The reserve has thousands of acres of wildlands that sup- port hundreds of of plants and . Although most of the plants and animals are harmless, there are some that can cause harm if they bite, sting or rub up Grand Bay against you. As long as you exercise caution, you should have no problem with them. Many of these harmful inter- National Estuarine actions (except with the bugs) can be avoided if you stay out of the water and on the trails. Remember! The number Research Reserve one person responsible for your safety is YOU!

Plants to avoid contact with: Field Journal Poison Ivy Remember! Leaflets three—leave it be. Black Needlerush Don’t let it poke you in the eye.

Animals to avoid contact with:

Alligators Poisonous Jellyfish Stingrays Sharks Louisiana Black Bears (rare) Biting Bugs including: Ticks, Deer Flies, Mosquitoes and Gnats

Please Do Not Feed the Wildlife!

6005 Bayou Heron Road, Moss Point, MS 39562 Pone: 228.475.7047 18

Field Notes and Drawings

Grand Bay NERR and surrounding areas 17 2

Field Notes and Drawings A Visitor’s Field Journal

Note to Users

This field journal was compiled in order to pro- vide you, our visitors, with species lists of common ani- mals and plants found within the protected wildlands of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Refuge. We encourage you to cautiously explore these sensitive areas on foot when you are out in the field. Many of our coastal habitats such as pine savan- nas and salt pannes are extremely fragile in nature. Please do not remove or disturb the animals and plants or their parts without proper permits. Remember, take only pictures, and leave as few footprints as possible as you travel through some of ’s most pris- tine coastal wetlands.

We would like to thank our partners who were directly involved in the development of this field journal. They include the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ Grand Bay National Estuarine Re- search Reserve and Coastal Preserve Programs and The University of Southern Mississippi’s J.L. Scott Ma- rine Education Center and Aquarium.

Jennifer Buchanan Shelia A. Brown Grand Bay NERR Scott Aquarium

3 Checklist 16 Animal Check Date Off Field Notes and Drawings

Amphibians :

Bird-voiced Tree [ ] Bronze Frog [ ] Bullfrog [ ] Dusky Gopher Frog [ ] Gray Tree Frog [ ] Green Tree Frog [ ] Northern Cricket Frog [ ] Northern Spring Peeper [ ] Ornate [ ] Pig Frog [ ] Pin Wood Tree Frog [ ] River Frog [ ] Southern Chorus Frog [ ] Southern Leopard Frog [ ] Squirrel Tree Frog [ ]

Toads:

Eastern Narrowmouth Toad [ ] Eastern Spadefoot Toad [ ] Fowler’s Toad [ ] Oak Toad [ ] Southern Toad [ ]

Salamanders:

Alabama Waterdog [ ] Central Newt [ ] Dwarf Salamander [ ] Gulf Coast Mud Salamander [ ] Lesser Siren [ ] Marbled Salamander [ ] Mississippi Slimy Salamander [ ] Mole Salamander [ ] Smallmouth Salamander [ ] Southern Red Salamander [ ] 15 4 Animal Checklist

Animal Check Date Field Notes and Drawings Off

Amphibians Salamanders:

Southern Two-lined Salamander [ ] Spotted Dusky Salamander [ ] Spotted Salamander [ ] Three-lined Salamander [ ] Two-toed Amphiuma [ ]

Birds Permanent Residents:

American Crow [ ] American Kestrel [ ] American Oystercatcher [ ] Bachman’s Sparrow [ ] Bald Eagle [ ] Barn Owl [ ] Belted Kingfisher [ ] Black Skimmer [ ] Black-bellied Plover [ ] Blue Jay [ ] Blue-winged Teal [ ] Brown Pelican [ ] Brown Thrasher [ ] Brown-headed Cowbird [ ] Brown-headed Nuthatch [ ] Carolina Chickadee [ ] Carolina Wren [ ] Caspian Tern [ ] Shipping Sparrow [ ] Clapper Rail [ ] Common Grackle [ ] Common Ground-Dove [ ] Common Tern [ ] Common Yellowthroat [ ] Cooper’s Hawk [ ] Double-crested Cormorant [ ] Downy Woodpecker [ ] Eastern Bluebird [ ] Eastern Meadowlark [ ] Eastern Screech-Owl [ ] Eastern Towhee [ ] Eurasian Collared-Dove [ ] Animal Checklist 5 Plant Checklist 14 Animal Check Date Plant Check Date Off Off

