Birding in New Orleans

Painted Bunting

Last Thursday evening, Ingrid and I headed to Louisiana to watch our son Bradley receive his MBA at LSU.  We stayed in New Orleans and saw all the sights.

Bradley and Tanner

We had brunch at Brennans; saw a dixie land band doing a wedding march on Bourbon Street; drank Hurricane’s a Pat O’Briens; and took a double-decker bus tour of the city.

On the bus tour Ingrid and I were thrilled to see a couple Monk Parakeets on a power line . . . a very fun life bird for us both.  Sadly we left the birding camera back at our Air BnB.  

On Sunday before we headed home we headed to Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge northeast of the city for a little birding.

Upon arriving we got a male and female Painted Bunting . . . a lifer bird that we have sought for years.

Green Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Ibises and Whistling Ducks were everywhere.

While Ingrid and I watched a Tri-colored Heron feeding . . . I noted some movement in the some reeds and was able recognize the secretive Least Bittern.  Desperately I tried to get Ingrid’s attention  . . . finally resorting to a whistle which spooked the Bittern.  Bummer.

Least Bittern

Our flight home was a disaster of delayed take-offs, missed connections and lost luggage but still one of the best weekends in a long, long time.

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