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A Least Tern stands on sandy ground beside a small piece of driftwood, watching over two speckled eggs resting in a shallow scrape. The background is softly blurred in pale blue and warm beige tones.

A Least Tern guards its camouflaged eggs on a quiet stretch of Mississippi Gulf Coast sand, nesting in a shallow scrape of open beach.


On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, two one‑mile stretches of beach make up the largest nesting colony of Least Terns in the United States. This Important Birding Area right along the Gulf of Mexico contains sections of five beaches: Biloxi Beach, Gulfport East, Gulfport West, Long Beach, and Pass Christian. This puts the Least Tern within the most populated area for beach‑goers along the Mississippi coastline. Situations such as this make biologists suspect that humans and the family pet are the number one reason the Least Tern population is declining.


I was not aware of this Important Breeding Area until I visited Biloxi several months ago to photograph the birds wintering there. Nesting Least Terns quickly became a priority on my birding bucket list.


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A young alligator rests on a small raised patch of ground in the cypress swamp, its body still and eyes closed as it blends quietly into the surrounding water and reflections.

A young alligator naps on a small rise in the cypress swamp, its body still against the mirrored water and mossy reflections surrounding it.

Part Three takes us into the southern half of Mississippi, where the Natchez Trace Parkway winds through cypress swamps, historic stands, river country, and some of the most iconic and deeply worn segments of the Old Trace.


In this final stretch of the Natchez Trace, we follow the old road through Mississippi toward its southern terminus at Natchez.


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Autumn forest scene at Tishomingo State Park near Tupelo, Mississippi, showing a small reflective pond surrounded by trees with bright orange, yellow, and red foliage. Tree trunks and underbrush frame the foreground.

Autumn color settles over a quiet pond at Tishomingo State Park near Tupelo, Mississippi, where the hardwoods reflect in still water and the forest floor begins its seasonal shift toward gold and rust.

Part Two carries us into the northern half of Mississippi, where the Natchez Trace Parkway winds through wooded hollows, archaeological sites, and some of the most peaceful preserved segments of the Old Trace.


This section continues the journey down the historic Natchez Trace, the early travel corridor linking Nashville and Natchez.


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Double‑arched concrete bridge spanning Birdsong Hollow on the Natchez Trace Parkway, shown after sunset in autumn. The 1994 structure rises high above the valley with its two sweeping arches visible against the surrounding hills.

The double‑arched Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge crosses Birdsong Hollow in a dramatic 1,648‑foot span, soaring 155 feet above the valley. Completed in 1994 and honored with the Presidential Award for design excellence, it’s a stunning autumn stop—especially just after sunset.


Travel back in time along the 444‑mile Natchez Trace Parkway, an All‑American Road stretching from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, with a brief sweep through northwest Alabama. Officially opened in 2005 after 67 years of planning and construction, the Parkway preserves one of the most historic travel corridors in the Old Southwest. Today, seven segments of the Old Trace are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the drive offers more than 10,000 years of stories, landscapes, and landmarks to explore at a leisurely 50 mph.


Our journey down the Natchez Trace Parkway begins in Tennessee and slips into the quiet countryside of northwest Alabama, where waterfalls, river crossings, and early Old Trace history set the tone for the miles ahead.


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Bridge #1 on Seven Bridges Road arches over Amity Creek in Duluth, Minnesota. The stone bridge rises above rushing water and dark rocks, surrounded by dense green and early autumn foliage beneath a partly cloudy sky.

Bridge #1 on Seven Bridges Road, where Amity Creek rushes beneath a century‑old stone arch tucked into Duluth’s forested hillside.

Seven Bridges Road in Duluth, Minnesota is one of the most scenic short drives on the Lake Superior North Shore. It follows Amity Creek through a forest of pine, poplar, and birch. The 4‑mile route crosses seven matching stone‑arch bridges, each built where the road meets the creek, creating a rhythmic sequence of waterfalls, cascades, and gorge views.


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Nighttime holiday light display at Bentleyville featuring a tall cone‑shaped Christmas tree made of lights topped with a red star. In front of the tree, an illuminated sign reads “2018,” “15th Anniversary,” and “Bentleyville,” with Santa’s face outlined in lights above the text. Colorful lights decorate nearby trees, and a crowd of visitors stands in the foreground viewing and photographing the display.

Bentleyville glows with towering light displays, anniversary signage, and a festive crowd gathered beneath the illuminated tree on a crisp winter night.


Whether it’s an over-the-top home display like in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation or the professional wonderland of Walt Disney World, nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit better than a good old Christmas light display!


I grew up in a small town in southern Illinois known for Candy Cane Lane, so a trip to “see the lights” is something I just HAVE to do at least once a year. Call it an addiction if you must, but I’ve gone as far as Niagara Falls, Canada, not for that famous waterfall but to see the "Winter Festival of Lights.”  


So, when we pulled into Duluth, Minnesota, back in late summer, I immediately began to see the requests on social media for volunteers to set up for the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights," and my excitement started to build. Not only would I have a Christmas light display in town, but it would be within walking distance!


The Bentleyville "Tour of Lights" opened on November 17th. I was there on the opening night and twice just this week. I never expected anything as elaborate and beautifully done as this! It really is magical! I'm in awe with every visit and manage to see something new.



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Author


Susan Tregoning is a fourth‑generation photographer and Midwest-based visual storyteller dedicated to preserving America’s architectural and roadside heritage. Drawing on her design background and a lifelong connection to photography, she documents historic buildings, small towns, and scenic byways across the region. Her work creates thoughtful visual records that honor the character, craftsmanship, and cultural memory embedded in places that are often overlooked yet define the American experience.