Birds Permanent Residents: Spanish Moss [ ] European Starling** [ ] Spurred Butterfly Pea [ ] Forster’s Tern [ ] Sunbonnet [ ] Gray Catbird [ ] Swamp Red Bay [ ] Great Blue Heron [ ] Swamp Thistle [ ] Great Egret [ ] Swamp Rose Mallow [ ] Great Horned Owl [ ] Swamp Tupelo [ ] Herring Gull [ ] Sweet Bay Magnolia [ ] Killdeer [ ] Tenangle Pipewort [ ] Laughing Gull [ ] Threadleaf Sundew [ ] Least Bittern [ ] Titi [ ] Little Blue Heron [ ] Toothache Grass [ ] Loggerhead Shrike [ ] Torpedo Grass [ ] Marsh Wren [ ] Turkey Tangle Frogfruit [ ] Mottled Duck [ ] Variableleaf Sunflower [ ] Mourning Dove [ ] Virginia Creeper [ ] Northern Bobwhite [ ] Virginia Chain Fern [ ] Northern Cardinal [ ] Water Oak [ ] Northern Flicker [ ] Waxmyrtle [ ] Northern Mockingbird [ ] White Water Lily [ ] Osprey [ ] White Bushy Aster [ ] Pied-billed Grebe [ ] Whitetop Sedge [ ] Pileated Woodpecker [ ] Whitetop Pitcher Plant [ ] Pine Warbler [ ] Winged Sumac [ ] Reddish Egret [ ] Wiregrass [ ] Red-bellied Woodpecker [ ] Wooly Witch Grass [ ] Red-headed Woodpecker [ ] Yaupon [ ] Red-shouldered Hawk [ ] Yellow Butterwort [ ] Red-tailed Hawk [ ] Yellow Milkwort [ ] Red-winged Blackbird [ ] Yellow Polygala [ ] Ring-billed Gull [ ] Yellow-eyed Grass [ ] Rock Pigeon [ ] Royal Tern [ ]

Sanderling [ ] Seaside Sparrow [ ] Snowy Egret [ ] * Uncommon Tri-colored Heron [ ] ** Invasive/Exotic Species Tufted Titmouse [ ] ***Dangerous animal—Do not White-eyed Vireo [ ] approach or feed Wild Turkey [ ] **** Poisonous—exercise extreme Willet [ ] caution Wood Duck [ ] 13 Plant Checklist Animal Checklist 6

Plant Check Date Animal Check Date Off Off

Birds Summer Birds: [ ] Marsh Elder [ ] Anhinga [ ] Marsh Pink [ ] Barn Swallow [ ] Meadow Beauty [ ] Black-crowned Night-Heron [ ] Mist Flower [ ] Blue Grosbeak [ ] Muscadine [ ] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher [ ] Myrtle-leaved Holly [ ] Cattle Egret [ ] Narrow-leaf Water Primrose [ ] Chimney Swift [ ] Netted Chain Fern [ ] Common Nighthawk [ ] Orange Milkwort [ ] Easter Wood-Pewee [ ] Pale Pitcher Plant [ ] Eastern Kingbird [ ] Parrot’s Beak Pitcher Plant [ ] Great Crested Flycatcher [ ] Pecan [ ] Green Heron [ ] Pickerelweed [ ] Hooded Warbler [ ] Pine Lily [ ] Indigo Bunting [ ] Poison Ivy**** [ ] Least Tern [ ] Pond Cypress [ ] Magnificent Frigatebird [ ] Purple Pitcher Plant [ ] Mississippi Kite [ ] Rayless Goldenrod [ ] Orchard Oriole [ ] Red Maple [ ] Prothonotary Warbler [ ] Red Milkweed [ ] Purple Martin [ ] Redroot [ ] Red-eyed Vireo [ ] Rose Purslane [ ] Ruby-throated Hummingbird [ ] Rosy Camphorweed [ ] Sandwich Tern [ ] Rough-stemmed Goldenrod [ ] Summer Tanager [ ] Saltgrass [ ] Turkey Vulture [ ] Saltmarsh False Foxglove [ ] White Ibis [ ] Saltmarsh Morning-glory [ ] Wilson’s Plover [ ] Saltmarsh Bullrush [ ] Wood Thrush [ ] Saltmeadow Cordgrass [ ] Yellow-billed Cuckoo [ ] Savanna Honeycomb [ ] Yellow-crowned Night-Heron [ ] Saw Palmetto [ ] Sawgrass [ ] Migrant Birds: Sea Ox-eye [ ] Seaside Goldenrod [ ] Acadian Flycatcher [ ] Seven Sisters Lily [ ] American Avocet [ ] Showy Rattlebox [ ] American Redstart [ ] Sicklepod [ ] Baltimore Oriole [ ] Slash Pine [ ] Bank Swallow [ ] Smallfruit [ ] Barn Swallow [ ] Smooth Cordgrass [ ] Black-and-white Warbler [ ] Southern Magnolia [ ] Black-throated Green Warbler [ ] Spadeleaf [ ] Blue Grosbeak [ ] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher [ ] 7 Animal Checklist Plant Checklist 12

