Louisiana & Texas

Nicholas Turner
Apr 10, 2024
7 min read

Updated: Jan 31

15th March - 3rd April 2024

Friday 15th March: Another trip to the USA that began and ended with work leaving time for a couple of weeks birding in between. On the Friday we flew down from Washington DC to New Orleans where our city centre hotel was conveniently located very close to the Mississippi River. New Orleans is without doubt one of the most interesting cities to visit it the USA with great restaurants and plenty to see and do.

Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th March: The first morning we decided to walk from our hotel to New Orleans City Park which is close to the Lake Pontchartrain. As we started to walk along the promenade by the river we saw a few Northern Rough-winged Swallows, together with Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Osprey and Double-crested Cormorant. We passed through a small park with a pond where there were some Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Further along the river were some Brown Pelican, White Pelican, White Ibis, Great Egret and Snowy Egret and upon arrival at the park we saw Green Heron, Wood Duck, Anhinga, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. A small patch of waste ground held a number of different butterflies including Horace’s Duskywing, Common Checkered Skipper, Fiery Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Red Admiral and Phaon Crescent. The following day we added Black-crowned Night Heron, Lesser Scaup and Northern Mockingbird to the birds close to our hotel.

Monday 18th March: On the Monday we took an Uber to the nearby Bayou Sauvage NWR. We had a brief sighting of a Belted Kingfisher and excellent views of American Black Vultures together with Carolina Chickadee, Turkey Vulture, Tree Swallow, Little Blue Heron and Blue-winged Teal. Again the warm sunny weather brought the butterflies on to the wing with Red-banded Hairstreak, Black Swallowtail, Common Checkered Skipper and Painted Lady.

Tuesday 19th March: With our short stay in New Orleans over we hired a car and set off for our next stop at Baton Rouge, LA which was about a two hour. After about an hour we pulled over by the side of the road to explore a small wood where we found Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a soaring Bald Eagle. We then carried on to our Airbnb in a leafy part of Baton Rouge.

Wednesday 20th March: Our accommodation was close to the large University Lake near to Louisiana State University and so we set of early to walk around the lake. As is often the case in the USA there was plenty of bird life with Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-winged Blackbird, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Snowy Egret and a Green Heron. Later in the day we explored the gardens near our Airbnb finding a flock of Cedar Waxwing feeding on the berries. A Carolina Wren proved to be very photogenic singing on a garden fence. Also seen were Tufted Titmouse, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker and Brown-headed Cowbird.

Thursday 21st March: An hour spent on the internet suggested that Sherburne Waste Management Area (WMA) would be worth a visit. This is an extensive area close to Baton Rouge frequented by birders and anglers and looked to be good for migrating wetland birds. After walking around for about an hour we found some new birds for the trip including Swamp Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Boat-tailed Grackle and Fish Crow together with a Common Yellowthroat. Waders did not disappoint with Solitary Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt and Kildeer together with two Sora. We also had brief views of a Northern Harrier and Bald Eagle together with White Ibis and Blue-winged Teal and there were some Coypu in the ditches. As the morning progressed the sun came out and we found a few butterflies including a pristine Red-banded Hairstreak and a Pearl Crescent.

Friday 22nd March: The morning was spent at Oakley Plantation which for four months in 1821 was the home of the famous painter and naturalist John James Audubon. It is now an Audubon State Historic Site, beautifully restored and preserved and well worth a visit. Guided tours are available to learn more about life on a Louisiana sugar plantation in the 19th century. In the afternoon we drove to the Mary Ann Brown Reserve which is very close by. In the grounds near the lake we saw a range of different butterflies including Little Wood Satyr, Eastern-gemmed Satyr, Southern Pearly-eye, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Zebra Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple and Pearl Crescent.

Saturday 23rd March: We were now on to the final leg of our trip and so headed off to Galveston Island in Texas, passing through Houston and the impressive site of all of the oil and gas refineries. When we reached the coast of Texas we drove along the beach and had our first sighting of a spectacular Scissor-tailed Flycatcher sitting on a telegraph wire. After checking in to our Airbnb we walked around the Galveston Island State Park which is a 2000 acre park that reaches down to the beach. Here we saw Purple Martin, Eastern Meadowlark, White-winged Dove, Savannah Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle and Loggerhead Shrike. On the beach there were a wide range of shorebirds including Piping Plover, Forster’s Tern, Long-billed Curlew, Sanderling, Willet, Killdeer, Least Tern, Ring-billed Gull, Laughing Gull and Brown Pelican.

