Mississippi Marsh At Ansley
Ansley, Mississippi is an unincorporated community in Hancock County, in the state of Mississippi (USA). It is approximately 10-11 miles west of Bay St. Louis, the county seat. The community was established when the L & N railroad was built through that area in 1869-1870. It was considered a flag stop with trains stopping only if there were passengers or freight to be picked up or dropped off. The community was named after M.M. Ansley, who was a railroad maintenance official for the L&NRR.
There are marshes and bayous between Ansley and the Gulf Of Mexico which makes the area attractive to people who enjoy fishing, crabbing and other water activities.
Ansley Preserve is located about a mile south of Ansley. It is a wooded coastal birding trail that is traversed by intervening mud-flat deposits with marsh and swamp vegetation. A hot spot for migrant songbirds in the spring and fall, the preserve is managed by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. According to the Audubon Society Ansley Preserve has a bird list of more than 230 species.
It was a cool, damp, winter day when we visited the preserve. We didn’t see the first bird while we were there but I’ve never seen so much Spanish Moss in any one place! It hung from the many Live Oaks and other hardwood trees along the trail. Southern Magnolia trees offered a welcome splash of green during that dormant season.
At one point the trail opened up a little to expose a small pond. Beyond that pond the open meadow of marshland created a winter view of reddish, brown and orange vegetation with meandering ribbons of brackish water.
The late afternoon atmosphere gave the sky a slight pink tint and the narrow bodies of water reflected the marsh grass colors. Of the 77 pictures I took that day the two photographs of that marshland were my favorites.
Click here to view a larger image of today’s featured photograph.
