On a warm day in late October, well over a decade ago, my mom and I drove to the Noxubee Refuge to spend some time birding and just winding down from a busy week. It was a beautiful day, although humid. Of course, the humidity might have had an effect on us, but it seemed to have very little effect on the wildlife at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge--birds, mammals, butterflies.
Butterflies were everywhere at Morgan Hill, our first stop. The bright sunlight was drawing them out along the trail leading through the Black Belt prairie. Most of the butterflies of the fall season are rusty-tinted, and these were no exception. Gulf Fritillaries, bright orange with nearly three-inch wingspans, were very abundant. Orange Sulphurs, less intense in color, were also common. Angle-winged Question Marks and Commas showed up, also, along with a few Painted Ladys, Monarchs and one Red Admiral, dark brown with red-orange bars on its wings. Cloudless Sulphurs brought touches of yellow to the scene. They were not confined to the prairie, though; they had flitted in front of our vehicle as we had made our way down the road earlier.
Grasshoppers scattered as we walked, some of them unfurling delicate wings as colorful as some of the butterflies. On the gravel-covered path, Buckeyes, little butterflies sporting peacock-like eyespots and red and white “paint” on their brown wings, were surprisingly numerous, and I saw one Variegated Fritillary. Smaller than the Gulf Fritillary, this species has paler but more intricately patterned wings. By looking closely at a small passionflower (also known as maypop) plant growing on the trail, I spotted two tiny Gulf Fritillary caterpillars.
Of course, there were birds to be seen in addition to the insects. The sparrows had arrived in flocks, and Savannah, Swamp, Song, and White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos flew out of the grasses at every step we took. Eastern Bluebirds eyed us from their perches atop the few small trees dotting the hill. Zhip! With a sharp call and a flick of its tail, an Eastern Phoebe joined them.
When my mom and I arrived back at the parking area, a big Woolly Bear caterpillar lurched its way across the gravel and over to some leaf litter in the nearby thicket where it would be safe. As we left the prairie, a female American Kestrel gave us a great show as it hovered over the field and then landed in a huge oak tree. A group of eleven Wild Turkeys was foraging in the same area.
Next we headed to Goose Overlook for more watching. The water was nice and clear at Bluff Lake, where the observation point is located. It was a little early for ducks, but there were plenty of Canada Geese wading in the shallows. Chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers and wrens chattered in the surrounding woods. A flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers landed in a cypress tree, flicking their wings and scrambling over the branches for insects. We were amused by these antics but soon decided to walk down Woodpecker Trail, a path cutting through areas of both pine and mixed woods. There were lots of small birds and several small dusty-brown Carolina Satyr butterflies. Our shoes and socks soon became spotted with clinging Beggar’s Lice from the many plants growing on the edges of the trail.
After spending time at Goose Overlook, we headed back to Morgan Hill Prairie. It didn’t take long for me to spot some species I hadn’t seen on the prairie earlier. A small butterfly alighted on a twig, and from the orange, brown and white wings and long, beak-like extension of the head, it was evident that this was a Snout Butterfly. Several birds suddenly flew up in front of us and landed in the small trees and shrubs—bluebirds, Savannah Sparrow, juncos—but there was something else: a Palm Warbler. This brown-streaked little bird with the yellow undertail was only a few feet away from us. A small bright-green caterpillar was clasped in its bill, and at first it seemed that the bird would soon eat it. But the caterpillar was still very much alive; and as we watched, it reached down and grabbed the branch that the warbler was perched on. The bird jerked its head up, pulling the caterpillar off the branch, but the insect was not ready to give up. Suspended from the warbler’s bill, it suddenly curled into a tight ball, and the bird dropped it. Oops! The bird was probably pretty upset about losing this meal, and it dived down into the shrub to search for it. We didn’t hang around long enough to see what finally happened, but I can imagine the caterpillar crawling off with a great battle story to retell all of its short life.
It was time to head out of the refuge, so we left, reflecting that the relaxing yet entertaining day there had definitely been worth the bother of going.
