Mississippi sandhill cranes live year-round in various areas of Mississippi. They do not migrate.

The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is part of a larger complex of wildlife refuges known as the Gulf Coast Refuge Complex. It was established in 1975 to protect the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane as well as the endangered habitat itself. That is the wet pine savanna.

Wet pine savanna is a prairie-like flat open field of clay soil and sand, waterlogged and very acidic. It is kept in check by controlled fires that stimulate the growth of native grasses and flowers as well as keeping non-wanted trees and shrubs out. Certain types of pine trees are scattered throughout the savanna (rather than forest-like) to allow in needed light.

Visiting the MSC NWR was interesting, even though there are only four resident cranes there in addition to another four that are caged for the purpose of breeding and reintroducing them to their environment. There is a combined population of Mississippi sandhill cranes of close to 200 living in the various refuges. Once found in flocks, their number has been reduced mostly by urban development..

It's not just the sandhill cranes that are of importance to the NWR in Gautier. It is an area of the last remaining wet pine savanna that at one time was one of the largest ecosystems in North America. It spread from Virginia to Florida to west Texas. Today its size is a quarter of that, mostly in the southeastern-most areas of Mississippi.

hiking trail
sandhill crane
Mississippi sandhill cranes are large, tall birds with long legs and long necks. They stand up to almost four feet (1.2 meters) and have a wing span of six and a half feet (2 meters).Their red cap and beautiful gray feathers create a distinctive and elegant appearance. They're considered a wading bird, but they live and feed in open habitats like grasslands, marshes and prairies rather than in water.
 
 
prairie
sandhill crane
prairie
sandhill cranes
There are two hiking trails in the MSCNWR, both short and easy. I took the C. L. Dees trail, a three-quarter-mile loop that begins just behind the visitor center. It's worth a walk to see the various types of unique foliage, many of which are considered endangered and found only in wet pine savanna.
pitcher plant
One example is the pitcher plant. It grows in wetland areas such as bogs and marshes. Its unique feature is its open cap at the top that attracts insects. Once the insect is inside, the plant closes up and digests the "food."
pine tree
pitcher plant
Longleaf pine
hiking trail
hiking trail
sandhill crane
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...The Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR