Mississippi Bird Locations?

[NorthernFocus]

In early March my wife and I will be in southern MS for a wedding. She has allotted me three days for photography. Any recommendations within four hours drive or so of Gulfport, MS, where a guy might be able to shoot some waders and/or shore birds would be pretty cool. For a promising location I would haul my heavy gear along on the trip. If it is not necessary due to habituated birds, better yet

I know there is a sandhill crane sanctuary right near Gulfport (driven past dozens of times) but have no idea as to how accessible it is and whether they will still be there or headed north. Beyond that it's up to Google or any recommendations this illustrious group may have.

[Shadowman]

I just had to respond to say "well done on the three days".

http://www.gulfcoast.org/visitors/at...ature/birding/

[NorthernFocus]

I just had to respond to say "well done on the three days".

Tell me about it! I'm beginning to get suspicious about the whole thing

Thanks for the link. I'll poke around there a bit.

I've found that it's fairly easy to find information on birding. Less so on bird photography. And as we all know the two are grossly different. Birders get all atwitter just to hear the object of their desire. I'd rather not even hear or see one unless it's close enough to see the color of it's eyes. Through a lens of course.

[Saorsa]

Sandhill Cranes are quite common around here in SW Florida. I was surprised to read that they were endangered.

[NorthernFocus]

I didn't know they were endangered either. Up here there is a season on them and people shoot and eat them.

I'd mainly like to shoot something that we don't get up here like herons, egrets, pelicans, skimmers, etc. We do get a few GBH up here but hey are few. Also we have a few osprey but they don't typically get along too well with eagles so they are fairly rare, typically around inland lakes.