Seventeen Degrees in Mississippi

On the morning of 17 January 2018, the temperature was a frosty 17 degrees F in Meridian, Mississippi. We checked visited the Bonita Lake city park, where we have seen interesting birds in the past. The park was gated on this visit. We were able to drive a few hundred feet into the park before we had to turn around. Many birds fed on the ground, like this Northern Mockingbird (above) and Brown Thrasher (below). Both sepcies are ground feeders, but the nearby bushes clear held no attraction.

Next we saw a Tufted Titmouse, a bird more often seen in vegetation.

Finally, we happened upon a large flock of Pine Siskins. The siskins fed in a Sweet Gum tree. Pine Siskins are northern species used to the bone-chilling temperatures we enjoyed that morning.