Animal Check Date Plant Check Date Off Off

Birds Migrant Residents: American Holly [ ] Blue-winged Warbler [ ] American Mistletoe [ ] Broad0winged Hawk [ ] American Persimmon [ ] Canada Warbler [ ] Bald Cypress [ ] Cedar Waxwing [ ] Barbara’s Buttons [ ] Cerulean Warbler [ ] Black Needlerush [ ] Chestnut-sided Warbler [ ] Blue Butterwort [ ] Chimney Swift [ ] Blue-eyed Grass [ ] Chuck-will’s-widow [ ] Bulltongue Arrowhead [ ] Cliff Swallow [ ] Buttonweed [ ] Common Nighthawk [ ] Camphortree** [ ] Dunlin [ ] Chinese Tallow Tree** [ ] Easter Wood-Peewee [ ] Clustered Sedge [ ] Eastern Kingbird [ ] Coast Cockspur Grass [ ] Gray-cheeked Thrush [ ] Coastal Morning-glory [ ] Greater Yellowlegs [ ] Cogon Grass** [ ] Hooded Warbler [ ] Combleaf Merrmaidweed [ ] Indigo Bunting [ ] Common Goldenrod [ ] Kentucky Warbler [ ] Crossvine [ ] Least Sandpiper [ ] Devil’s Walking Stick [ ] Lesser Yellowlegs [ ] Dog Fennel [ ] Magnolia Warbler [ ] Drumhead [ ] Merlin [ ] Dwarf Milkwort [ ] Northern Parula [ ] Dwarf Sundew [ ] Northern Rough-winged Swallow [ ] Eastern Redcedar [ ] Orchard Oriole [ ] Eryngo [ ] Ovenbird [ ] Fourpetal St. John’s Wort [ ] Painted Bunting [ ] Foxtail Grass [ ] Palm Warbler [ ] Glasswort [ ] Pectoral Sandpiper [ ] Grass Pink Orchid [ ] Peregrine Falcon [ ] Groundsel Tree [ ] Philadelphia Vireo [ ] Gulf Muhly Grass [ ] Prairie Warbler [ ] Hairy Umbrella Sedge [ ] Prothonotary Warbler [ ] Hemp Sesbania [ ] Purple Martin [ ] Inkberry [ ] Red Knot [ ] Japanese Honeysuckle** [ ] Red-eyed Vireo [ ] Japanese Climbing Fern** [ ] Rose-breasted Grosbeak [ ] Largeleaf Marsh Pennywort [ ] Ruby-throated Hummingbird [ ] Laurel Briar [ ] Scarlet Tanager [ ] Little Bluestem [ ] Semipalmated Sandpiper [ ] Live Oak [ ] Sharp-shinned Hawk [ ] Loblolly Pine [ ] Summer Tanager [ ] Longleaf Milkweed [ ] 11 Animal Checklist Animal Checklist 8

Animal Check Date Animal Check Date Off Off

Reptiles Birds Snakes: Migrant Residents: (Continued) (Continued)

