Sunday, December 12, 2010

Perching Birds of Louisiana

Still sorting through 1400 pictures from my Louisiana trip.  I'll get several more posts out of it. 

My first post should have been my itinerary for the trip.  I visited many excellent locations from Mississippi to Texas.  I started on Saturday after landing at the airport at the Audubon Zoo looking for wintering ducks.   Spent a bit of time in City Park and then spent Sunday in Fontainbleu State Park in Mandeville along the northern edge of Lake Pontratrain.  Sunday I visited East New Orleans.  I was shocked at the condition of this part of the city.  Buildings and neighborhoods that still remain as they did immediately after Hurricane Katrina.  I refrained from taking pictures.  They've gone through enough down there to have more picturessplashed across the Internet.  Suffice it to say, lots more needs to be done down there to remove abandoned buildings.  Here's only one example and then I'll share my bird photos.
  
There are entire 12 to 15 story office buildings abandoned and blocks of residential houses no longer occupied.  Not sure what to think! 

I had great luck spotting perching birds at Fontainbleu State Park.  Several warblers, flycatchers, bluebirds were everywhere, and Loggerhead Shrike, a lifer for me. 


Nashville Warbler

Palm Warbler

Pine Warbler (outstanding color)

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird

Loggerhead Shrike

Blue gray natcatcher

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Carolina Wren (I have two more wrens.  Just trying to ID species)

Common Yellow Throat (such an enjoyable bird to watch)

Stay tuned for more posts shortly.  Enjoy!





4 comments:

Spencer said...

Looks like a great trip so far! I have to say, I miss those migrants that you're seeing down there.

Dan Huber said...

great series Tucker.

Dawn Fine said...

nice photos!!! Wow..looks like you had a great trip for birding! Would have liked to see those photos of the issues still going on after the flood...

Anonymous said...

our home school class saw a pine warbler outside our window in small tree this morning. we went online to find out the name and came to your website, thank you.