Date: 6/15/25 9:44 am From: Dena Temple <000006db6638e63f-dmarc-request...> Subject: [JERSEYBI] Where will Jerseybirders retire?
Laurie, if this is not allowed, please delete with my apologies. It relates to Jersey and birders, so here goes.
Many NJ birders are either at or near retirement age. I'm sure, like me, many of you hoped to spend your days birding around all your favorite NJ hotspots, only to realize you just can't afford to stay. If you are in this situation, I recommend you give Mississippi Gulf Coast a look. It's a Certified Retirement Region.
Housing costs are laughable compared to NJ, for starters. Middle class in NJ means waterfront palaces are suddenly within your budget! Other costs are somewhat comparable; homeowners insurance is higher in MS, but car insurance is lower.
Most important to you, Jerseybirders, are the birds. My house, one mile from the beach in Waveland, is loaded with birds! Anhingas and Bald Eagles soar overhead. We have nesting Bluebirds, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and a half-dozen other species. In migration, our large oaks and magnolias attract warblers, Orioles, Tanagers, and vireos. Our yard list for 2025 is up to 87 species! I have frigatebird and Common Gallinule on my yard list! There is an active Audubon chapter on the coast with field trips and ample opportunities to volunteer as well. You're a day's drive to major IBAs like Dauphin Island, AL, and great refuges in LA.
We are putting our house in Waveland, MS, up for sale to allow us to move closer to family in Florida. Waveland is a great town, adjacent to Bay St. Louis, named one of the prettiest and friendliest small towns in the South. Fishing and boating are also fantastic, with NO CROWDS!
The Mississippi Gulf Coast has long been known as a vacation area for new Orleans residents, and retired folks are flocking here from high-cost states like NJ, NY, and CA.
If anyone is considering a move and would like more info about the area or even our house, feel free to email me.
Good birding, Dena Temple <Denat01...> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
