I owe my excitement to my new Nikon Sporter I binoculars!! I know I would not have been able to identify half of the birds we saw with my old bins. ( * indicate lifers seen today)
My 9 year old granddaughter and I decided to spend the whole day birding. We started about 7:30 AM at a small lake that I pass almost daily.. almost immediately I heard an EASTERN KINGBIRD and soon a pair made themselves visible to us. They were followed by a GREEN HERON and a MALE ORCHARD ORIOLE*- my first viewing of the chestnut and black, even though we had a immature male with a black bib at our feeder last spring.
After a while, we headed for the Tickfaw River State Park, but I had to pull over to the side of the road when I saw two SWALLOW-TAILED KITES* circling above us. As we entered the park, NORTHERN CARDINALS and one INDIGO BUNTING were feeding near a flock of PURPLE MARTINS. We also watched KILDEER, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, BLUE JAYS, MOCKINGBIRDS, CAROLINA CHICKADEES, and TURKEYS as we walked through the swamp on the boardwalk.
Our afternoon was spent near Lake Maurepas (about 25 miles from New Orleans). We were able to identify the usual BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE, COMMON GRACKLE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, STARLINGS, BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS, COMMON CROW, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. We also saw another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, and this time, my granddaughter was able to make the id! They are remarkable looking in flight. While on a short boardwalk, we saw a female NORTHERN PARULA* and SNOWY EGRETS. The last birds we identified were one WHITE IBIS and a gathering of GREAT EGRETS along a small bayou. Best of all, my granddaughter had a wonderful time and hopes to go with me again!
My 9 year old granddaughter and I decided to spend the whole day birding. We started about 7:30 AM at a small lake that I pass almost daily.. almost immediately I heard an EASTERN KINGBIRD and soon a pair made themselves visible to us. They were followed by a GREEN HERON and a MALE ORCHARD ORIOLE*- my first viewing of the chestnut and black, even though we had a immature male with a black bib at our feeder last spring.
After a while, we headed for the Tickfaw River State Park, but I had to pull over to the side of the road when I saw two SWALLOW-TAILED KITES* circling above us. As we entered the park, NORTHERN CARDINALS and one INDIGO BUNTING were feeding near a flock of PURPLE MARTINS. We also watched KILDEER, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, BLUE JAYS, MOCKINGBIRDS, CAROLINA CHICKADEES, and TURKEYS as we walked through the swamp on the boardwalk.
Our afternoon was spent near Lake Maurepas (about 25 miles from New Orleans). We were able to identify the usual BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE, COMMON GRACKLE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, STARLINGS, BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS, COMMON CROW, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. We also saw another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, and this time, my granddaughter was able to make the id! They are remarkable looking in flight. While on a short boardwalk, we saw a female NORTHERN PARULA* and SNOWY EGRETS. The last birds we identified were one WHITE IBIS and a gathering of GREAT EGRETS along a small bayou. Best of all, my granddaughter had a wonderful time and hopes to go with me again!