Swainson’s Thrush [ ] Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake**** [ ] Swainson’s Warbler [ ] Eastern Garter [ ] Tennessee Warbler [ ] Eastern Snake [ ] Tree Swallow [ ] Eastern Indigo Snake [ ] Western Sandpiper [ ] Whip-poor-will [ ] Eastern Ribbon Snake [ ] Wilson’s Warbler [ ] Red-bellied Snake [ ] Wood Thrush [ ] Gray Rat Snake [ ] Worm-eating Warbler [ ] Gulf Crayfish Snake [ ] Yellow Warbler [ ] Gulf Salt Marsh Snake [ ] Yellow-billed Cuckoo [ ] Marsh Brown Snake [ ] Yellow-rumped Warbler [ ] Yellow-throated Vireo [ ] Midland Water Snake [ ] Yellow-throated Warbler [ ] Mississippi Green Water Snake [ ] Yellow Warbler [ ] Mississippi Ringneck snake [ ] Mole Snake [ ] Mud Snake [ ] Butterflies Pigmy Rattlesnake**** [ ]

Pinewoods Snake [ ] Common Butterflies: Rainbow Snake [ ]

Rough Earth Snake [ ] Palamedes Swallowtail [ ] Rough Green Snake [ ] Cloudless Sulfur [ ] Scarlet King Snake [ ] Little Yellow [ ] Southeastern Crowned Snake [ ] Gray Hairstreak [ ] Southern Black Racer [ ] Red-banded Hairstreak [ ] Gulf Fritillary [ ] Southern Copperhead**** [ ] Pearl Crescent [ ] [ ] Common Buckeye [ ] Speckled King Snake [ ] Carolina Satyr [ ] Western Smooth Earth Snake [ ] Monarch [ ] Yellow-belly Water Snake [ ] Silver-spotted Skipper [ ] Horace’s Duskywing [ ] Fiery Skipper [ ]

Sachem [ ] **** Poisonous --- exercise extreme caution Salt Marsh Skipper [ ] Ocola Skipper [ ] Red Spotted Purple [ ] Variegated Fritillary [ ] Painted Lady [ ] 9 Animal Checklist Animal Checklist 10

Animal Check Date Animal Check Date Off Off

Mammals Common Mammals: Turtles/Tortoises:

Beaver [ ] Eastern Mud Turtle [ ] Big Brown Bat [ ] Gopher Tortoise [ ] Black Bear*** [ ] Gulf Coast Box Turtle [ ] Bottlenose Dolphin [ ] Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell Turtle [ ] Deer Mouse [ ] Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle [ ] Gray Fox [ ] Loggerhead Sea Turtle [ ] Gray Squirrel [ ] Loggerhead Snapping Turtle [ ] Fox Squirrel [ ] Mississippi Mud Turtle [ ] Manatee* [ ] Red-eared Slider [ ] Muskrat [ ] Three-toed Box Turtle [ ] Nutria** [ ] Yellowbelly Slider [ ] Opossum [ ] Yellow-blotched Map Turtle [ ] Raccoon [ ]

Red Fox [ ] : River Otter [ ]

Southern Flying Squirrel [ ] Broadhead Skink [ ] Striped Skunk [ ] Eastern Glass [ ] Swamp Rabbit [ ] Five-lined Skink [ ] White-tailed Deer [ ] Green Anole [ ] Ground Skink [ ] Mediterranean Gecko** [ ] Mimic Glass Lizard [ ] Six-lined Racerunner [ ] Reptiles Southeastern Five-lined Skink [ ] Alligators: Southern Fence Lizard [ ]

American Alligator*** [ ] Snakes:

Turtles/Tortoises: Banded Water Snake [ ] Black Pine Snake [ ] Broad-banded Water Snake [ ] Alabama Map Turtle [ ] Corn Snake [ ] Alabama Red-bellied Turtle [ ] Cottonmouth (Moccasin)**** [ ] Common Musk Turtle [ ] Diamondback Water Snake [ ] Common Snapping Turtle [ ] Eastern Coach Whip [ ] Cooter [ ] Eastern Coral Snake**** [ ] Diamondback Terrapin [ ]

Eastern Chicken Turtle [ ] **** Poisonous --- exercise extreme caution

***Dangerous animal – Do not approach or feed