Sunday 24th March: The next morning we rose early and walked westwards along the shoreline of Galveston Island SP. Shorebirds included Grey Plover, Western Sandpiper, Red Knot, Piping Plover, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and Semipalmated Plover. In addition to Forster’s Tern we also found Caspian Tern and Royal Tern as well as Herring Gull. A White-tailed Kite and Crested Caracara were seen patrolling the beach looking for prey.

In the afternoon we visited a small reserve called Laffite’s Cove which is tucked away in amongst houses but has a surprising amount of birdlife, particularly during migrations. In the small wood we found Worm-eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler and several Yellow-rumped Warblers. On the lake and surrounding scrubland were Cedar Waxwing, Roseate Spoonbill, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Northern Shoveler and Mottled Duck.

Monday 25th March: After a morning of rain we headed down the coast to the San Luis Pass Country Park, a large area of coastland with a bridge spanning the eastern and western parts: the western part seemed easier to access and provided our starting point. The highlight here was our first sighting of a Wilson’s Plover. We also found Snowy Plover, Sandwich Tern, Barn Swallow, large numbers of American Avocet, Dunlin, Tricoloured Heron, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Least Sandpiper, Killdeer, Eastern Meadowlark, American Kestrel, Belted Kingfisher, Forster’s Tern, Royal Tern and Brown Pelican. On the sand dunes another new butterfly in the form of a Variegated Fritillary.

Tuesday 26th March: Bolivar Flats State Park is on the northern side of Galveston Island and can be reached via a car ferry. One on the other side we headed for the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary whre we parked our car. Walking south along the beach we found a pair of Horned Lark and a Reddish Egret flew by. Further up on the beach were Snowy Plover, Piping Plover, American Avocet wading in the bay, Dunlin, Greater Yellowlegs, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Willet and Killdeer. On the way back to the ferry we stopped at North Jetty where good views were had of Short-billed Dowitcher, Great Blue Heron, Marbled Godwit, American Oystercatcher, Black Skimmer, Cattle Egret and Neotropic Cormorant.

In the afternoon near our Airbnb on Galveston Island there were some Eurasian Collared Doves, Mourning Doves and a White-winged Dove.

Wednesday 27th March: An early morning visit to Laffite’s Cove produced a Fulvous Whistling Duck and Cooper’s Hawk. Later that day on the beach on Galveston Island we saw some Western Sandpipers and a single Crested Caracara.

Thursday 28th March: On Thursday we decided to try out another local birding place, the Dos Vacas Muertas Bird Sanctuary. However the day began warm and the mosquitoes were already very active and so we only managed to see a White-eyed Vireo and Chimney Swift before jumping back into the car for self-protection! At times like this it is best to head for the coast where mosquitoes are far less active and hence we drove back to San Luis Pass but this time parked on the eastern side of the bridge. A single Black Tern was sitting in amongst a flock of Least Terns and we also saw our first Semipalmated Sandpiper. There were a few splendid Wilson’s Plovers as well as Piping Plovers, Marbled Godwits and Greater Yellowlegs with two Red-breasted Mergansers on the pools.

Back at Galveston Island we watched a large mixed tern colony including Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern and Forster’s Tern with an American Kestrel and juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron nearby.

Friday 29th March: At the northern tip of Galveston Island is East Beach which is primarily a recreational area. However, behind the sand dunes there are some quieter areas for birds and here we found a Pectoral Sandpiper and two American Golden Plovers which were fairly approachable. Nearby on the beach were more Black Skimmers, Royal Terns and Forster’s Terns. Just to the west of East Beach is East End Lagoon NP where we saw a Northern Parula and several Orange Sulphur and Phaon Crescent butterflies.

Later in the afternoon a quick visit to Laffite’s Cove produced a White-faced Ibis, Black-and-white Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Harrier and a Crested Caracara. Interestingly the next morning a Glossy Ibis had joined the White-faced Ibis.

Sunday 31st March: Another morning at East Beach produced a confiding Yellow-crowned Night Heron as well as Pectoral Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, Black Skimmer, Royal Tern and Forster’s Tern.

Monday 1st April: A brief trip to San Luis Pass produced a new species, namely a Cave Swallow.

Tuesday 2nd April: Moody Gardens has a reputation for attracting migrating waders and here we found a Solitary Sandpiper together with Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Yellow-crowned Night Heron and Dunlin.

A final late afternoon walk along Galveston Island beach afforded close-up views of Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper providing excellent photo opportunities.