This site is comprised of two partially open water oxbow lakes; Upper Rines Lake and Lower Rines Lake. Both are surrounded by bottomland hardwood forest and lie within the Pascagoula River migratory corridor. Expect a fine variety of species during migration. In breeding season, all the expected bottomland species occur: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Acadian Flycatcher, White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireo, Kentucky and Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager and Indigo Bunting are all common. Northern Parula and Prothonotary Warbler are particularly abundant.  White Ibis and other wading birds occur regularly as do both Swallow-tailed Kite and Mississippi Kite . Both kites can be numerous during migration. A good place to scan for them and other raptors, including American Bald Eagle, is at Josephine Sandbar nearby on the Pascagoula River. Such sandbars may also attract an occasional shorebird. This site is recognized by the National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area (IBA).  This area is a state Wildlife Management Area (WMA) managed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks (MS WF&P). The primary purposes of WMAs are to provide areas for hunting and fishing. For your own safety, wear highly visible blaze orange hunting clothes during hunting seasons. A WMA User Permit is required to legally access this & other WMA sites. Resident and non-resident annual and daily permits are available. Information on obtaining WMA permits and Mississippi hunting seasons can be found by clicking on the WMA and Hunting icons below.